Webster County, Georgia

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Webster County, Georgia
County
Webster County, GA Courthouse.JPG
County courthouse in Preston
Map of Georgia highlighting Webster County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Coordinates: 32°03′N84°33′W / 32.05°N 84.55°W / 32.05; -84.55
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia
FoundedDecember 16, 1853;172 years ago (1853-12-16)
Named after Daniel Webster
Seat Preston
Largest communityPreston
Area
 • Total
210 sq mi (540 km2)
 • Land209 sq mi (540 km2)
 • Water1.1 sq mi (2.8 km2)  0.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
2,348
 • Estimate 
(2024)
2,315 Decrease2.svg
 • Density11.2/sq mi (4.34/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 2nd
Website www.webstercountyga.org

Webster County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census reflected a population of 2,348, [1] making it the third-least populous county in Georgia. The county seat is Preston. [2]

Contents

History

Webster County was created by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 16, 1853, as Kinchafoonee County. [3] A subsequent legislative act on February 21, 1856, changed the name to Webster. [3] The land for the county came from eastern portions of Stewart County. [4]

The county is named for Daniel Webster, U.S. representative of New Hampshire and U.S. representative and U.S. senator of Massachusetts. [5] Webster County's original name of Kinchafoonee came from the Kinchafoonee Creek which runs through the county. [3]

On January 1, 2009, the city of Preston and town of Weston gave up their municipal charters and formed a consolidated city-county known as the Unified Government of Webster County. [6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 210 square miles (540 km2), of which 209 square miles (540 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) (0.5%) is water. [7]

The majority of Webster County, bordered to the southwest by State Route 520, is located in the Kinchafoonee-Muckalee sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The southwestern corner of the county is located in the Ichawaynochaway Creek sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin. A tiny edge of the southwestern border, just south of State Route 520, is located in the Middle Chattahoochee River-Walter F. George Lake sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin. [8]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Communities

None of these places are incorporated, instead Webster county acts as a unified county. Preston is the county seat, despite being unincorporated.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1860 5,030—
1870 4,677−7.0%
1880 5,23712.0%
1890 5,6958.7%
1900 6,61816.2%
1910 6,151−7.1%
1920 5,342−13.2%
1930 5,032−5.8%
1940 4,726−6.1%
1950 4,081−13.6%
1960 3,247−20.4%
1970 2,362−27.3%
1980 2,341−0.9%
1990 2,263−3.3%
2000 2,3905.6%
2010 2,79917.1%
2020 2,348−16.1%
2024 (est.)2,315 [9] −1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [10]
1790-1880 [11] 1890-1910 [12]
1920-1930 [13] 1930-1940 [14]
1940-1950 [15] 1960-1980 [16]
1980-2000 [17] 2010 [18]

2020 census

Webster County racial composition as of the 2020 census [19]
RaceNum.Perc.
White 1,13648.38%
Black or African American 1,06345.27%
Asian 120.51%
Pacific Islander 60.26%
Other/Mixed 723.07%
Hispanic or Latino 592.51%

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 2,348 and 724 families residing in the county. The median age was 45.5 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.0 males age 18 and over. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas. [20] [21]

The racial makeup of the county was 48.8% White, 45.3% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.9% from some other race, and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.5% of the population. [22]

There were 991 households in the county, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 32.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. [21]

There were 1,196 housing units, of which 17.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 74.0% were owner-occupied and 26.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.1%. [21]

Education

Webster County School District operates public schools.

Politics

As of the 2020s, Webster County is a Republican stronghold, voting 59% for Donald Trump in 2024. Webster County was reliably Democratic throughout the 20th century. However, the margins tightened in the 2000 election and in 2004, Democrat John Kerry only won this county very narrowly as George Bush won Georgia's electoral votes easily. Webster County is the only county in Georgia that flipped to John McCain's column in 2008 after voting for Kerry in 2004.

For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Webster County is part of Georgia's 2nd congressional district, currently represented by Sanford Bishop. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Webster County is part of District 12. [23] For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Webster County is part of District 151. [24]

United States presidential election results for Webster County, Georgia [25]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
№ %№ %№ %
1912 21.41%13997.89%10.70%
1916 155.30%24887.63%207.07%
1920 2411.48%18588.52%00.00%
1924 106.25%14087.50%106.25%
1928 6125.96%17474.04%00.00%
1932 52.08%23597.92%00.00%
1936 4011.40%31088.32%10.28%
1940 5015.15%28084.85%00.00%
1944 6518.62%28481.38%00.00%
1948 7925.16%11837.58%11737.26%
1952 13829.18%33570.82%00.00%
1956 5114.74%29585.26%00.00%
1960 7720.59%29779.41%00.00%
1964 45776.04%14423.96%00.00%
1968 7210.10%14720.62%49469.28%
1972 48381.73%10818.27%00.00%
1976 16520.97%62279.03%00.00%
1980 31233.19%60864.68%202.13%
1984 40242.95%53457.05%00.00%
1988 36145.70%42754.05%20.25%
1992 20822.83%60065.86%10311.31%
1996 23528.55%52964.28%597.17%
2000 35939.49%54159.52%90.99%
2004 48548.12%51551.09%80.79%
2008 58852.93%51546.35%80.72%
2012 60150.59%58248.99%50.42%
2016 63056.45%47342.38%131.16%
2020 74853.77%64046.01%30.22%
2024 79059.13%54440.72%20.15%

[26]

United States Senate election results for Webster County, Georgia3
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
№ %№ %№ %
2022 61659.46%42040.54%00.00%

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Webster County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 Weston Woman's Club: History of Webster County, Georgia, W. H. Wolfe Associates, Roswell, Ga., 1980, pp. 16-19.
  4. ↑ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 249. ISBN   0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 27, 2003.
  5. ↑ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 242. ISBN   978-1135948597 . Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  6. ↑ River Valley Regional Commission (September 10, 2024). Webster County Comprehensive Plan 2024–2029. Preston, Georgia: Unified Government of Webster County. p. 4. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  7. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  9. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
  11. ↑ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
  12. ↑ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 16, 2024.
  13. ↑ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
  14. ↑ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
  15. ↑ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
  16. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
  17. ↑ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
  18. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  20. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  21. 1 2 3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  22. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  23. ↑ "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  24. ↑ "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  25. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  26. ↑ "2022 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Georgia by county. November 5, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2024.

32°03′N84°33′W / 32.05°N 84.55°W / 32.05; -84.55

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