Jackson County, Georgia


Jackson County is a county located in the East Central region of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 75,907. The county seat is Jefferson. Jackson County comprises the Jefferson, GA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA Combined Statistical Area.
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History

Most of the first non-Native American settlers came from Effingham County in 1786. On February 11, 1796, Jackson County was split off from part of Franklin County, Georgia. The new county was named in honor of Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel, Congressman, Senator and Governor James Jackson. The county originally covered an area of approximately, with Clarksboro as its first county seat.
In 1801, the Georgia General Assembly granted of land in Jackson County for a state college. Franklin College began classes the same year, and the city of Athens was developed around the school. Also the same year, a new county was developed around the new college town, and Jackson lost territory to the new Clarke. The county seat was moved to an old Indian village called Thomocoggan, a location with ample water supply from Curry Creek and four large springs. In 1804, the city was renamed Jefferson, after Thomas Jefferson.
Jackson lost more territory in 1811 in the creation of Madison County, in 1818 in the creation of Walton, Gwinnett, and Hall counties, in 1858 in the creation of Banks County, and in 1914 in the creation of Barrow County.
The first county courthouse, a log and wooden frame building with an attached jail, was built on south side of the public square; a second, larger, two-story brick courthouse with a separate jailhouse was built in 1817. In 1880, a third was built on a hill north of the square. This courthouse was the oldest continuously operating courthouse in the United States until 2004, when the current courthouse was constructed north of Jefferson.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.
The vast majority of Jackson County is located in the Upper Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin, with just a small portion of the county's northern edge, between Maysville to just east of Commerce, located in the Broad River sub-basin of the Savannah River basin.

Rivers and creeks

Adjacent counties

Communities

Cities

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Demographics

RaceNum.Perc.
White 59,06477.81%
Black or African American 5,1366.77%
Native American1270.17%
Asian1,7442.3%
Pacific Islander300.04%
Other/Mixed3,0944.08%
Hispanic or Latino6,7128.84%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 75,907 people in the county. The median age was 38.2 years, 25.6% of residents were under the age of 18, and 15.0% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.7 males age 18 and over. 37.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 62.8% lived in rural areas.
The racial makeup of the county was 79.7% White, 6.9% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.1% from some other race, and 6.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 8.8% of the population.
As of the 2020 census, there were 26,174 households in the county, including 19,467 families; 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 20.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 27,699 housing units, of which 5.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.0% were owner-occupied and 20.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.6%.

Politics

As of the 2020s, Jackson County is a strongly Republican voting county, voting 77% for Donald Trump in 2024. For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Jackson County is part of Georgia's 10th congressional district, currently represented by Mike Collins. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Jackson County is divided between districts 47 and 50. For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Jackson County is part of districts 119 and 120.

Education

Most of the county is in the Jackson County School District. Portions in Commerce and Jefferson are in, respectively, Commerce City School District and Jefferson City School District.

Attractions

National Historic Places

Parks and cultural institutions

Events

Transportation

Major highways

Pedestrians and cycling

  • Fox Smallwood Dr Trail
  • American Veterans Memorial Park Trail
  • Commerce Middle School Track
  • Curry Creek Reservoir Trail
  • Jefferson Memorial Stadium Track
  • East Jackson Park Walking Trail
  • South Jackson Elementary Nature Trail & Walking Track
  • Hurricane Shoals Nature Trail
  • Sells Mill Nature Trail
  • Sandy Creek Park Walking Trail
  • Braselton Riverwalk Trail
  • East Jackson High School Track
  • W Jackson Middle School Track
  • West Jackson Park Walking Track
  • Jackson County High School Track & Nature Trail