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Thomas County, Georgia facts for kids

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Thomas County
Former Thomas County Courthouse in Thomasville
Former Thomas County Courthouse in Thomasville
Map of Georgia highlighting Thomas 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 23, 1825; 200 years ago (1825)
Named for Jett Thomas
Seat Thomasville
Largest city Thomasville
Area
 • Total 552 sq mi (1,430 km2)
 • Land 545 sq mi (1,410 km2)
 • Water 7.6 sq mi (20 km2)  1.4%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 45,798
 • Estimate 
(2023)
45,649 Decrease
 • Density 82.97/sq mi (32.034/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 8th

Thomas County is a county located in the state of Georgia in the United States. In 2020, about 45,798 people lived here. The main town and county seat (where the county government is) is Thomasville. Thomas County is part of the Thomasville, GA area, which is a smaller city area.

History of Thomas County

Thomas County was created on December 23, 1825. It was formed from parts of Decatur and Irwin Counties. Later, other counties like Colquitt (1856), Brooks (1858), and Grady (1905) were partly made from land that used to be in Thomas County.

The county is named after Jett Thomas. He was an officer who fought in the War of 1812. He also helped build the first building at the University of Georgia. This building was first called Franklin College. Today, it is known as Old College. Jett Thomas also oversaw the building of the state capital in Milledgeville.

Geography and Nature

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Thomas County covers about 552 square miles. Most of this area, about 545 square miles, is land. The rest, about 7.6 square miles (1.4%), is water.

The northwestern part of Thomas County is in the Upper Ochlockonee River area. The northeastern edge is in the Withlacoochee River area. The southeastern part is in the Aucilla River area. The southwestern part is mostly in the Apalachee Bay-St. Marks area.

The Aucilla River actually starts in Thomas County. The Red Hills Region, known for its rolling hills and rich soil, is mostly found in Thomas County.

Main Roads in Thomas County

  • US 19.svg U.S. Route 19
  • US 84.svg U.S. Route 84
  • Business plate.svg
    US 84.svg U.S. Route 84 Business
  • US 319.svg U.S. Route 319
  • Georgia 3.svg State Route 3
  • Georgia 3 Alternate.svg State Route 3 Alternate
  • Georgia 33.svg State Route 33
  • Georgia 35.svg State Route 35
  • Georgia 35 Connector.svg State Route 35 Connector
  • Georgia 38.svg State Route 38
  • Georgia 38 Business.svg State Route 38 Business
  • Georgia 111.svg State Route 111
  • Georgia 122.svg State Route 122
  • Georgia 188.svg State Route 188
  • Georgia 202.svg State Route 202
  • Georgia 300.svg State Route 300

Neighboring Counties

Thomas County shares borders with these other counties:

Communities in Thomas County

Thomas County has several cities and one town. It also has an unincorporated community.

Cities

Town

Unincorporated community

Population and People

The population of Thomas County has changed over many years. Here's how it has grown:

Historical population
Census Pop.
1830 3,299
1840 6,766 105.1%
1850 10,103 49.3%
1860 10,766 6.6%
1870 14,523 34.9%
1880 20,597 41.8%
1890 26,154 27.0%
1900 31,076 18.8%
1910 29,071 −6.5%
1920 33,044 13.7%
1930 32,612 −1.3%
1940 31,289 −4.1%
1950 33,932 8.4%
1960 34,319 1.1%
1970 34,515 0.6%
1980 38,098 10.4%
1990 38,986 2.3%
2000 42,737 9.6%
2010 44,720 4.6%
2020 45,798 2.4%
2023 (est.) 45,649 2.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1880 1890-1910
1920-1930 1930-1940
1940-1950 1960-1980
1980-2000 2010

Here's a look at the different groups of people living in Thomas County in 2020:

Thomas County racial makeup as of 2020
Race Num. Perc.
White 25,994 56.76%
Black or African American 16,259 35.5%
Native American 150 0.33%
Asian 406 0.89%
Pacific Islander 9 0.02%
Other/Mixed 1,403 3.06%
Hispanic or Latino 1,577 3.44%

In 2020, there were 45,798 people living in Thomas County. There were 17,595 households (groups of people living together) and 12,161 families.

Education in Thomas County

Thomas County has several places for learning, from colleges to schools.

Colleges and Universities

  • Thomas University
  • Southern Regional Technical College

School Districts

There are two main school districts:

  • Thomasville City School District (for areas inside Thomasville City)
  • Thomas County School District (for areas not inside Thomasville City)

Private Schools

  • Brookwood School

See also

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

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