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Laurens County, Georgia facts for kids

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Laurens County
Laurens County Courthouse in Dublin
Laurens County Courthouse in Dublin
Map of Georgia highlighting Laurens County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Map of the United States highlighting Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Georgia
Founded December 10, 1807; 217 years ago (1807-12-10)
Named for John Laurens
Seat Dublin
Largest city Dublin
Area
 • Total 818 sq mi (2,120 km2)
 • Land 807 sq mi (2,090 km2)
 • Water 11 sq mi (30 km2)  1.4%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 49,570
 • Density 60/sq mi (20/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 12th

Laurens County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,570, up from 48,434 in 2010. The county seat is Dublin. The county was founded on December 10, 1807, and named after Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens, an American soldier and statesman from South Carolina during the American Revolutionary War.

Laurens County is part of the Dublin micropolitan statistical area.

History

Laurens County was formed on December 10, 1807, from portions of Wilkinson and Washington Counties. During the Red Summer of 1919 there was increased racial tension in the area and in August there was the Laurens County, Georgia race riot of 1919.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 818 square miles (2,120 km2), of which 807 square miles (2,090 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (1.4%) is water. It is the third-largest county in Georgia by land area and fourth-largest by total area.

The majority of Laurens County is located in the Lower Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The southwestern corner of the county, defined by a line that runs west from Chester through Rentz to U.S. Route 441, and then southeast toward Glenwood, is located in the Little Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the same Altamaha River basin. A small and narrow sliver of the eastern edge of the county, from east of Lovett to northeast of Rockledge, is located in the Ohoopee River sub-basin of the larger Altamaha River basin. The county has several swamps along with Oconee river including Cow Hell Swamp.

Major highways

  • I-16.svg Interstate 16
  • US 80.svg U.S. Route 80
  • US 319.svg U.S. Route 319
  • US 441.svg U.S. Route 441
  • By-pass plate.svg
    US 441.svg U.S. Route 441 Bypass (around Dublin)
  • Georgia 19.svg State Route 19
  • Georgia 26.svg State Route 26
  • Georgia 29.svg State Route 29
  • Georgia 31.svg State Route 31
  • Georgia 46.svg State Route 46
  • Georgia 86.svg State Route 86
  • Georgia 117.svg State Route 117
  • Georgia 126.svg State Route 126
  • Georgia 199.svg State Route 199
  • Georgia 257.svg State Route 257
  • Georgia 278.svg State Route 278
  • Georgia 338.svg State Route 338
  • Georgia 404.svg State Route 404 (unsigned designation for I-16)

Adjacent counties

Communities

Cities

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Ghost Towns

  • Bender

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1810 2,210
1820 5,436 146.0%
1830 5,589 2.8%
1840 5,585 −0.1%
1850 6,442 15.3%
1860 6,998 8.6%
1870 7,834 11.9%
1880 10,053 28.3%
1890 13,747 36.7%
1900 25,908 88.5%
1910 35,501 37.0%
1920 39,605 11.6%
1930 32,693 −17.5%
1940 33,606 2.8%
1950 33,123 −1.4%
1960 32,313 −2.4%
1970 32,738 1.3%
1980 36,990 13.0%
1990 39,988 8.1%
2000 44,874 12.2%
2010 48,434 7.9%
2020 49,570 2.3%
2023 (est.) 49,941 3.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1880 1890-1910
1920-1930 1930-1940
1940-1950 1960-1980
1980-2000 2010 2020

2020 Census

Laurens County, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
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 Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 28,199 28,920 27,881 62.84% 59.71% 56.25%
Black or African American alone (NH) 15,417 17,268 18,219 34.36% 35.65% 36.75%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 80 87 80 0.18% 0.18% 0.16%
Asian alone (NH) 361 478 507 0.80% 0.99% 1.02%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 12 4 14 0.03% 0.01% 0.03%
Other race alone (NH) 44 41 141 0.10% 0.08% 0.28%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 232 493 1,304 0.52% 1.02% 2.63%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 529 1,143 1,424 1.18% 2.36% 2.87%
Total 44,874 48,434 49,570 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 49,570 people, 17,142 households, and 11,549 families residing in the county.

Education

Laurens County School District operates the county's public schools.

Notable people

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Laurens (Georgia) para niños

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