List of counties in Georgia

The U.S. state of Georgia is divided into 159 counties, the second-highest number after Texas, which has 254 counties. Under the Georgia State Constitution, all of its counties are granted home rule to deal with problems that are purely local in nature. Also, eight consolidated city-counties have been established in Georgia: Athens–Clarke County, Augusta–Richmond County, Columbus–Muscogee County, Georgetown–Quitman County, Statenville–Echols County, Macon–Bibb County, Cusseta–Chattahoochee County, and Preston-Webster County.

Counties of Georgia
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Location	State of Georgia
Number	159
Populations	Greatest: 1,074,634 (Fulton) Least: 1,600 (Taliaferro) Average: 68,634 (2022)
Areas	Largest: 908 square miles (2,350 km^2) (Ware) Smallest: 121 square miles (310 km^2) (Clarke) Average: 373.7 square miles (968 km^2)
Government	County government
Subdivisions	Cities, towns, unincorporated communities, census designated place

History

From 1732 until 1758, the minor civil divisions in Georgia were districts and towns. In 1758, the Province of Georgia was divided into eight parishes, and another four parishes were created in 1765. On February 5, 1777, the original eight counties of the state were created: Burke, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Richmond, and Wilkes.

Georgia has the second-largest number of counties of any state in the United States, only behind Texas, which has 254 counties.^[1] One traditional reasoning for the creation and location of so many counties in Georgia was that a country farmer, rancher, or lumberman should be able to travel to the legal county seat town or city, and then back home, in one day on horseback or via wagon. About 25 counties in Georgia were created in the first quarter of the 20th century, after the use of the railroad, automobile, truck, and bus had become possible. Because of the County Unit System, later declared unconstitutional, new counties, no matter the population, had at least one representative in the state house, keeping political power in rural areas.^[2][3] The last new county to be established in Georgia was Peach County, founded in 1924.

The proliferation of counties in Georgia led to multiple state constitutional amendments attempting to limit the number of counties. The most recent such amendment, ratified in 1945, limited the number to 159 counties, although there had been 161 counties from 1924 to 1931. In a rare consolidation of counties, both Campbell County and Milton County were annexed into Fulton County in 1932 as a financial move during the Great Depression, since those two county governments were nearly bankrupt. Fulton County contains Atlanta, and it was thought that tax revenues from Atlanta and its suburbs would help to support the rural areas of the discarded counties, which had very little tax income of their own—mostly from property taxes on farms and forests, which did not amount to much.

Due to Georgia's high number of unpopulated counties, Georgia judges are able to get around a state constitutional provision prohibiting banishment "beyond the limits of this state" by banishing criminals from all but one county of the state, usually Echols County. Because the one county where the banished criminal is technically allowed to live is so unpopulated, the banished criminals will leave the state of Georgia rather than move to that county. ^[4]

Georgia is the only state that still allows sole commissioner county government. As of 2021, seven of the state's 159 counties operate under that system.

During the 2022 legislative session, the Georgia General Assembly began considering reducing the number of counties in the state.^[5] Despite the state increasing in population by over one million according to the 2020 Census, 67 counties lost population, mostly in rural areas. The rationale for consolidating counties is to reduce costs for county services such as school systems, law enforcement and elections.^[5][6]

Changed names of counties

A few counties in Georgia have changed their names. Jasper County was originally named "Randolph County". Later, the present-day Randolph County was founded. Webster County was once named "Kinchafoonee County", and Bartow County was originally named "Cass County".

Defunct counties

• Christ Church, St. Andrew, St. David, St. George, St. James, St. John, St. Mary, St. Matthew, St. Patrick, St. Paul, St. Philip, and St. Thomas were all parishes that were dissolved in 1777 with the establishment of the charter counties.
• Bourbon County (1785–1788): formed out of disputed Yazoo lands in present-day Mississippi; dissolved in 1788.
• Campbell County (1828–1932): formed from Carroll and Coweta in 1828. Areas northwest of the Chattahoochee River became Douglas in 1870; the remainder of Campbell was merged into southwest Fulton in 1932.
• Milton County (1857–1932): formed from northeast Cobb, southeast Cherokee, and southwest Forsyth in 1857 (and later northern DeKalb); was merged into north Fulton in 1932.
• There was a previous Walton County in Georgia, which was actually located in what is now western North Carolina. A brief skirmish, the Walton War, was fought between North Carolina and Georgia in 1810, before Georgia relinquished its claim on that area after the 1811 survey of Ellicott Rock.

Majority-minority counties

 

Majority-minority counties (2020 Census)

Per the 2020 Census, 36 of Georgia's 159 counties are majority-minority. Eighteen have African-American majorities and 18 are majority-minority with no dominant group. An influx of immigrants to the Atlanta metropolitan area and Latino workers to the Black Belt has helped to fuel the shift.

Fictional counties

Film

• Deliverance (1972) is set in a north Georgia county marked on the sheriff's car as Aintry.
• Diggstown (1992) takes place in the fictional Olivair County, Georgia.
• Gator (1976) takes place in the fictional Dunston County, Georgia.
• Ghost Fever (1987) takes place in the fictional Greendale County, Georgia.
• Smokey Bites the Dust (1981) takes place in the fictional Paraquat County, Georgia.
• Tank (1984) takes place in the fictional Clemmons County, Georgia. (Although Clemmons supposedly borders Tennessee, filming was at or near Fort Benning, across the Chattahoochee River from Alabama.)^{[citation needed]}
• The Ugly Dachshund (1966) takes place in the fictional Paraquat County, Georgia.

Television

• The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985) takes place in Hazzard and Chickasaw counties in Georgia, both fictional.^[7][8]
• Family Guy (2011) names a fictional Dungarees County in Georgia where Peter Griffin gets arrested.
• The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (1979–1981) takes place in the fictional Orly County, Georgia.
• Rectify (2013–2016), a SundanceTV original series, takes place in the fictional Paulie County, Georgia.
• Squidbillies (2005–present), an animated Adult Swim series about anthropomorphic cephalopods, is set in rural, fictional Dougal County (a possible reference to Douglas County) in the hills of north Georgia.^[9]
• The Walking Dead (2010–2022) names three fictional counties in Georgia: King, Linden and Mert.^[10][11]

Theater

• The Foreigner (1983), a play by Larry Shue, takes place in the fictional Tilghman County, Georgia.

Books

• Karin Slaughter's novels are often set in the fictional Grant County, Georgia.
• In Stephen King's The Green Mile, John Coffey is wrongfully arrested in the fictional Trapingus County, Georgia.
• John Birmingham includes a fictional Buttecracke (pronounced Beau-cray) County, Georgia, in his Dave vs. the Monsters series of novels.
• We Deserve Monuments, by Jas Hammonds, takes place in the fictional Bardell County, Georgia.

Counties listing

County	FIPS code^[12]	County seat^[13]	Est.^[13]	Origin^[14]	Etymology^[14]	Density	Population^[15]	Area^[13]	Map
Appling County	001	Baxley	1818	Land ceded by the Creek Indians in the Treaty of Fort Jackson in 1814 and the Treaty of the Creek Agency in 1818	Colonel Daniel Appling (1787–1818), a hero of the War of 1812	36.20	18,428	509 sq mi (1,318 km^2)
Atkinson County	003	Pearson	1917	Clinch and Coffee counties	William Yates Atkinson (1854–99), governor of Georgia (1894–98) and speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives	24.21	8,183	338 sq mi (875 km^2)
Bacon County	005	Alma	1914	Appling, Pierce and Ware counties	Augustus Octavius Bacon (1839–1914), U.S. Senator (1895–1914); President pro tempore of the United States Senate	39.27	11,191	285 sq mi (738 km^2)
Baker County	007	Newton	1825	Early County	Colonel John Baker (died 1792), a hero of the American Revolutionary War	8.13	2,788	343 sq mi (888 km^2)
Baldwin County	009	Milledgeville	1803	Creek cessions of 1802 and 1805	Abraham Baldwin (1754–1807), a Founding Father; U.S. Senator (1799–1807); one of the Georgia delegates who signed the U.S. Constitution	169.13	43,635	258 sq mi (668 km^2)
Banks County	011	Homer	1859	Franklin and Habersham counties	Dr. Richard Banks (1784–1850), local physician noted for treating natives with smallpox	82.60	19,328	234 sq mi (606 km^2)
Barrow County	013	Winder	1914	Gwinnett, Jackson and Walton counties	"Uncle Dave" David Crenshaw Barrow Jr. (1852–1929), chancellor of the University of Georgia (1906–29)	551.23	89,299	162 sq mi (420 km^2)
Bartow County	015	Cartersville	1832	Created from a portion of Cherokee County and originally called Cass County after General Lewis Cass	General Francis S. Bartow (1816–61), Confederate political leader; first Confederate general killed in the American Civil War	245.25	112,816	460 sq mi (1,191 km^2)
Ben Hill County	017	Fitzgerald	1906	Irwin and Wilcox counties	Benjamin Harvey Hill (1823–82), U.S. Senator (1877–82)	67.73	17,069	252 sq mi (653 km^2)
Berrien County	019	Nashville	1856	Coffee, Irwin, and Lowndes counties	John Macpherson Berrien (1781–1856), U.S. Senator; U.S. Attorney General	40.30	18,214	452 sq mi (1,171 km^2)
Bibb County	021	Macon	1822	Houston, Jones, Monroe, and Twiggs counties	Dr. William Wyatt Bibb (1780–1820), first Governor of Alabama; U.S. Senator	624.79	156,197	250 sq mi (647 km^2)
Bleckley County	023	Cochran	1912	Pulaski County	Logan Edwin Bleckley (1827–1907), Georgia State Supreme Court Chief Justice	56.48	12,257	217 sq mi (562 km^2)
Brantley County	025	Nahunta	1920	Charlton, Pierce, and Wayne counties	William Gordon Brantley (1860–1934), U.S. Congressman	40.95	18,183	444 sq mi (1,150 km^2)
Brooks County	027	Quitman	1858	Lowndes and Thomas counties	Captain Preston S. Brooks (1819–57), a hero of the Mexican–American War; Congressman from South Carolina	32.90	16,253	494 sq mi (1,279 km^2)
Bryan County	029	Pembroke	1793	Chatham County	Jonathan Bryan (1708–88), colonial settler; famous state representative	109.11	48,225	442 sq mi (1,145 km^2)
Bulloch County	031	Statesboro	1796	Bryan and Screven counties	Archibald Bulloch (1729–77), a hero of the Revolutionary War; Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives; acting governor of Georgia (1775–77) and first governor of Georgia	121.61	83,059	683 sq mi (1,769 km^2)
Burke County	033	Waynesboro	1777	Originally organized as St. George Parish	Edmund Burke (1729–97), British-American political philosopher and Member of Parliament (MP) who sympathized with the cause of American independence	29.35	24,388	831 sq mi (2,152 km^2)
Butts County	035	Jackson	1825	Henry and Monroe counties	Captain Samuel Butts (1777–1814), a hero of the Creek War	142.51	26,649	187 sq mi (484 km^2)
Calhoun County	037	Morgan	1854	Baker and Early counties	John C. Calhoun (1782–1850), U.S. Congressman; U.S. Senator; Vice President of the United States from South Carolina	19.53	5,469	280 sq mi (725 km^2)
Camden County	039	Woodbine	1777	St. Mary and St. Thomas parishes	Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden (1714–94), Lord Chancellor of Great Britain who sympathized with the cause of American independence	90.50	57,013	630 sq mi (1,632 km^2)
Candler County	043	Metter	1914	Bulloch, Emanuel and Tattnall counties	Allen Daniel Candler (1834–1910), state legislator; U.S. Congressman; Governor of Georgia (1898–1902)	44.53	11,000	247 sq mi (640 km^2)
Carroll County	045	Carrollton	1826	Lands ceded by the Creek Indians in 1825 in the Treaty of Indian Springs	Charles Carroll (1737–1832), the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence	249.68	124,592	499 sq mi (1,292 km^2)
Catoosa County	047	Ringgold	1853	Walker and Whitfield counties	Chief Catoosa, a Cherokee chief	424.85	68,826	162 sq mi (420 km^2)
Charlton County	049	Folkston	1854	Camden County	Robert Milledge Charlton (1807–54), jurist; U.S. Senator (1852–54); mayor of Savannah	16.36	12,781	781 sq mi (2,023 km^2)
Chatham County	051	Savannah	1777	Christ Church and St. Philip parishes	William Pitt, Earl of Chatham (1708–78), British Prime Minister who sympathized with the cause of American independence	684.33	301,107	440 sq mi (1,140 km^2)
Chattahoochee County	053	Cusseta	1854	Marion and Muscogee counties	Chattahoochee River, which forms the county's (and the state's) western border	35.42	8,819	249 sq mi (645 km^2)
Chattooga County	055	Summerville	1838	Floyd and Walker counties	Chattooga River	79.41	24,936	314 sq mi (813 km^2)
Cherokee County	057	Canton	1831	Cherokee Cession of 1831	Cherokee Nation, which controlled this part of the state autonomously until 1831	663.39	281,278	424 sq mi (1,098 km^2)
Clarke County	059	Athens	1801	Jackson County	Elijah Clarke (1733–99), a hero of the Revolutionary War	1,073.35	129,875	121 sq mi (313 km^2)
Clay County	061	Fort Gaines	1854	Early and Randolph counties	Henry Clay (1777–1852), Secretary of State; Speaker of the House of Representatives; U.S. Senator from Kentucky	14.59	2,845	195 sq mi (505 km^2)
Clayton County	063	Jonesboro	1858	Fayette and Henry counties	Augustin Smith Clayton (1783–1839), a local jurist and U.S. Congressman	2,073.87	296,564	143 sq mi (370 km^2)
Clinch County	065	Homerville	1850	Lowndes and Ware counties	General Duncan Lamont Clinch (1784–1849), a hero of the War of 1812 and the Seminole War; U.S. Congressman	8.23	6,662	809 sq mi (2,095 km^2)
Cobb County	067	Marietta	1832	Cherokee County	Colonel Thomas Willis Cobb (1784–1835), a hero of the War of 1812; U.S. Congressman	2,270.45	771,952	340 sq mi (881 km^2)
Coffee County	069	Douglas	1854	Clinch, Irwin, Telfair and Ware counties	General John E. Coffee (1782–1836), a hero of the War of 1812	72.07	43,172	599 sq mi (1,551 km^2)
Colquitt County	071	Moultrie	1856	Lowndes and Thomas counties	Walter Terry Colquitt (1799–1855), Methodist pastor; U.S. Senator	82.90	45,762	552 sq mi (1,430 km^2)
Columbia County	073	Appling (de jure) and Evans (de facto)	1790	Richmond County	Christopher Columbus (1446–1506), explorer	560.07	162,419	290 sq mi (751 km^2)
Cook County	075	Adel	1918	Berrien County	General Philip Cook (1817–94), Confederate general; Georgia's Georgia Secretary of State	76.00	17,404	229 sq mi (593 km^2)
Coweta County	077	Newnan	1826	Created on Creek lands ceded in 1825 in the treaty of Indian Springs and Creek Cessions of 1826	Coweta tribe of the Creek Nation and their village near Columbus	345.11	152,882	443 sq mi (1,147 km^2)
Crawford County	079	Knoxville	1822	Houston County	William Harris Crawford (1772–1834), U.S. Senator; ambassador to France; Secretary of the Treasury	37.35	12,140	325 sq mi (842 km^2)
Crisp County	081	Cordele	1905	Dooly County	Charles Frederick Crisp (1845–96), Speaker of the House of Representatives	71.93	19,708	274 sq mi (710 km^2)
Dade County	083	Trenton	1837	Walker County	Major Francis L. Dade (1793–1835), a hero of the Seminole War	92.42	16,081	174 sq mi (451 km^2)
Dawson County	085	Dawsonville	1857	Gilmer and Lumpkin counties	William Crosby Dawson (1798–1857), U.S. Senator (1849–55); state legislator	142.83	30,138	211 sq mi (546 km^2)
Decatur County	087	Bainbridge	1823	Early County	Commodore Stephen Decatur (1779–1820), a naval hero of the actions against the Barbary Pirates in the early 19th century	48.55	28,982	597 sq mi (1,546 km^2)
DeKalb County	089	Decatur	1822	Henry, Fayette, and Gwinnett counties	"Baron" Johann DeKalb (1721–80) a German who accompanied Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, and was inspector general of the Colonial Army	2,846.34	762,820	268 sq mi (694 km^2)
Dodge County	091	Eastman	1870	Montgomery, Pulaski and Telfair counties	William Earle Dodge (1805–1883), temperance leader; businessman from New York; a co-founder of Phelps, Dodge, and Company, a mining and metals company	39.52	19,802	501 sq mi (1,298 km^2)
Dooly County	093	Vienna	1821	Creek Cession of 1821	Colonel John Dooly (1740–80), a hero of the American Revolution	26.90	10,572	393 sq mi (1,018 km^2)
Dougherty County	095	Albany	1853	Baker County	Charles Dougherty (1801–53), judge from Athens, Georgia	251.41	82,966	330 sq mi (855 km^2)
Douglas County	097	Douglasville	1870	The former Campbell County and Carroll County	Stephen Arnold Douglas (1813–61), an Illinois Democratic Congressman who ran against Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 United States presidential election and lost	740.28	147,316	199 sq mi (515 km^2)
Early County	099	Blakely	1818	Creek Cession of 1814	Peter Early (1773–1817), tenth governor of Georgia	20.69	10,574	511 sq mi (1,323 km^2)
Echols County	101	Statenville	1858	Clinch and Lowndes counties	General Robert M. Echols (1798–1847), a state legislator and a hero of the Mexican–American War	9.12	3,686	404 sq mi (1,046 km^2)
Effingham County	103	Springfield	1777	St. Matthew and St. Philip parishes	Thomas Howard, Earl of Effingham (1746–1791), who sympathized with the cause of American independence	143.84	69,041	480 sq mi (1,243 km^2)
Elbert County	105	Elberton	1790	Wilkes County	Samuel Elbert (1740–88), a general in the Revolutionary War; became Governor of Georgia in 1785	53.70	19,814	369 sq mi (956 km^2)
Emanuel County	107	Swainsboro	1812	Bulloch and Montgomery counties	Colonel David Emanuel (1744–1808), became the governor of Georgia in 1801	33.42	22,929	686 sq mi (1,777 km^2)
Evans County	109	Claxton	1914	Bulloch and Tattnall counties	General Clement Anselm Evans (1832–1911), a hero of the American Civil War; the commander in chief of the United Confederate Veterans	57.81	10,695	185 sq mi (479 km^2)
Fannin County	111	Blue Ridge	1854	Gilmer and Union counties	Colonel James Walker Fannin Jr. (1809–36), a hero of the Texas Revolution	66.68	25,737	386 sq mi (1,000 km^2)
Fayette County	113	Fayetteville	1821	Creek Cession of 1821	Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), a French hero of the Revolutionary War	619.44	122,030	197 sq mi (510 km^2)
Floyd County	115	Rome	1832	Cherokee County	General John Floyd (1769–1839), soldier, U.S. Congressman	193.85	99,443	513 sq mi (1,329 km^2)
Forsyth County	117	Cumming	1832	Cherokee County	John Forsyth (1780–1841), Secretary of State under President Martin Van Buren	1,182.46	267,237	226 sq mi (585 km^2)
Franklin County	119	Carnesville	1784	Cherokee and Creek Cessions of 1783	Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), writer, inventor, philosopher, publisher, and a Founding Father of the United States	91.74	24,128	263 sq mi (681 km^2)
Fulton County	121	Atlanta	1853	DeKalb County + the former Campbell and Milton counties and a portion of Cobb County	Hamilton Fulton (1781–1833), a Scottish civil and hydraulic engineer.	2,031.44	1,074,634	529 sq mi (1,370 km^2)
Gilmer County	123	Ellijay	1832	Cherokee County	George Rockingham Gilmer (1780–1859), 16th governor of Georgia	75.89	32,407	427 sq mi (1,106 km^2)
Glascock County	125	Gibson	1857	Warren County	General Thomas Glascock (1780–1841), a hero of the War of 1812 and the Seminole War of 1817; U.S. Congressman	20.41	2,939	144 sq mi (373 km^2)
Glynn County	127	Brunswick	1777	St. David and St. Patrick parishes	John Glynn (1722–79), British Member of Parliament and Serjeant-at-law, who sympathized with the cause of American independence	201.61	85,079	422 sq mi (1,093 km^2)
Gordon County	129	Calhoun	1850	Cass (now Bartow) and Floyd counties	William Washington Gordon (1796–1842), first president of the Central of Georgia Railroad	166.07	58,954	355 sq mi (919 km^2)
Grady County	131	Cairo	1905	Decatur and Thomas counties	Henry Woodfin Grady (1850–89), orator; managing editor of the Atlanta Constitution	56.79	26,008	458 sq mi (1,186 km^2)
Greene County	133	Greensboro	1786	Washington County	General Nathanael Greene (1742–86), a hero of the Revolutionary War	51.90	20,139	388 sq mi (1,005 km^2)
Gwinnett County	135	Lawrenceville	1818	Cherokee Cession of 1817 and Creek Cession of 1818	Button Gwinnett (1735–1777), one of Georgia's delegates to the Continental Congress who signed the Declaration of Independence	2,252.55	975,353	433 sq mi (1,121 km^2)
Habersham County	137	Clarkesville	1818	Cherokee Cessions of 1817 and 1819	Colonel Joseph Habersham (1751–1815), a hero of the Revolutionary War; U.S. Postmaster General in the Cabinet of George Washington	170.77	47,475	278 sq mi (720 km^2)
Hall County	139	Gainesville	1818	Cherokee Cessions of 1817 and 1819	Dr. Lyman Hall (1724–90), one of Georgia's delegates to the Continental Congress who signed the Declaration of Independence; became the governor of Georgia in 1783	539.83	212,692	394 sq mi (1,020 km^2)
Hancock County	141	Sparta	1793	Greene and Washington counties	John Hancock (1737–93), President of the Continental Congress; first signer of the Declaration of Independence	17.73	8,387	473 sq mi (1,225 km^2)
Haralson County	143	Buchanan	1856	Carroll and Polk counties	General Hugh Anderson Haralson (1805–54), U.S. Congressman	111.12	31,337	282 sq mi (730 km^2)
Harris County	145	Hamilton	1827	Muscogee and Troup counties	Charles Harris (1772–1827), prominent attorney from Savannah	78.18	36,276	464 sq mi (1,202 km^2)
Hart County	147	Hartwell	1853	Elbert and Franklin counties	Nancy Morgan Hart (1735–1830), a heroine of the Revolutionary War	115.99	26,909	232 sq mi (601 km^2)
Heard County	149	Franklin	1830	Carroll, Coweta and Troup counties	Stephen Heard (1740–1815), a hero of the Revolutionary War	39.61	11,725	296 sq mi (767 km^2)
Henry County	151	McDonough	1821	Creek Cession of 1821	Patrick Henry (1736–99), prominent lawyer, orator, and a Founding Father of the United States	768.93	248,364	323 sq mi (837 km^2)
Houston County	153	Perry	1821	Creek Cession of 1821	John Houstoun (1744–1796), member of the Continental Congress; became governor of Georgia in 1778	449.95	169,631	377 sq mi (976 km^2)
Irwin County	155	Ocilla	1818	Creek Cessions of 1814 and 1818	Jared Irwin (1751–1818), the governor who rescinded the Yazoo Act in 1796	25.56	9,126	357 sq mi (925 km^2)
Jackson County	157	Jefferson	1796	Franklin County	General James Jackson (1757–1806), a hero of the Revolutionary War	245.43	83,936	342 sq mi (886 km^2)
Jasper County	159	Monticello	1807	Baldwin (FKA Randolph County 1807–12)	Sergeant William Jasper (1750–1779), a hero of the Revolutionary War	43.11	15,951	370 sq mi (958 km^2)
Jeff Davis County	161	Hazlehurst	1905	Appling and Coffee counties	Jefferson Davis (1808–89), the first and only President of the Confederate States of America	44.71	14,889	333 sq mi (862 km^2)
Jefferson County	163	Louisville	1796	Burke and Warren counties	Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third President of the United States	29.00	15,314	528 sq mi (1,368 km^2)
Jenkins County	165	Millen	1905	Bulloch, Burke, Emanuel, and Screven counties	Charles Jones Jenkins (1805–83), governor of Georgia, who was the author of the famous Georgia Platform of 1850	24.83	8,689	350 sq mi (906 km^2)
Johnson County	167	Wrightsville	1858	Emanuel, Laurens and Washington counties	Herschel Vespasian Johnson (1812–80), U.S. Senator; Governor of Georgia	30.40	9,242	304 sq mi (787 km^2)
Jones County	169	Gray	1807	Baldwin County	James Jones (1769–1801), U.S. Congressman	72.26	28,472	394 sq mi (1,020 km^2)
Lamar County	171	Barnesville	1920	Monroe and Pike counties	Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar (1825–93), U.S. Senator; Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court	105.23	19,467	185 sq mi (479 km^2)
Lanier County	173	Lakeland	1920	Berrien, Clinch and Lowndes counties	Sidney Lanier (1842–1881), attorney, linguist, mathematician,^[16] and musician	54.39	10,171	187 sq mi (484 km^2)
Laurens County	175	Dublin	1807	Wilkinson County	Colonel John Laurens (1754–82), aide to George Washington during the Revolutionary War	61.08	49,660	813 sq mi (2,106 km^2)
Lee County	177	Leesburg	1826	Creek Cessions of 1826	Lieutenant Colonel Henry Lee III (1732–1794), a hero of the Revolutionary War, who attained the nickname "Light-Horse Harry"	94.50	33,642	356 sq mi (922 km^2)
Liberty County	179	Hinesville	1777	St Andrew, St James, and St John Parishes	Named in honor of the noted patriotism of the citizens of Midway in their support of the cause of colonial independence	131.08	68,030	519 sq mi (1,344 km^2)
Lincoln County	181	Lincolnton	1796	Wilkes County	General Benjamin Lincoln (1733–1810), a hero of the Revolutionary War; was later assigned to the suppression of Shays' Rebellion	37.16	7,841	211 sq mi (546 km^2)
Long County	183	Ludowici	1920	Liberty County	Dr. Crawford Williamson Long (1815–78), in 1842 the first man to use diethyl ether as an anesthetic for dental surgery	45.76	18,348	401 sq mi (1,039 km^2)
Lowndes County	185	Valdosta	1825	Irwin County	William Jones Lowndes (1782–1822), prominent figure in the affairs of South Carolina throughout the formative years of the United States	237.58	119,739	504 sq mi (1,305 km^2)
Lumpkin County	187	Dahlonega	1832	Cherokee, Habersham, and Hall counties	Wilson Lumpkin (1783–1870), Governor of Georgia; U.S. Senator	122.52	34,796	284 sq mi (736 km^2)
Macon County	193	Oglethorpe	1837	Houston and Marion counties	General Nathaniel Macon (1758–1837), Speaker of the House of Representatives; U.S. Senator	29.19	11,765	403 sq mi (1,044 km^2)
Madison County	195	Danielsville	1811	Clarke, Elbert, Franklin, Jackson and Oglethorpe counties	James Madison (1751–1836), fourth President of the United States; chief writer of the U.S. Constitution	110.82	31,473	284 sq mi (736 km^2)
Marion County	197	Buena Vista	1827	Lee and Muscogee counties	General Francis Marion (1732–95), the "Swamp Fox"; a hero of the Revolutionary War	20.30	7,449	367 sq mi (951 km^2)
McDuffie County	189	Thomson	1870	Columbia and Warren counties	George McDuffie (1790–1851), orator and governor of South Carolina	83.51	21,713	260 sq mi (673 km^2)
McIntosh County	191	Darien	1793	Liberty County	General Lachlan McIntosh (1727–1806), a hero of the Revolutionary War	25.76	11,180	434 sq mi (1,124 km^2)
Meriwether County	199	Greenville	1827	Formed from Troup County	General David Meriwether (1755–1822), a hero of the Revolutionary War; U.S. Congressman	41.44	20,845	503 sq mi (1,303 km^2)
Miller County	201	Colquitt	1856	Baker and Early counties	Andrew Jackson Miller (1806–56), president of the Medical College of Georgia	20.52	5,807	283 sq mi (733 km^2)
Mitchell County	205	Camilla	1857	Baker County	Gen. Henry Mitchell (1760–1839), a hero of the Revolutionary War	41.24	21,116	512 sq mi (1,326 km^2)
Monroe County	207	Forsyth	1821	Creek Cession of 1821	James Monroe (1758–1831), the fifth President of the United States and the creator of the Monroe Doctrine of 1823	74.31	29,427	396 sq mi (1,026 km^2)
Montgomery County	209	Mount Vernon	1793	Washington County	General Richard Montgomery (1738–75), a hero of the Revolutionary War	35.33	8,655	245 sq mi (635 km^2)
Morgan County	211	Madison	1807	Baldwin County	General Daniel Morgan (1736–1802), a hero of the Revolutionary War; U.S. Congressman	60.09	21,031	350 sq mi (906 km^2)
Murray County	213	Chatsworth	1832	Cherokee County	Thomas W. Murray (1790–1832), famous state legislator	117.65	40,472	344 sq mi (891 km^2)
Muscogee County	215	Columbus	1826	Creek Cession of 1826	Muskogee ethnic group, to which the Creek and Seminole Nations belong	938.04	202,616	216 sq mi (559 km^2)
Newton County	217	Covington	1821	Henry, Jasper, and Walton counties	Sergeant John Newton (1755–80), a hero of the Revolutionary War	426.16	117,621	276 sq mi (715 km^2)
Oconee County	219	Watkinsville	1875	Clarke County	Oconee River, which forms its eastern boundary	234.34	43,588	186 sq mi (482 km^2)
Oglethorpe County	221	Lexington	1793	Wilkes County	General James Edward Oglethorpe (1696–1785), the founder of the Colony of Georgia	35.08	15,469	441 sq mi (1,142 km^2)
Paulding County	223	Dallas	1832	Cherokee County	John Paulding (1759–1818), a hero of the Revolutionary War	568.22	178,421	314 sq mi (813 km^2)
Peach County	225	Fort Valley	1924	Houston and Macon counties	Its location in Central Georgia is one of the richest peach-producing regions in the country.	189.15	28,562	151 sq mi (391 km^2)
Pickens County	227	Jasper	1853	Cherokee and Gilmer counties	General Andrew Pickens (1739–1817), a hero of the Revolutionary War; U.S. Congressman	150.11	34,826	232 sq mi (601 km^2)
Pierce County	229	Blackshear	1857	Appling and Ware counties	Franklin Pierce (1804–1869), fourteenth President of the United States	58.80	20,168	343 sq mi (888 km^2)
Pike County	231	Zebulon	1822	Monroe County	General Zebulon Pike (1779–1813), explorer and a hero of the War of 1812	91.70	19,990	218 sq mi (565 km^2)
Polk County	233	Cedartown	1851	Floyd and Paulding counties	James Knox Polk (1795–1849), eleventh President of the United States	140.54	43,709	311 sq mi (805 km^2)
Pulaski County	235	Hawkinsville	1808	Laurens County	Count Kazimierz Pułaski of Poland (1748–79), a hero of the Revolutionary War	40.42	9,984	247 sq mi (640 km^2)
Putnam County	237	Eatonton	1807	Baldwin County	General Israel Putnam (1718–90), a hero of the Revolutionary War	66.81	22,984	344 sq mi (891 km^2)
Quitman County	239	Georgetown	1858	Randolph and Stewart counties	General John Anthony Quitman (1799–1858), a hero of the Mexican-American War	14.80	2,249	152 sq mi (394 km^2)
Rabun County	241	Clayton	1819	Cherokee Cession of 1819	William Rabun (1771–1819), Governor of Georgia (1817–19)	46.38	17,206	371 sq mi (961 km^2)
Randolph County	243	Cuthbert	1828	Lee County	John Randolph of Roanoke (1773–1833), U.S. Congressman	14.26	6,116	429 sq mi (1,111 km^2)
Richmond County	245	Augusta	1777	St Paul Parish	Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond (1735–1806), who sympathized with the cause of American independence	637.78	206,640	324 sq mi (839 km^2)
Rockdale County	247	Conyers	1870	Henry and Newton counties	Rockdale Church, which was so named for the subterranean bed of granite that underlies this region of the state	725.07	94,984	131 sq mi (339 km^2)
Schley County	249	Ellaville	1857	Marion and Sumter counties	William Schley (1786–1858), governor of Georgia (1835–37)	26.76	4,496	168 sq mi (435 km^2)
Screven County	251	Sylvania	1793	Burke and Effingham counties	General James Screven (1744–1778), a hero of the Revolutionary War	21.57	13,977	648 sq mi (1,678 km^2)
Seminole County	253	Donalsonville	1920	Decatur and Early counties	Seminole Nation	38.35	9,127	238 sq mi (616 km^2)
Spalding County	255	Griffin	1851	Fayette, Henry, and Pike counties	Thomas Spalding (1774–1851), U.S. Congressman, state legislator, and agriculturalist	348.08	68,919	198 sq mi (513 km^2)
Stephens County	257	Toccoa	1905	Franklin and Habersham counties	Alexander Stephens (1812–83), U.S. Congressman; Governor of Georgia; first and only Vice President of the Confederate States of America	149.54	26,767	179 sq mi (464 km^2)
Stewart County	259	Lumpkin	1830	Randolph County	General Daniel Stewart (1759–1829), a hero of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812	10.13	4,648	459 sq mi (1,189 km^2)
Sumter County	261	Americus	1831	Lee County	General Thomas Sumter (1734–1832), the "Fighting Gamecock," a hero of the Revolutionary War	59.54	28,877	485 sq mi (1,256 km^2)
Talbot County	263	Talbotton	1827	Muscogee County	Matthew Talbot (1762–1827), served in the Georgia State Senate for 15 years, including two years as the President of the Senate, and Governor of Georgia for two weeks in 1819	14.62	5,747	393 sq mi (1,018 km^2)
Taliaferro County	265	Crawfordville	1825	Greene, Hancock, Oglethorpe, Warren, and Wilkes counties	Colonel Benjamin Taliaferro (1750–1821), U.S. Congressman; a hero of the Revolutionary War	8.21	1,600	195 sq mi (505 km^2)
Tattnall County	267	Reidsville	1801	Montgomery County	Josiah Tattnall (1764–1803), U.S. Senator; Governor of Georgia	49.72	24,064	484 sq mi (1,254 km^2)
Taylor County	269	Butler	1852	Macon, Marion and Talbot counties	Zachary Taylor (1784–1850), the twelfth President of the United States	20.47	7,737	378 sq mi (979 km^2)
Telfair County	271	McRae-Helena	1807	Wilkinson County	Edward Telfair (1735–1807), the second Governor of Georgia following the establishment of the United States	28.01	12,354	441 sq mi (1,142 km^2)
Terrell County	273	Dawson	1856	Lee and Randolph counties	Dr. William Terrell (1778–1855), U.S. Congressman	26.05	8,754	336 sq mi (870 km^2)
Thomas County	275	Thomasville	1825	Decatur and Irwin counties	General Jett Thomas (1776–1817), a hero of the War of 1812	83.14	45,561	548 sq mi (1,419 km^2)
Tift County	277	Tifton	1905	Berrien, Irwin and Worth counties	Colonel Nelson Tift (1810–91), a captain in the Confederate States Navy; U.S. Congressman	156.27	41,412	265 sq mi (686 km^2)
Toombs County	279	Lyons	1905	Emanuel, Montgomery, and Tattnall counties	General Robert Toombs (1810–85), U.S. Senator; Confederate States Secretary of State	73.13	26,837	367 sq mi (951 km^2)
Towns County	281	Hiawassee	1856	Rabun and Union counties	George Washington Towns (1801–54), governor of Georgia during the antebellum period	78.14	12,972	166 sq mi (430 km^2)
Treutlen County	283	Soperton	1918	Emanuel and Montgomery counties	John A. Treutlen (1726–82), the first elected Governor of Georgia (1777–78)	31.67	6,365	201 sq mi (521 km^2)
Troup County	285	LaGrange	1826	Creek Cession of 1826	George M. Troup (1780–1856), Governor of Georgia (1823–27); U.S. Senator	169.54	70,191	414 sq mi (1,072 km^2)
Turner County	287	Ashburn	1905	Dooly, Irwin, Wilcox and Worth counties	Captain Henry Gray Turner (1839–1904), U.S. Congressman; a hero of the American Civil War	30.92	8,842	286 sq mi (741 km^2)
Twiggs County	289	Jeffersonville	1809	Wilkinson County	General John Twiggs (1750–1816), a hero of the Revolutionary War; Governor of Georgia	21.33	7,680	360 sq mi (932 km^2)
Union County	291	Blairsville	1832	Cherokee County	Federal union of the states	81.70	26,388	323 sq mi (837 km^2)
Upson County	293	Thomaston	1824	Crawford and Pike counties	Stephen Upson (1786–1824), state legislator	86.15	28,086	326 sq mi (844 km^2)
Walker County	295	LaFayette	1833	Murray County	Major Freeman Walker (1780–1827), U.S. Senator (1819–1821)	154.52	68,915	446 sq mi (1,155 km^2)
Walton County	297	Monroe	1818	Creek Cession of 1818	George Walton (1749–1804), one of Georgia's delegates to the Continental Congress who signed the Declaration of Independence	313.27	103,065	329 sq mi (852 km^2)
Ware County	299	Waycross	1824	Appling County	Nicholas Ware (1769–1824), U.S. Senator (1821–24)	39.44	35,614	903 sq mi (2,339 km^2)
Warren County	301	Warrenton	1793	Columbia, Hancock, Richmond, and Wilkes counties	General Joseph Warren (1741–75), a hero of the Revolutionary War	18.02	5,155	286 sq mi (741 km^2)
Washington County	303	Sandersville	1784	Creek Cession of 1783	George Washington (1732–99), the first President of the United States, although named after him as a general	29.03	19,738	680 sq mi (1,761 km^2)
Wayne County	305	Jesup	1803	Creek Cession of 1802	General Anthony Wayne (1745–96), known as "Mad Anthony Wayne"; U.S. Congressman; a hero of the Revolutionary War and the Northwest Indian War	47.90	30,896	645 sq mi (1,671 km^2)
Webster County	307	Preston	1853	Stewart County (Formally Kinchafoonee)	Daniel Webster (1782–1852), U.S. Secretary of State; supported Henry Clay's Compromise of 1850	11.09	2,328	210 sq mi (544 km^2)
Wheeler County	309	Alamo	1912	Montgomery County	General Joseph Wheeler (1836–1906), U.S. Congressman; a hero of the American Civil War and the Spanish–American War	24.54	7,314	298 sq mi (772 km^2)
White County	311	Cleveland	1857	Habersham County	Colonel John White, a hero of the Revolutionary War	119.03	28,806	242 sq mi (627 km^2)
Whitfield County	313	Dalton	1851	Murray County	George Whitefield (1714–70), pastor; established the Bethesda Orphanage near Savannah	355.63	103,132	290 sq mi (751 km^2)
Wilcox County	315	Abbeville	1857	Dooly, Irwin, and Pulaski counties	General Mark Wilcox (1800–50), a noted soldier and state legislator	23.06	8,761	380 sq mi (984 km^2)
Wilkes County	317	Washington	1777	Cherokee and Creek Cessions of 1773	John Wilkes (1727–97), a British Member of Parliament who sympathized with the cause of American independence	20.38	9,599	471 sq mi (1,220 km^2)
Wilkinson County	319	Irwinton	1803	Creek Cessions of 1802 and 1805	General James Wilkinson (1757–1825), a hero of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812; Senior Officer of the U.S. Army; turned out to be an agent of the Spanish government	19.42	8,681	447 sq mi (1,158 km^2)
Worth County	321	Sylvester	1853	Dooly and Irwin counties	General William J. Worth (1794–1849), a hero of the Mexican–American War	35.83	20,424	570 sq mi (1,476 km^2)

See also

• List of county seats in Georgia
• List of county courthouses in Georgia

References

1. Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 215. ISBN 978-1135948597. from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
2. Stokes, Stephannie (April 4, 2016). "Why Ga. Has The Second Highest Number Of Counties In The US". WABE. from the original on November 10, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
3. Jackson, Ed. . Georgia Info. Archived from the original on November 10, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
4. Yung, Corey Rayburn (January 2007). "Banishment by a Thousand Laws: Residency Restrictions on Sex Offenders". Washington Law Review. 85 (1). The majority opinion in Collett did not address the fact that any of the defendants sentenced to 158-county banishment would likely choose to live in Ware or Echols County. The result of the 158-county banishment sentences, while not technically ordering the defendants to leave the state, has been to cause such an exodus to occur.
5. Richards, Doug (February 7, 2022). "Georgia lawmakers consider consolidating counties--What that could mean for metro Atlanta". WXIA-TV. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
6. "2020 Census Count by Georgia County Population" (PDF). Georgia General Assembly. August 12, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
7. Brett, Jennifer (September 6, 2018). "Burt Reynolds considered Georgia his 'good luck state'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. from the original on November 11, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
8. Farrier, John (May 4, 2011). "23 Facts You Might Not Know about The Dukes of Hazzard". Neatorama. from the original on November 11, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
9. Bofill, Lora (September 29, 2014). "Creators Dave Willis and Jim Fortier chat about Adult Swim's Squidbillies". Eclipse Magazine. from the original on September 7, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
10. Conrad, Andrew (February 26, 2012). . The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on November 11, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
11. Riddle, J (March 7, 2013). "The Geography of The Walking Dead". Cinema Archaeologist. from the original on November 11, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
12. . EPA.gov. Archived from the original on 2009-11-15. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
13. National Association of Counties. . Archived from the original on 2008-05-18. Retrieved 2008-04-30.
14. . Archived from the original on 2011-05-26. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
15. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
16. Daniel, Donald D. (November 4, 2006). Birthplace of Sidney Lanier Marker. from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.

External links

• "Constitution of the State of Georgia Art. IX". FindLaw. April 14, 2021. on counties and municipal corporations
• "Counties of Georgia". New Georgia Encyclopedia.
• "Georgia Counties". Digital Library of Georgia.
• . Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia. Archived from the original on 7 December 2003.
• "Historical County Maps Collection". Virtual Vault. Georgia Archives.