Lamar County, Georgia
County in Georgia, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lamar County is a county in the West Central region of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,500.[1] The county seat is Barnesville.[2]
Lamar County, Georgia | |
|---|---|
Lamar County courthouse in Barnesville | |
 Logo | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Georgia | |
| Coordinates: 33°04′N 84°08′W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Georgia |
| Founded | 1920 |
| Named for | Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II |
| Seat | Barnesville |
| Largest city | Barnesville |
| Area | |
• Total | 186 sq mi (480 km2) |
| • Land | 184 sq mi (480 km2) |
| • Water | 2.3 sq mi (6.0 km2) 1.3% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 18,500 |
• Estimate (2025) | 20,941  |
| • Density | 101/sq mi (39/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | lamarcountyga.com |
History
The Georgia General Assembly proposed the constitutional amendment to create the county on August 17, 1920, and the citizens of the state voted in favor of the amendment on November 2, 1920.[3] Land from Pike County and Monroe County was then transferred to create Lamar County. Lamar County was named after Confederate Democrat Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II.[4]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 186 square miles (480 km2), of which 184 square miles (480 km2) is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km2) (1.3%) is water.[5] It is located in the Piedmont region of the state.
The western third of Lamar County, west of a line from Orchard Hill through Milner and Barnesville, is located in the Upper Flint River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The eastern majority of the county is located in the Upper Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin.[6]
Major highways
Interstate 75
U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 341
State Route 7
State Route 18
State Route 36
State Route 109
State Route 401 (unsigned designation for I-75)
Adjacent counties
- Butts County (northeast)
- Monroe County (east)
- Upson County (southwest)
- Pike County (west)
- Spalding County (northwest)
Communities
Cities
- Barnesville (county seat)
- Milner
Towns
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 9,745 | — | |
| 1940 | 10,091 | 3.6% | |
| 1950 | 10,242 | 1.5% | |
| 1960 | 10,240 | 0.0% | |
| 1970 | 10,688 | 4.4% | |
| 1980 | 12,215 | 14.3% | |
| 1990 | 13,038 | 6.7% | |
| 2000 | 15,912 | 22.0% | |
| 2010 | 18,317 | 15.1% | |
| 2020 | 18,500 | 1.0% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 20,941 | [7] | 13.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1880[9] 1890-1910[10] 1920-1930[11] 1930-1940[12] 1940-1950[13] 1960-1980[14] 1980-2000[15] 2010[16] 2020[17] | |||
Racial and ethnic composition
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[18] | Pop 1990[19] | Pop 2000[20] | Pop 2010[16] | Pop 2020[17] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 7,909 | 8,517 | 10,683 | 11,943 | 12,344 | 64.75% | 65.32% | 67.14% | 65.20% | 66.72% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 4,122 | 4,442 | 4,806 | 5,621 | 4,888 | 33.75% | 34.07% | 30.20% | 30.69% | 26.42% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 8 | 19 | 42 | 34 | 13 | 0.07% | 0.15% | 0.26% | 0.19% | 0.07% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 10 | 11 | 59 | 68 | 102 | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.37% | 0.37% | 0.55% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [21] | x [22] | 1 | 2 | 4 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 14 | 0 | 14 | 22 | 48 | 0.11% | 0.00% | 0.09% | 0.12% | 0.26% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [23] | x [24] | 135 | 286 | 626 | x | x | 0.85% | 1.56% | 3.38% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 152 | 49 | 172 | 341 | 475 | 1.24% | 0.38% | 1.08% | 1.86% | 2.57% |
| Total | 12,215 | 13,038 | 15,912 | 18,317 | 18,500 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 18,500 people, 6,897 households, and 3,746 families residing in the county.[25][26]
The median age was 40.2 years, 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18, and 18.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.0 males age 18 and over.[26]
36.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 63.1% lived in rural areas.[27]
The racial makeup of the county was 67.4% White, 26.6% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.1% from some other race, and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.6% of the population.[25]
There were 6,897 households in the county, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 29.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[26]
There were 7,561 housing units, of which 8.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 69.3% were owner-occupied and 30.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.3%.[26]
Politics
As of the 2020s, Lamar County is a strongly Republican voting county, voting 72.75% for Donald Trump in 2024. For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Lamar County is part of Georgia's 3rd congressional district, currently represented by Brian Jack. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Lamar County is part of District 16.[28] For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Lamar County is part of districts 134 and 135.[29]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1924 | 38 | 5.72% | 594 | 89.46% | 32 | 4.82% |
| 1928 | 126 | 15.79% | 672 | 84.21% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 33 | 4.38% | 714 | 94.69% | 7 | 0.93% |
| 1936 | 69 | 7.59% | 839 | 92.30% | 1 | 0.11% |
| 1940 | 85 | 8.86% | 869 | 90.62% | 5 | 0.52% |
| 1944 | 143 | 12.35% | 1,015 | 87.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 164 | 12.92% | 909 | 71.63% | 196 | 15.45% |
| 1952 | 429 | 21.66% | 1,552 | 78.34% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 555 | 26.61% | 1,531 | 73.39% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 479 | 26.00% | 1,363 | 74.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 1,570 | 50.30% | 1,548 | 49.60% | 3 | 0.10% |
| 1968 | 575 | 20.50% | 790 | 28.16% | 1,440 | 51.34% |
| 1972 | 1,844 | 73.47% | 666 | 26.53% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 847 | 23.32% | 2,785 | 76.68% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 1,298 | 33.91% | 2,453 | 64.08% | 77 | 2.01% |
| 1984 | 2,198 | 57.80% | 1,605 | 42.20% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1988 | 2,035 | 57.83% | 1,416 | 40.24% | 68 | 1.93% |
| 1992 | 1,707 | 38.71% | 2,065 | 46.83% | 638 | 14.47% |
| 1996 | 1,988 | 43.75% | 2,125 | 46.76% | 431 | 9.49% |
| 2000 | 2,912 | 55.68% | 2,194 | 41.95% | 124 | 2.37% |
| 2004 | 4,027 | 61.96% | 2,432 | 37.42% | 40 | 0.62% |
| 2008 | 4,873 | 63.24% | 2,752 | 35.72% | 80 | 1.04% |
| 2012 | 4,899 | 64.36% | 2,602 | 34.18% | 111 | 1.46% |
| 2016 | 5,190 | 67.87% | 2,270 | 29.68% | 187 | 2.45% |
| 2020 | 6,331 | 69.99% | 2,620 | 28.97% | 94 | 1.04% |
| 2024 | 7,575 | 72.75% | 2,795 | 26.84% | 42 | 0.40% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 6,280 | 69.87% | 2,511 | 27.94% | 197 | 2.19% |
| 2020 | 5,588 | 70.00% | 2,395 | 30.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 3,243 | 36.30% | 1,994 | 22.32% | 3,697 | 41.38% |
| 2020 | 5,558 | 69.60% | 2,428 | 30.40% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2022 | 5,416 | 70.22% | 2,139 | 27.73% | 158 | 2.05% |
| 2022 | 4,910 | 70.97% | 2,008 | 29.03% | 0 | 0.00% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2022 | 5,736 | 73.97% | 1,963 | 25.31% | 56 | 0.72% |
Education
All of the county is in the Lamar County School District.[31]