Baker County, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Baker County is a county in the U.S. state
of Georgia
. , the population is 4,074. The 2007 Census Estimate placed the population at 3,781. The county seat
is Newton
.
Baker County is included in the Albany
, Georgia
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
by an act
of the Georgia General Assembly
and is named for Colonel John Baker, a hero of the American Revolutionary War
.
of 2000, there were 4,074 people, 1,514 households, and 1,094 families residing in the county. The population density
was 12 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 1,740 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 47.42% White
, 50.39% Black
or African American
, 0.22% Native American
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 1.33% from other races
, and 0.61% from two or more races. 2.72% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 1,514 households out of which 33.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.70% were married couples
living together, 19.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the county the population was spread out with 27.30% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 86.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,338, and the median income for a family was $36,438. Males had a median income of $25,891 versus $16,462 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $16,969. About 19.90% of families and 23.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.50% of those under age 18 and 20.10% of those age 65 or over.
operates public schools.
and Richard Nixon
carried it in 1964 and 1968, Baker County is historically Democratic. In 1956 Adlai Stevenson reportedly received over 96% of the county's vote. It has gone majority Democratic consistently since 1992, but by much closer margins than that. In 2008 Barack Obama
won with just 50.1% to John McCain
's 49.1%.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. , the population is 4,074. The 2007 Census Estimate placed the population at 3,781. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Newton
Newton, Georgia
Newton is a city in Baker County, Georgia, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 851. The city is the county seat of Baker County.-Geography:Newton is located at ....
.
Baker County is included in the Albany
Albany, Georgia
Albany is a city in and the county seat of Dougherty County, Georgia, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. It is the principal city of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan area and the southwest part of the state. The population was 77,434 at the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Albany, Georgia metropolitan area
The Albany, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of five counties – Baker, Dougherty, Lee, Terrell, and Worth – in southwest Georgia, anchored by the city of Albany...
.
History
The county was created 12 December 1825 from the eastern portion of Early CountyEarly County, Georgia
Early County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 15, 1818 and was named for Peter Early. As of 2010, the population is 11,008. The county seat is Blakely.-Geography:...
by an act
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Georgia General Assembly
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
and is named for Colonel John Baker, a hero of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 349.17 square miles (904.3 km²), of which 343.22 square miles (888.9 km²) (or 98.30%) is land and 5.95 square miles (15.4 km²) (or 1.70%) is water.Major highways
-
State Route 37Georgia State Route 37State Route 37 is a west–east state route located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The route travels from Alabama State Route 10 at the Alabama state line west of Fort Gaines east to U.S... -
State Route 91 -
State Route 200 -
State Route 216 -
State Route 253Georgia State Route 253State Route 253 is a north–south state route located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. From the route's southern terminus at Lake Seminole, the route runs east-northeast to Bainbridge, where the route turns and continues north to its northern terminus at State Route 91...
Adjacent counties
- Dougherty CountyDougherty County, GeorgiaDougherty County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 96,065. The 2009 Census Estimate shows a population of 95,859. It is included in the Albany, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
- northeast - Mitchell CountyMitchell County, GeorgiaMitchell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 21, 1857. As of 2000, the population was 23,932. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 24,139. The county seat is Camilla.-Geography:...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
- east - Decatur CountyDecatur County, GeorgiaDecatur County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 28,240. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 28,544. The county seat is Bainbridge.-History:...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
- southwest - Early CountyEarly County, GeorgiaEarly County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 15, 1818 and was named for Peter Early. As of 2010, the population is 11,008. The county seat is Blakely.-Geography:...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
- west - Miller CountyMiller County, GeorgiaMiller County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on February 26, 1856. As of 2000, the population was 6,383. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 6,163. The county seat is Colquitt.-Geography:...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
- west - Calhoun CountyCalhoun County, GeorgiaCalhoun County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on February 20, 1854. As of 2000, the population was 6,320. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 6,098...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
- northwest
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,074 people, 1,514 households, and 1,094 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 12 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 1,740 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 47.42% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 50.39% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.22% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.33% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.61% from two or more races. 2.72% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 1,514 households out of which 33.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.70% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 19.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the county the population was spread out with 27.30% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 86.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,338, and the median income for a family was $36,438. Males had a median income of $25,891 versus $16,462 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $16,969. About 19.90% of families and 23.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.50% of those under age 18 and 20.10% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Baker County School SystemBaker County School District (Georgia)
The Baker County School District is a public school district in Baker County, Georgia, USA, based in Newton, Georgia. It serves communities of Elmodel and Newton, Georgia.-History:...
operates public schools.
Presidential elections
Although Barry GoldwaterBarry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
and Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
carried it in 1964 and 1968, Baker County is historically Democratic. In 1956 Adlai Stevenson reportedly received over 96% of the county's vote. It has gone majority Democratic consistently since 1992, but by much closer margins than that. In 2008 Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
won with just 50.1% to John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
's 49.1%.
Unincorporated Towns
- AnnaAnna, GeorgiaAnna is an unincorporated community in Baker County, Georgia, United States.-Geography:Anna is located on Georgia Route 200/Damascus Road. Jarvis Road, Hudson Road, Ethridge Road, Pine Hill Road, Collins Lane, Willow Nook Road, Hammil Road, and Rentz Bridge Road are just a few of the town's many...
- BethanyBethany, GeorgiaBethany is an unincorporated community in Baker County, Georgia, United States.-Geography:Bethany is located a the intersections of Will White Road, Big Oak Road, and Bethany Road. This area is known as 'six points'. Bogardus Road, Hamill Road, Rowe Taylor Road, Sanders Lane, Tom Sheffield Road,...
- CrestviewCrestview, GeorgiaCrestview is an unincorporated community in Baker County, Georgia, United States.-Geography:Crestview is located at the intersections of Crestview Road, Willow Nook Road, and Crossroads Cemetery Road. The town is also full of various county dirt roads, such as Smith Lane. DeSoto Springs is the...
- ElmodelElmodel, GeorgiaElmodel is an unincorporated community in northern Baker County, Georgia, United States. It lies on State Route 37 to the northeast of the city of Newton, the county seat of Baker County. Its elevation is 161 feet ....
- Hard-UpHard-Up, GeorgiaHard-Up is an unincorporated community in Baker County, Georgia, United States.-Geography:Hard-Up is located on Hard-Up Road. Middle Road, River Road, County Line Road, Wildfair Road, and Colquitt-Ford Road also lie in the area. Natural features include Cowan Shoals, Horseshoe Bend 1, Horseshoe...
- Hawkinstown
- Hoggard Mill
- Iveys Mill
- Jones Spur
- Lamar
- Milford
- Mimsville
- Patmos
- Phillipsburg
- Pondtown
- Red Store Crossroads
Ghost Towns
- Cheevertown
- Dewsville
- Fish Trap
- Ledbetter