Wilcox County, Georgia

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Wilcox County
Wilcox County Courthouse (South face) (cropped).JPG
Map of Georgia highlighting Wilcox County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Georgia in United States.svg
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°58′N83°26′W / 31.97°N 83.44°W / 31.97; -83.44
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia
FoundedDecember 22, 1857;168 years ago (1857)
Named after Mark Wilcox
Seat Abbeville
Largest cityAbbeville
Area
  Total
382 sq mi (990 km2)
  Land378 sq mi (980 km2)
  Water4.4 sq mi (11 km2)  1.2%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
8,766
  Density23/sq mi (9/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 8th
Website www.wilcoxcountygeorgia.com

Wilcox County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,766. [1] The county seat is Abbeville. [2]

Contents

History

Wilcox County was formed on December 22, 1857, from parts of Irwin, Pulaski, and Dooly counties. The county was named for General Mark Wilcox, a Georgia state legislator and one of the founders of the Georgia Supreme Court. [3]

The first county courthouse was built in 1858; the present courthouse dates from 1903. [4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 382 square miles (990 km2), of which 378 square miles (980 km2) is land and 4.4 square miles (11 km2) (1.2%) is water. [5]

The northern and eastern three-quarters of Wilcox County, from State Route 215 southeast to Rochelle, then due south, are located in the Lower Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The southwestern portion of the county, west of Rochelle, and roughly centered on Pitts, is located in the Alapaha River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin. [6]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Communities

Cities

Town

Census-designated place

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1860 2,115
1870 2,43915.3%
1880 3,10927.5%
1890 7,980156.7%
1900 11,09739.1%
1910 13,48621.5%
1920 15,51115.0%
1930 13,439−13.4%
1940 12,755−5.1%
1950 10,167−20.3%
1960 7,905−22.2%
1970 6,998−11.5%
1980 7,6829.8%
1990 7,008−8.8%
2000 8,57722.4%
2010 9,2557.9%
2020 8,766−5.3%
2024 (est.)8,904 [7] 1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census [8]
1790-1880 [9] 1890-1910 [10]
1920-1930 [11] 1930-1940 [12]
1940-1950 [13] 1960-1980 [14]
1980-2000 [15] 2010 [16] 2020 [17]

2020 census

Wilcox County, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000 [18] Pop 2010 [19] Pop 2020 [17] % 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)5,2995,5445,18561.78%59.90%59.15%
Black or African American alone (NH)3,0913,2333,09636.04%34.93%35.32%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)81530.09%0.16%0.03%
Asian alone (NH)1441490.16%0.44%0.56%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)1130.01%0.01%0.03%
Other race alone (NH)01290.00%0.13%0.10%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)25711490.29%0.77%1.70%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)1393382721.62%3.65%3.10%
Total8,5779,2558,766100.00%100.00%100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 8,766 people, 2,575 households, and 1,807 families residing in the county.

Education

The county is served by Wilcox County Schools. The district headquarters are in Abbeville and the schools, including Wilcox County High School, are in Rochelle.

Notable event

The Ocmulgee Wild Hog Festival takes place in Abbeville annually on the Saturday before Mother's Day. [20]

Politics

United States presidential election results for Wilcox County, Georgia [21]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.%No.%No.%
1912 295.10%52592.27%152.64%
1916 588.79%59089.39%121.82%
1920 10618.06%48181.94%00.00%
1924 214.29%43187.96%387.76%
1928 21632.00%45968.00%00.00%
1932 253.88%61995.97%10.16%
1936 19515.44%1,06684.40%20.16%
1940 11811.60%89087.51%90.88%
1944 20613.12%1,36486.88%00.00%
1948 756.73%79170.94%24922.33%
1952 30113.81%1,87886.19%00.00%
1956 23212.10%1,68687.90%00.00%
1960 30615.15%1,71484.85%00.00%
1964 1,79466.59%90033.41%00.00%
1968 38114.28%46517.43%1,82268.29%
1972 1,86385.54%31514.46%00.00%
1976 34613.85%2,15386.15%00.00%
1980 82731.44%1,78067.68%230.87%
1984 1,21850.12%1,21249.88%00.00%
1988 1,23553.26%1,07946.53%50.22%
1992 91633.64%1,36550.13%44216.23%
1996 88241.56%1,06750.28%1738.15%
2000 1,38158.39%96240.68%220.93%
2004 1,70565.18%90234.48%90.34%
2008 2,15968.24%97830.91%270.85%
2012 2,05365.55%1,06033.84%190.61%
2016 2,09670.43%85228.63%280.94%
2020 2,40273.25%86126.26%160.49%
2024 2,49374.48%84725.31%70.21%

See also

References

  1. "Census - Geography Profile: Wilcox County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 253. ISBN   0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 27, 2003.
  4. Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 215. ISBN   978-1135948597 . Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  6. "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  7. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  8. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
  9. "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
  10. "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
  11. "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
  12. "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
  13. "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
  14. "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
  15. "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
  16. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  17. 1 2 "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wilcox County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau .
  18. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Wilcox County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau .
  19. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wilcox County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau .
  20. "Ocmulgee Wild Hog Festival". www.hogfestival.com. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  21. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 24, 2018.

31°58′N83°26′W / 31.97°N 83.44°W / 31.97; -83.44