Tifton, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tifton, Georgia
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Tifton City Hall
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| Nickname(s):
Friendly City
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Location in Tift County and the state of Georgia
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| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Tift |
| Area | |
| • Total | 13.04 sq mi (33.76 km2) |
| • Land | 12.84 sq mi (33.26 km2) |
| • Water | 0.19 sq mi (0.50 km2) |
| Elevation | 354 ft (108 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 17,045 |
| • Density | 1,327.18/sq mi (512.43/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
31793-31794
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| Area code(s) | 229 |
| FIPS code | 13-76476 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0324159 |
Tifton is a city in Georgia, United States. It is the main city of Tift County. In 2020, about 17,045 people lived there.
Tifton is home to several schools and colleges. The public schools are managed by the Tift County School District. You can also find campuses for Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Southern Regional Technical College, and the University of Georgia here.
The city has interesting places to visit. These include the Coastal Plain Research Arboretum and the Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village. Two areas, the Tifton Commercial Historic District and the Tifton Residential Historic District, are listed as important historical places.
Contents
History of Tifton
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Tifton started in 1872 in Berrien County. It was founded by Henry H. Tift, who owned a sawmill. The city grew where two railroads, the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad and the Brunswick and Western Railroad, met.
Tifton officially became a city in 1890. Later, in 1905, it was chosen as the main city for the new Tift County.
In the past, many passenger trains stopped in Tifton. These trains connected cities like Chicago and Cincinnati to Florida. However, passenger train service to Tifton ended in 1971.
Where is Tifton Located?
Tifton is in the southern part of central Georgia. A major highway, Interstate 75, runs through the city. This highway goes north to Atlanta, which is about 167 kilometers (104 miles) away. It also goes south to Valdosta, about 45 kilometers (28 miles) away.
Other important roads that pass through Tifton include U.S. Route 41, U.S. Route 82, U.S. Route 319, and Georgia State Route 125.
Tifton's Climate
Tifton has a warm climate. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are mild. The city gets a good amount of rain throughout the year.
| Climate data for Tifton, Georgia, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1911–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 83 (28) |
90 (32) |
90 (32) |
93 (34) |
99 (37) |
105 (41) |
104 (40) |
104 (40) |
106 (41) |
98 (37) |
88 (31) |
84 (29) |
106 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 75.5 (24.2) |
78.6 (25.9) |
82.6 (28.1) |
87.6 (30.9) |
92.7 (33.7) |
95.8 (35.4) |
96.9 (36.1) |
96.3 (35.7) |
93.8 (34.3) |
88.1 (31.2) |
82.0 (27.8) |
77.1 (25.1) |
98.1 (36.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 58.7 (14.8) |
63.8 (17.7) |
69.0 (20.6) |
75.4 (24.1) |
84.0 (28.9) |
87.9 (31.1) |
90.0 (32.2) |
89.4 (31.9) |
85.8 (29.9) |
77.1 (25.1) |
68.3 (20.2) |
62.6 (17.0) |
76.0 (24.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 47.6 (8.7) |
52.0 (11.1) |
57.3 (14.1) |
63.7 (17.6) |
72.2 (22.3) |
77.6 (25.3) |
80.1 (26.7) |
79.6 (26.4) |
75.5 (24.2) |
66.1 (18.9) |
56.5 (13.6) |
51.1 (10.6) |
64.9 (18.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 36.6 (2.6) |
40.1 (4.5) |
45.6 (7.6) |
52.0 (11.1) |
60.3 (15.7) |
67.4 (19.7) |
70.2 (21.2) |
69.9 (21.1) |
65.2 (18.4) |
55.1 (12.8) |
44.6 (7.0) |
39.5 (4.2) |
53.9 (12.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 22.8 (−5.1) |
26.4 (−3.1) |
29.7 (−1.3) |
39.6 (4.2) |
49.0 (9.4) |
60.6 (15.9) |
65.4 (18.6) |
64.7 (18.2) |
56.3 (13.5) |
41.1 (5.1) |
30.3 (−0.9) |
26.3 (−3.2) |
20.7 (−6.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 0 (−18) |
12 (−11) |
16 (−9) |
30 (−1) |
39 (4) |
48 (9) |
54 (12) |
54 (12) |
42 (6) |
28 (−2) |
10 (−12) |
6 (−14) |
0 (−18) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.08 (104) |
4.40 (112) |
4.77 (121) |
3.28 (83) |
2.67 (68) |
4.95 (126) |
5.16 (131) |
4.45 (113) |
4.28 (109) |
2.83 (72) |
3.16 (80) |
4.20 (107) |
48.23 (1,226) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.7 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 6.5 | 6.9 | 11.5 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 7.9 | 6.2 | 5.9 | 7.4 | 101.6 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Tifton's Population
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 1,384 | — | |
| 1910 | 2,381 | 72.0% | |
| 1920 | 3,005 | 26.2% | |
| 1930 | 3,390 | 12.8% | |
| 1940 | 5,228 | 54.2% | |
| 1950 | 6,831 | 30.7% | |
| 1960 | 9,903 | 45.0% | |
| 1970 | 12,179 | 23.0% | |
| 1980 | 13,749 | 12.9% | |
| 1990 | 14,215 | 3.4% | |
| 2000 | 15,060 | 5.9% | |
| 2010 | 16,350 | 8.6% | |
| 2020 | 17,045 | 4.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850-1870 1870-1880 1890-1910 1920-1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 |
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Tifton's population has grown steadily over the years. In 1900, there were just 1,384 people. By 2020, the population had increased to 17,045.
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 7,367 | 43.22% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 6,349 | 37.25% |
| Native American | 29 | 0.17% |
| Asian | 434 | 2.55% |
| Other/Mixed | 575 | 3.37% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,291 | 13.44% |
The city is home to people from many different backgrounds. In 2020, there were 17,045 people living in Tifton. These people made up 5,906 households and 3,779 families.
Arts and Culture in Tifton
Tifton offers various cultural activities and places to visit.
Libraries
The city has a public library where you can borrow books and use computers. There is also a large college library at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
Interesting Places to Visit
- Coastal Plain Research Arboretum: A place where you can see many different kinds of plants and trees.
- Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village: A museum that shows what life was like in Georgia a long time ago.
Tifton was once home to the world's second-largest magnolia tree. It was located in Magnolia Tree Park. Sadly, the tree was damaged in a fire in 2004. Even though it no longer grows, the tree still stands.
Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village
The Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village is a special place in Tifton. It opened on July 4, 1976. The museum covers about 95 acres (38 hectares).
It has five main areas:
- A traditional farm from the 1870s.
- A modern farm from the 1890s.
- An area showing old industrial sites.
- A rural town.
- A national peanut complex, which teaches about peanuts.
Over 35 old buildings have been moved to the museum and carefully restored. People working at the museum dress in old costumes. They show visitors what daily life was like in Georgia's past.
Historic Areas
The Tifton Residential Historic District is a neighborhood with many old, important homes. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. The Tifton Commercial Historic District and the Tift County Courthouse are also listed as historic places.
Sports in Tifton
Tifton has a history of local sports achievements. In 2000, the city's 10-year-old boys' baseball team won the state championship. They had a perfect season, winning all 24 games.
In 2010, an indoor football team called the Georgia Firebirds moved to Tifton. They had previously been located in Waycross, Georgia.
Education in Tifton
Tifton offers education from pre-school through college.
Tift County School District
The Tift County School District manages public schools for students from pre-school to twelfth grade. The district has:
- Eight elementary schools.
- Two middle schools.
- One high school.
- An alternative school.
There are about 467 full-time teachers. They teach over 7,641 students in the district.
Private Schools
- Tiftarea Academy: Located in Chula, Georgia, this school serves students from kindergarten to 12th grade.
- Grace Baptist Christian School
Colleges and Universities
- Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College: This college has its main campus in Tifton.
- Southern Regional Technical College: This college also has a campus in Tifton.
- University of Georgia: The university has an agricultural campus in Tifton.
Media in Tifton
Tifton has local news sources to keep residents informed.
- The Tifton Gazette: This is a weekly newspaper published every Thursday. It is part of the South Georgia Media Group.
- The Tifton Grapevine: This is an online newspaper published twice a week. It sends news updates to about 5,800 email subscribers.
City Infrastructure
Tifton has important systems that help the city run smoothly.
Transportation
Major Highways
Several major highways connect Tifton to other parts of Georgia and the United States:
Interstate 75
U.S. Highway 41
U.S. Route 82
U.S. Route 319
State Route 125
Airports
The Henry Tift Myers Airport is a public airport near Tifton. It is about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) southeast of the city. This airport is used for general aviation, meaning it handles private planes and charters. It does not have regular commercial airline flights.
Famous People from Tifton
- Nanci Bowen - A professional golfer who played in the LPGA.
- Austin Brown - A singer and member of the a cappella group Home Free.
- Justin Brownlee - A professional basketball player.
- Caitlin Carmichael - A child actress.
- Larry Dean - A football linebacker who played for the Minnesota Vikings.
- Dennis Dove - A former MLB (Major League Baseball) pitcher.
- Todd Fordham - A former NFL (National Football League) offensive lineman.
- Kip Moore - A country music singer.
- Matt Moore - A former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party.
- Wyc Orr - A politician and lawyer.
- Austin Scott - A U.S. Congressman.
- Clay Shiver - A former NFL offensive lineman.
- Tyson Summers - An American college football coach.
- Cyndi Thomson - A country music singer.
- Dina Titus - A U.S. Congresswoman.
- Rashod Bateman - A football wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens.
Sister City
Tifton has a special connection with another city in the world.
Linyi, China (since 2010)
See also
In Spanish: Tifton (Georgia) para niños
