Greene County, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Greene County
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Greene County courthouse in Greensboro
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Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
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 Georgia's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Georgia |
| Founded | 1786 |
| Named for | Nathanael Greene |
| Seat | Greensboro |
| Largest city | Greensboro |
| Area | |
| • Total | 406 sq mi (1,050 km2) |
| • Land | 387 sq mi (1,000 km2) |
| • Water | 19 sq mi (50 km2) 4.6%% |
| Population | |
| • Estimate
(2018)
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17,698 |
| • Density | 41/sq mi (16/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 10th |
Greene County is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 15,994. The county seat is Greensboro. The county was created on February 3, 1786, and is named for Nathanael Greene, an American Revolutionary War major general.
Contents
History
Greene County was formed on February 3, 1786, from land given by Washington County. It was named in honor of General Nathanael Greene, a hero of the American Revolutionary War.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 406 square miles (1,050 km2), of which 387 square miles (1,000 km2) is land and 19 square miles (49 km2) (4.6%) is water.
The majority of Greene County, west of a line between Woodville, Union Point, and White Plains, is located in the Upper Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The northern half of the remainder of the county is located in the Little River sub-basin of the Savannah River basin, while the southern half is located in the Upper Ogeechee River sub-basin of the Ogeechee River basin.
Major highways
Interstate 20
U.S. Route 278
State Route 12
State Route 15
State Route 44
State Route 77- State Route 402 (unsigned designation for I-20)
Adjacent counties
- Oglethorpe County (north)
- Taliaferro County (east)
- Hancock County (southeast)
- Putnam County (southwest)
- Morgan County (west)
- Oconee County (northwest)
National protected area
- Oconee National Forest (part)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 5,405 | — | |
| 1800 | 10,761 | 99.1% | |
| 1810 | 11,679 | 8.5% | |
| 1820 | 13,589 | 16.4% | |
| 1830 | 12,549 | −7.7% | |
| 1840 | 11,690 | −6.8% | |
| 1850 | 13,068 | 11.8% | |
| 1860 | 12,652 | −3.2% | |
| 1870 | 12,454 | −1.6% | |
| 1880 | 17,547 | 40.9% | |
| 1890 | 17,051 | −2.8% | |
| 1900 | 16,542 | −3.0% | |
| 1910 | 18,512 | 11.9% | |
| 1920 | 18,972 | 2.5% | |
| 1930 | 12,616 | −33.5% | |
| 1940 | 13,709 | 8.7% | |
| 1950 | 12,843 | −6.3% | |
| 1960 | 11,193 | −12.8% | |
| 1970 | 10,212 | −8.8% | |
| 1980 | 11,391 | 11.5% | |
| 1990 | 11,793 | 3.5% | |
| 2000 | 14,406 | 22.2% | |
| 2010 | 15,994 | 11.0% | |
| 2018 (est.) | 17,698 | 10.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
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2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 15,994 people, 6,519 households, and 4,677 families living in the county. The population density was 41.3 inhabitants per square mile (15.9/km2). There were 8,688 housing units at an average density of 22.4 per square mile (8.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 56.6% white, 38.2% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 3.4% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 21.1% were American, 7.6% were English, and 6.1% were German.
Of the 6,519 households, 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.3% were non-families, and 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age was 46.4 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,513 and the median income for a family was $42,307. Males had a median income of $32,245 versus $24,622 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,943. About 17.8% of families and 23.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.0% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 11,126 | 58.82% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 5,783 | 30.57% |
| Native American | 28 | 0.15% |
| Asian | 174 | 0.92% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 513 | 2.71% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,289 | 6.81% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 18,915 people, 7,132 households, and 4,975 families residing in the county.
Role in passage of Georgia Indigent Defense Act
In 2001, Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Benham convened a committee to investigate indigent defense in the state of Georgia. An avalanche of complaints about the state of public defense in Greene County, along with a number of lawsuits filed by Stephen Bright and the Southern Center for Human Rights, contributed to the formation of this commission. The commission discovered during its investigation that indigent defendants in Greene County were routinely pleaded guilty by judges without the presence of counsel and sometimes without even being present in court to make their pleas, violations of the Sixth Amendment. Excessive bail, e.g. $50,000 for loitering, was often set as well, a violation of the Eight Amendment. After two years of investigation, the committee's recommendations led to the passage of the Georgia Indigent Defense Act.
Communities
Education
The county supports the Greene County School Board, Lake Oconee Academy and Nathanael Greene Academy.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Greene (Georgia) para niños
