Gwinnett County, Georgia facts for kids

"Gwinnett" redirects here. For other uses, see Gwinnett (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids

Gwinnett County

Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center

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Location within the U.S. state of Georgia

Georgia's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Georgia

Founded

December 15, 1818; 207 years ago

Largest city

Area

• Total

437 sq mi (1,130 km²)

• Land

430 sq mi (1,100 km²)

• Water

6.4 sq mi (17 km²) 1.5%%

Population

(2020)

• Total

942,627

• Estimate

(2023)

983,526

• Density

2,123/sq mi (820/km²)

Time zone

UTC−5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

Congressional districts

6th, 7th, 9th

Gwinnett County is a large county in the north central part of Georgia. It's a key part of the Atlanta metropolitan area, located just northeast of Atlanta. In 2020, Gwinnett County was home to over 957,000 people. This makes it the second-most populated county in Georgia.

The main city and government center of Gwinnett County is Lawrenceville. The county is named after Button Gwinnett, who was one of the people who signed the Declaration of Independence. Gwinnett County is known for being very diverse, with many different cultures and backgrounds.

History of Gwinnett County

Early Days and Founding

In 1813, a place called Fort Daniel was built in the area that would later become Gwinnett County. The county itself was officially created in 1818. It was formed from parts of Jackson County and land that used to belong to the Creek Indian people.

The first county election was held at the home of Elisha Winn. The first court meeting happened in his barn! Later, Lawrenceville became the county's official seat.

Important Court Case

In 1831, an important court case happened in Lawrenceville. It was called Worcester v. Georgia. This case was about whether Georgia had the right to make laws for Native American lands. The US Supreme Court decided that only the federal government could make rules for these lands. This decision is still important today.

Civil War and After

During the American Civil War, Gwinnett County's leaders voted against Georgia leaving the United States. Towards the end of the war, Union soldiers came through the county as part of the Atlanta Campaign.

After the war, during a time called Reconstruction, the Freedmen's Bureau helped people in Gwinnett County. In 1871, the courthouse in Lawrenceville was burned down.

Early Industries

In the early days, people in Gwinnett County did some gold mining. A cotton factory, the Gwinnett Manufacturing Company, operated in Lawrenceville from the 1850s until it burned down in 1865. The Bona Allen Company in Buford, Georgia made leather goods like saddles for many years, from 1873 to 1981.

In 1914, a part of Gwinnett County was used to create a new county called Barrow County.

Geography and Nature

Gwinnett County covers about 437 square miles. Most of this is land, with a small amount of water. The county is located in the Piedmont region of Georgia, which means it has rolling hills.

The county is also located along the Eastern Continental Divide. This is an imaginary line where water flows either towards the Atlantic Ocean or towards the Gulf of Mexico. A part of the county to the northwest is included in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

Lake Lanier, a large lake at the northern edge of the county, is a source of water for the region. Sometimes, there are discussions about how to share this water with other states.

Neighboring Counties

Gwinnett County shares borders with several other counties:

Forsyth County – to the north
Hall County – to the northeast
Jackson County – to the northeast
Barrow County – to the east
Walton County – to the southeast
Rockdale County – to the south
DeKalb County – to the southwest
Fulton County – to the west

Communities in Gwinnett County

Cities

Towns

Braselton (partly in Jackson County, Hall County, and Barrow County)
Rest Haven (partly in Hall County)

Census-Designated Places

Mountain Park

Unincorporated Communities

These are areas that are not part of an official city or town:

Allendale
Centerville
Five Forks
Harbins
Hog Mountain
Lucky Shoals
Mechanicsville
Mountain Park
Rockbridge
Rosebud

Population and Diversity

Gwinnett County has grown very quickly and become much more diverse over the years. In 1990, most of the people living here were white. But by 2007, it became a "majority-minority" county. This means that groups other than non-Hispanic white people made up more than half of the population.

As of the 2020 Census, Gwinnett County had 957,062 people. It is known for its large populations of Black, Hispanic, and Asian residents. No single ethnic group makes up more than a third of the county's population. This makes Gwinnett County the most ethnically diverse county in Georgia.

Economy and Businesses

Many different companies have their headquarters or important offices in Gwinnett County. This shows that the county is a busy place for business. Some of these companies include:

AGCO in Duluth
American Megatrends near Norcross
ASHRAE in Peachtree Corners
Comcast Corporation (Xfinity, NBCUniversal) has its Southeast Headquarters in Peachtree Corners
Canon has its southeast region headquarters in Norcross
Datapath, Inc. (secure communications) near Duluth
CarMax, Mass Mutual, Honeywell, Sprint Corporation, Siemens Industry Automation, Fleetcor, ACI Worldwide, and CMD Group in Peachtree Corners
Hapag-Lloyd’s North American Headquarters in Peachtree Corners
The Harlem Globetrotters are headquartered in Peachtree Corners
Primerica near Duluth
Scientific Atlanta in Lawrenceville
United States Tennis Association (USTA)’s Southern Section headquarters in Peachtree Corners
Waffle House near Norcross
Yerkes National Primate Research Center (a research center for primates) near Lawrenceville

Hospitals

Gwinnett County has several hospitals that provide healthcare to its residents:

Northside Hospital Gwinnett – in Lawrenceville
Northside Hospital Duluth – in Duluth
Piedmont Hospital Eastside – in Snellville

Media and News

The main newspaper for Gwinnett County is the Gwinnett Daily Post. There is also a Spanish language newspaper called El Nuevo Georgia, which has its main office near Norcross. Telemundo Atlanta and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also have operations in Gwinnett.

Parks and Recreation

The Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation department manages many parks, playgrounds, swimming pools, golf courses, and recreation centers. They also offer fun and educational programs. The parks system has won many awards, including a gold medal in 2008 for being one of the best park systems in the country. They are also known for using STEM in their programs.

Education in Gwinnett County

Public Schools

Most public schools in Gwinnett County are run by Gwinnett County Public Schools. The only exception is the city of Buford, which has its own school district. Gwinnett County Public Schools is the largest school district in Georgia. It has 143 schools, including 21 high schools, 29 middle schools, 80 elementary schools, and 13 special schools.

There is also a charter school in Peachtree Corners called International Charter Academy of Georgia.

Private Schools

Gwinnett County also has several private schools:

Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross
Hebron Christian Academy in Dacula
Providence Christian Academy in Lilburn
Wesleyan School in Peachtree Corners

Colleges and Universities

For higher education, Gwinnett County has several colleges and universities:

Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville
Gwinnett Technical College also in Lawrenceville
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Suwanee
Trevecca Nazarene University has an adult education site in Duluth
University of Georgia has a branch campus in Lawrenceville

Sports Teams

Gwinnett County is home to several sports teams that play in professional leagues.

Club	Sport	League	Venue	Founded	Titles
Atlanta Gladiators	Ice hockey	ECHL	Gas South Arena	1995	0
Gwinnett Stripers	Baseball	International League	Coolray Field	2009	0
Georgia Swarm	Lacrosse	National Lacrosse League	Gas South Arena	2004	1

The Georgia Swarm lacrosse team moved to Gwinnett in 2016 and won the league championship in 2017! Gwinnett also has the Gwinnett Lions Rugby Football Club.

Transportation and Travel

Airport

Gwinnett County has its own regional airport, called Gwinnett County Airport. For bigger flights, the closest major airport is Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.