Newton County, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Newton County
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Newton County Courthouse
|
|||
|
|||
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
|
|||
 Georgia's location within the U.S. |
|||
| Country |  United States |
||
| State |  Georgia |
||
| Founded | December 24, 1821 | ||
| Named for | John Newton | ||
| Seat | Covington | ||
| Largest city | Covington | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 279 sq mi (720 km2) | ||
| • Land | 272 sq mi (700 km2) | ||
| • Water | 7.0 sq mi (18 km2) 2.5%% | ||
| Population
(2020)
|
|||
| • Total | 112,483 | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| Congressional districts | 4th, 10th | ||
Newton County is a special area in the north central part of Georgia, a state in the U.S. It's like a big neighborhood with its own local government. In 2020, about 112,483 people lived here. The main town, where the county government is located, is Covington. Newton County is also part of the larger Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell MSA, which means it's connected to a big city hub.
Contents
History of Newton County
Newton County got its name from a brave soldier named Sgt. John Newton. He served under Gen. Francis Marion during the American Revolutionary War. This war was when America fought to become independent from Great Britain. Newton County was officially created on December 24, 1821.
During the American Civil War, a big war in the U.S. from 1861 to 1865, Newton County had a group of soldiers called the Lamar Infantry. They were part of Cobb's Legion. In 1860, almost half of the people living in Newton County were enslaved. This shows how important slavery was in the area at that time. Newton County is next to Jasper County. It's interesting that many states have both a Newton County and a Jasper County that are neighbors.
Movies and TV Shows Filmed Here
Newton County is a popular spot for filming movies and TV shows! In the late 1970s, the first episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard were filmed in and around Covington. Later, the TV series In The Heat of the Night was filmed there from 1988 to 1995.
The movie Remember the Titans also shot many scenes in Covington, especially on "The Square." The final football scene was filmed at Homer Sharp Stadium, which is close to downtown Covington. More recently, parts of the TV series The Vampire Diaries have been filmed on "The Square." Other major movies like My Cousin Vinny, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, and Halloween II (Rob Zombie's movie) were also filmed near downtown Covington.
Birthplace of Georgia 4-H
Newton County says it's where Georgia 4-H began. In 1904, groups called the Girls Canning and Boys Corn Clubs were started by G.C. Adams. These clubs were renamed the 4-H Club in 1906. This happened after the first 4-H Club opened in Iowa in 1905.
Geography of Newton County
Newton County covers about 279 square miles (720 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 272 square miles (700 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 7.0 square miles (18 square kilometers), is water. The county is located in the Piedmont region of Georgia. This region is known for its rolling hills and gentle slopes.
Most of Newton County is part of the Upper Ocmulgee River sub-basin. This river system eventually flows into the Altamaha River. A smaller part of the eastern county, near Social Circle and Newborn, is in the Upper Oconee River sub-basin, which also flows into the Altamaha River.
Major Highways in Newton County
Interstate 20
U.S. Route 278
State Route 11
State Route 12
State Route 20
State Route 36
State Route 81
State Route 138
State Route 142
State Route 162
State Route 162 Connector
State Route 212
State Route 402 (This is another name for I-20)
Neighboring Counties
Newton County shares its borders with these other counties:
- Walton County (to the north)
- Morgan County (to the east)
- Jasper County (to the southeast)
- Butts County (to the south)
- Henry County (to the west southwest)
- Rockdale County (to the northwest)
Communities in Newton County
Newton County has several towns and cities where people live and work.
Cities
- Covington (This is the county seat, where the main government offices are)
- Mansfield
- Oxford
- Social Circle
Towns
Unincorporated Community
- Starrsville (This is a community that is not part of an official city or town)
Population of Newton County
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 11,155 | — | |
| 1840 | 11,628 | 4.2% | |
| 1850 | 13,296 | 14.3% | |
| 1860 | 14,320 | 7.7% | |
| 1870 | 14,615 | 2.1% | |
| 1880 | 13,623 | −6.8% | |
| 1890 | 14,310 | 5.0% | |
| 1900 | 16,734 | 16.9% | |
| 1910 | 18,449 | 10.2% | |
| 1920 | 21,680 | 17.5% | |
| 1930 | 17,290 | −20.2% | |
| 1940 | 18,576 | 7.4% | |
| 1950 | 20,185 | 8.7% | |
| 1960 | 20,999 | 4.0% | |
| 1970 | 26,282 | 25.2% | |
| 1980 | 34,489 | 31.2% | |
| 1990 | 41,808 | 21.2% | |
| 2000 | 62,001 | 48.3% | |
| 2010 | 99,958 | 61.2% | |
| 2020 | 112,483 | 12.5% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 120,135 | 20.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1880 1890-1910 1920-1930 1930-1940 1940-1950 1960-1980 1980-2000 2010 2020 |
|||
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 46,007 | 51,995 | 46,746 | 74.20% | 52.02% | 41.56% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 13,690 | 40,371 | 52,246 | 22.08% | 40.39% | 46.45% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 131 | 199 | 175 | 0.21% | 0.20% | 0.16% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 444 | 881 | 1,044 | 0.72% | 0.88% | 0.93% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 9 | 34 | 114 | 0.01% | 0.03% | 0.10% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 70 | 169 | 734 | 0.11% | 0.17% | 0.65% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 493 | 1,674 | 4,260 | 0.80% | 1.67% | 3.79% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,157 | 4,635 | 7,164 | 1.87% | 4.64% | 6.37% |
| Total | 62,001 | 99,958 | 112,483 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 112,483 people living in Newton County. There were 37,867 households (groups of people living together) and 28,095 families.
Education in Newton County
Most of the schools in Newton County are part of the Newton County School System. However, some parts of the county, especially in Social Circle, are served by the Social Circle City School District.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Newton (Georgia) para niños
