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Stephens County, Georgia facts for kids

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Stephens County
Stephens County Courthouse in Toccoa
Stephens County Courthouse in Toccoa
Map of Georgia highlighting Stephens 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 August 18, 1905; 119 years ago (1905)
Named for Alexander Stephens
Seat Toccoa
Largest city Toccoa
Area
 • Total 184 sq mi (480 km2)
 • Land 179 sq mi (460 km2)
 • Water 5.1 sq mi (13 km2)  2.8%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2018)
26,035
 • Density 146/sq mi (56/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 9th

Stephens County is a county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia, in the Piedmont and near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is bounded by the Tugaloo River and Lake Hartwell on the east. As of the 2010 census, the population was 26,175. The county seat is Toccoa.

Stephens County comprises the Toccoa, Georgia Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Originally inhabited by Mississippi Indian mound builders and then by Cherokee Indians, the first non-Indians in the area were Revolutionary War veterans who migrated up the Savannah River and the Tugaloo River after the war. Created on August 18, 1905 from parts of Franklin County and Habersham County, the county is named for Alexander Stephens, U.S. representative, Vice President of the Confederate States of America, and fifty-third governor of Georgia.

Two courthouses have served Stephens County. The first courthouse was built in 1908, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The second was built in 2000.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 184 square miles (480 km2), of which 179 square miles (460 km2) is land and 5.1 square miles (13 km2) (2.8%) is water.

The northern half of Stephens County is located in the Tugaloo River sub-basin of the Savannah River basin, while the southern half of the county is located in the Broad River sub-basin of the same Savannah River basin.

Major highways

  • US 123.svg U.S. Route 123
  • Georgia 17.svg State Route 17
  • Georgia 17 Alternate.svg State Route 17 Alternate
  • Georgia 63.svg State Route 63
  • Georgia 105.svg State Route 105
  • Georgia 106.svg State Route 106
  • Georgia 145.svg State Route 145
  • Georgia 184.svg State Route 184
  • Georgia 328.svg State Route 328
  • Georgia 365.svg State Route 365

Adjacent counties

National protected area

  • Chattahoochee National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 9,728
1920 11,215 15.3%
1930 11,740 4.7%
1940 12,972 10.5%
1950 16,647 28.3%
1960 18,391 10.5%
1970 20,331 10.5%
1980 21,763 7.0%
1990 23,257 6.9%
2000 25,435 9.4%
2010 26,175 2.9%
2018 (est.) 26,035 −0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2013

2020 census

Stephens County Racial Composition
Race Num. Perc.
White 21,323 79.61%
Black or African American 2,936 10.96%
Native American 73 0.27%
Asian 225 0.84%
Pacific Islander 9 0.03%
Other/Mixed 1,361 5.08%
Hispanic or Latino 857 3.2%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 26,784 people, 9,543 households, and 6,783 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 26,175 people, 10,289 households, and 7,236 families residing in the county. The population density was 146.1 inhabitants per square mile (56.4/km2). There were 12,662 housing units at an average density of 70.7 per square mile (27.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 85.1% white, 10.9% black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.0% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 14.7% were American, 9.1% were Irish, 8.1% were German, and 7.4% were English.

Of the 10,289 households, 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.7% were non-families, and 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 40.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,938 and the median income for a family was $41,768. Males had a median income of $35,814 versus $24,834 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,285. About 12.3% of families and 18.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Images for kids

See also

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

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