Towns County, Georgia

Towns County
Towns County
County
	Towns County courthouse in Hiawassee
	Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
	Georgia's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 34°55′N 83°44′W / 34.92°N 83.74°W
Country	United States
State	Georgia
Founded	1856; 168 years ago
Named for	George W. Towns
Seat	Hiawassee
Largest city	Young Harris
Area
• Total	172 sq mi (450 km2)
• Land	167 sq mi (430 km2)
• Water	5.4 sq mi (14 km2) 3.2%
Population (2020)
• Total	12,493
• Density	75/sq mi (29/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	9th
Website	www.townscountyga.com

Towns County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,493.^[1] Its county seat is Hiawassee.^[2] The county was created on March 6, 1856, and named for lawyer, legislator, and politician George W. Towns.^[3]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 172 square miles (450 km²), of which 167 square miles (430 km²) is land and 5.4 square miles (14 km²) (3.2%) is water.^[4] Towns is mostly in the Hiwassee River sub-basin of the Middle Tennessee-Hiwassee basin, with a part of the county in the Tugaloo River sub-basin in the larger Savannah River basin, as well as a small portion of the county's southwestern corner in the Chattahoochee River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin),^[5] near the source of the Chattahoochee in neighboring Union County. Towns County is inside the Bible Belt.

Towns County is located amidst the Blue Ridge Mountains, (part of the Appalachian Mountains), some of which are protected by the Chattahoochee National Forest. Brasstown Bald, the highest mountain in Georgia, rises in southwest Towns County, straddling the Union County line. The source of the Hiwassee River is located in eastern Towns County, from which it flows northward into North Carolina. Chatuge Lake, an artificial reservoir created by the completion of Chatuge Dam by the Tennessee Valley Authority in the 1940s, dominates the northeastern section of Towns County and extends into North Carolina. State Route 515 from north of Atlanta ends here at the North Carolina state line near Young Harris.

The county was traversed by a road built upon a traditional Cherokee trading path, which ran north to south through the county, passing through Unicoi Gap. It served as a line between European-American settlers and the Cherokee until after the Indian cessions and Indian Removal in the 1830s, when it fell solely into the hands of the whites. When the Cherokee were expelled by US forces from their villages, they were forced temporarily into "removal forts." One had been constructed in what is now Hiawassee, the county seat. They were forced to travel what is known as the Trail of Tears to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River, a journey during which many Cherokee died.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Clay County, North Carolina (north)
Rabun County (east)
Habersham County (southeast)
White County (south)
Union County (west)

National protected area

Appalachian Trail (part)
Chattahoochee National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	2,459		—
1870	2,780		13.1%
1880	3,261		17.3%
1890	4,064		24.6%
1900	4,748		16.8%
1910	3,932		−17.2%
1920	3,937		0.1%
1930	4,346		10.4%
1940	4,925		13.3%
1950	4,803		−2.5%
1960	4,538		−5.5%
1970	4,565		0.6%
1980	5,638		23.5%
1990	6,754		19.8%
2000	9,319		38.0%
2010	10,471		12.4%
2020	12,493		19.3%
2023 (est.)	13,035	^[6]	4.3%
U.S. Decennial Census^[7] 1790-1880^[8] 1890-1910^[9] 1920-1930^[10] 1930-1940^[11] 1940-1950^[12] 1960-1980^[13] 1980-2000^[14] 2010^[15]

2000 census

As of the census^[16] of 2000, there were 9,319 people, 3,998 households, and 2,826 families living in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile (22 people/km²). There were 6,282 housing units at an average density of 38 units per square mile (15 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.80% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.18% from other races, and 0.41% from two or more races. 0.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,998 households, out of which 20.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.90% were married couples living together, 6.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.61.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 16.30% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 20.50% from 25 to 44, 28.30% from 45 to 64, and 25.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 89.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,950, and the median income for a family was $37,295. Males had a median income of $28,657 versus $21,813 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,221. About 8.80% of families and 11.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.60% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 10,471 people, 4,510 households, and 2,981 families living in the county.^[17] The population density was 62.9 inhabitants per square mile (24.3/km²). There were 7,731 housing units at an average density of 46.4 units per square mile (17.9 units/km²).^[18] The racial makeup of the county was 97.7% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.6% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.0% of the population.^[17] In terms of ancestry, 16.3% were Irish, 15.4% were German, 13.8% were English, 11.7% were American, and 8.3% were Scotch-Irish.^[19]

Of the 4,510 households, 20.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.9% were non-families, and 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.65. The median age was 51.1 years.^[17]

The median income for a household in the county was $39,540 and the median income for a family was $48,020. Males had a median income of $31,668 versus $27,127 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,527. About 5.6% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.^[20]

2016

As of 2016 the largest self-reported ancestry groups in Towns County were:^[21]

English - 15.2%
German - 15.1%
American - 14.7%
Irish - 13.3%
Scottish - 5.2%
Scots-Irish - 3.6%
Italian - 3.4%
French - 3.4%
Swedish - 1.8%
Polish - 1.7%
Welsh - 1.6%
Dutch - 1.6%

2020 census

Towns County racial composition^[22]
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	11,469	91.8%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	124	0.99%
Native American	28	0.22%
Asian	81	0.65%
Pacific Islander	3	0.02%
Other/Mixed	373	2.99%
Hispanic or Latino	415	3.32%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 12,493 people, 4,898 households, and 3,240 families residing in the county.

Government

Towns County's Sole Commissioner is Cliff Bradshaw, who has served since 2017.^[23]

As of December 16, 2023^[update], Towns County's Sheriff is Kenneth Henderson.^[24]

Towns County's Judge of Magistrate and Probate Court is D. David Rogers, who was elected in 2008. The Towns County Probate and Magistrate Courts are combined with a single judge presiding over both Courts. This combination court is one of very few in the State of Georgia (Long County is another example).^{[undue weight? – discuss]}

Politics

United States presidential election results for Towns County, Georgia^[25]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	6,384	80.01%	1,550	19.43%	45	0.56%
2016	5,383	79.16%	1,210	17.79%	207	3.04%
2012	4,876	78.09%	1,273	20.39%	95	1.52%
2008	4,292	74.46%	1,391	24.13%	81	1.41%
2004	3,823	72.34%	1,430	27.06%	32	0.61%
2000	2,902	64.53%	1,495	33.24%	100	2.22%
1996	2,030	48.58%	1,664	39.82%	485	11.61%
1992	1,674	45.19%	1,487	40.15%	543	14.66%
1988	1,783	65.12%	942	34.40%	13	0.47%
1984	1,960	66.06%	1,007	33.94%	0	0.00%
1980	1,475	48.12%	1,510	49.27%	80	2.61%
1976	1,175	39.68%	1,786	60.32%	0	0.00%
1972	1,573	79.56%	404	20.44%	0	0.00%
1968	1,492	52.33%	770	27.01%	589	20.66%
1964	1,140	46.88%	1,289	53.00%	3	0.12%
1960	1,272	54.73%	1,052	45.27%	0	0.00%
1956	1,096	55.33%	885	44.67%	0	0.00%
1952	983	46.94%	1,111	53.06%	0	0.00%
1948	302	36.65%	516	62.62%	6	0.73%
1944	674	37.22%	1,137	62.78%	0	0.00%
1940	830	48.14%	894	51.86%	0	0.00%
1936	732	48.96%	763	51.04%	0	0.00%
1932	790	51.57%	742	48.43%	0	0.00%
1928	857	62.37%	517	37.63%	0	0.00%
1924	765	55.76%	604	44.02%	3	0.22%
1920	398	60.86%	256	39.14%	0	0.00%
1916	481	56.92%	358	42.37%	6	0.71%
1912	89	16.95%	230	43.81%	206	39.24%

Education

Towns County School District

Towns County School District offers pre-school to grade twelve on a unified campus. One elementary school, middle school and high school share the same grounds east of Hiawassee.^[26] The district has over 2,408 students and 144 full-time teachers.^[27]

Towns County Elementary School
Towns County Middle School
Towns County High School

Young Harris College

Higher education is offered at Young Harris College in Young Harris. The private Methodist-affiliated liberal arts college was founded in 1886 and served 1,425 undergraduate students as of 2020.^[28]^[29] It offers degrees in more than 30 majors and 22 minors.^[30]

Media

The Towns County Herald newspaper has been published weekly in Hiawassee since 1928.^[31] It was preceded by The Young Harris News which was first published around 1900.^[32]