Bibb County, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Bibb County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Georgia
. As of 2000, the population was 153,887. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 154,709. The county seat
is Macon
.
Bibb County is part of the Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
, Monroe
, Houston
, and Twiggs
counties. The county seat has never been changed, and no other county has ever been created out of land from Bibb County.
The county was named for Dr. William Wyatt Bibb
, a physician
from Elbert County
who went on to serve in the United States Senate
and House of Representatives
before becoming the first elected Governor of Alabama.
During the Civil War
, 10% of the white men in the county died in the service.
appointed by the commission to run the daily affairs of the government. The current (2009) county commission chairman is Sam Hart.
Like all other Georgia counties, Bibb has an elected sheriff
responsible for maintaining the jail. Bibb's sheriff also manages the county's law enforcement
duties, with his deputies acting as the county police
force in the unincorporated area; the city of Macon has its own police department. The current (2009) Bibb sheriff is Jerry Modena.
of 2000, there were 153,887 people, 59,667 households, and 39,797 families residing in the county. The population density
was 616 people per square mile (238/km²). There were 67,194 housing units at an average density of 269 per square mile (104/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 50.13% White
, 47.32% Black
or African American
, 0.18% Native American
, 1.08% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 0.46% from other races
, and 0.81% from two or more races. 1.31% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 59,667 households out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.30% were married couples
living together, 20.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.60% under the age of 18, 10.10% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 85.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,532, and the median income for a family was $43,479. Males had a median income of $34,263 versus $25,540 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $19,058. About 15.50% of families and 19.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.20% of those under age 18 and 13.10% of those age 65 or over.
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...
. As of 2000, the population was 153,887. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 154,709. 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 Macon
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
.
Bibb County is part of the Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area
Macon metropolitan area
The Macon metropolitan area is a metropolitan area consisting of five counties in Central Georgia anchored by the principal city of Macon...
.
History
Bibb County was created by act of the Georgia Legislature on December 9, 1822, with Macon to be incorporated in December 1823; designated the county seat. It was carved from JonesJones County, Georgia
Jones County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 10, 1807. As of 2010, the population was 27,740 . The county seat is Gray.-History:The county is named after U.S...
, Monroe
Monroe County, Georgia
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on May 15, 1821. As of 2000, the population was 21,757. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 25,145...
, Houston
Houston County, Georgia
Houston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on May 15, 1821, as one of five huge counties, later reduced in the formation of Bibb, Crawford, Pike, Macon and Peach counties. As of the 2000 census, the population is 110,765...
, and Twiggs
Twiggs County, Georgia
Twiggs County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 14, 1809. As of 2000, the population was 10,590. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 10,280...
counties. The county seat has never been changed, and no other county has ever been created out of land from Bibb County.
The county was named for Dr. William Wyatt Bibb
William Wyatt Bibb
William Wyatt Bibb was a United States Senator from Georgia and the first Governor of the U.S. state of Alabama. Bibb County, Alabama, and Bibb County, Georgia, are named for him....
, a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
from Elbert County
Elbert County, Georgia
Elbert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was established on December 10, 1790 and was named for Samuel Elbert. As of 2000, the population was 20,511. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 20,525...
who went on to serve in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
before becoming the first elected Governor of Alabama.
During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, 10% of the white men in the county died in the service.
Government
Bibb County is currently governed by a five-member County Commission, with four commissioners elected from individual districts in the county and a chairman elected countywide. The chairman is the chief executive of the county, though the role was reduced from full-time to part-time beginning in 2005, with a chief administrative officerChief administrative officer
A chief administrative officer is responsible for administrative management of private, public or governmental corporations. The CAO is one of the highest ranking members of an organization, managing daily operations and usually reporting directly to the chief executive officer. In some companies,...
appointed by the commission to run the daily affairs of the government. The current (2009) county commission chairman is Sam Hart.
Like all other Georgia counties, Bibb has an elected sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
responsible for maintaining the jail. Bibb's sheriff also manages the county's law enforcement
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
duties, with his deputies acting as the county police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
force in the unincorporated area; the city of Macon has its own police department. The current (2009) Bibb sheriff is Jerry Modena.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 255.13 square miles (660.8 km²), of which 249.96 square miles (647.4 km²) (or 97.97%) is land and 5.17 square miles (13.4 km²) (or 2.03%) is water.Major highways
-
Interstate 16Interstate 16Interstate 16 , also known as Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway or State Route 404 , is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the state of Georgia, United States... -
Interstate 75Interstate 75Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border... -
Interstate 475Interstate 475 (Georgia)Interstate 475 is a long Interstate highway in Georgia, splitting off from Interstate 75 and bypassing Macon, Georgia. It is also unsigned State Route 408... -
U.S. Route 23 -
U.S. Route 41U.S. Route 41U.S. Route 41 is a north–south United States Highway that runs from Miami, Florida to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, was U.S... -
U.S. Route 80U.S. Route 80U.S. Route 80 is an east–west United States highway, much of which was once part of the early auto trail known as the Dixie Overland Highway. As the "0" in the route number indicates, it was originally a cross-country route, from the Atlantic to the Pacific... -
U.S. Route 129U.S. Route 129U.S. Route 129 is an offshoot route of U.S. Route 29, which it intersects near Athens, Georgia. US 129 currently runs for 582 miles from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Chiefland, Florida, at U.S. Route 19 and U.S. Route 98. It passes through the states of Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida... -
State Route 11 -
State Route 19 -
State Route 22 -
State Route 49 -
State Route 74 -
State Route 247
Adjacent counties
- Jones CountyJones County, GeorgiaJones County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 10, 1807. As of 2010, the population was 27,740 . The county seat is Gray.-History:The county is named after U.S...
, 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 - Twiggs CountyTwiggs County, GeorgiaTwiggs County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 14, 1809. As of 2000, the population was 10,590. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 10,280...
, 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 - Houston CountyHouston County, GeorgiaHouston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on May 15, 1821, as one of five huge counties, later reduced in the formation of Bibb, Crawford, Pike, Macon and Peach counties. As of the 2000 census, the population is 110,765...
, 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...
- south - Peach CountyPeach County, GeorgiaPeach County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 23,668. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 25,672. Its county seat is Fort Valley....
, 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...
- south-southwest - Crawford CountyCrawford County, GeorgiaCrawford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 12,495. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 12,483. The unincorporated county seat is Knoxville.-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 - Monroe CountyMonroe County, GeorgiaMonroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on May 15, 1821. As of 2000, the population was 21,757. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 25,145...
, 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
National protected areas
- Bond Swamp National Wildlife RefugeBond Swamp National Wildlife RefugeBond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, located south of Macon, Georgia, was established in 1989 to protect, maintain and enhance the forested wetland ecosystem of the Ocmulgee River floodplain. It opened to the public in 2000 and currently consists of situated along the fall line separating the...
(part) - Ocmulgee National MonumentOcmulgee National MonumentOcmulgee National Monument preserves traces of over ten millennia of Southeastern Native American culture, including major earthworks built more than 1,000 years ago by Mississippian culture peoples: the Great Temple and other ceremonial mounds, a burial mound, and defensive trenches...
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 153,887 people, 59,667 households, and 39,797 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 616 people per square mile (238/km²). There were 67,194 housing units at an average density of 269 per square mile (104/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 50.13% 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...
, 47.32% 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...
, 0.18% 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...
, 1.08% Asian
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...
, 0.46% 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 0.81% from two or more races. 1.31% 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 59,667 households out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.30% 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, 20.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.60% under the age of 18, 10.10% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 85.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,532, and the median income for a family was $43,479. Males had a median income of $34,263 versus $25,540 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 $19,058. About 15.50% of families and 19.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.20% of those under age 18 and 13.10% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- MaconMacon, GeorgiaMacon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
- LizellaLizella, GeorgiaLizella is a small unincorporated community in Bibb and Crawford County, Georgia, United States, about 11 miles southwest of Macon. It is part of the Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- PaynePayne, GeorgiaPayne, more commonly known as Payne City, is a small city in Bibb County, Georgia, United States. It is an enclave completely surrounded by the city of Macon. The population was 178 at the 2000 census....
- WaldenWalden, GeorgiaWalden is an unincorporated community in Bibb County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- SofkeeSofkee, GeorgiaSofkee is an unincorporated community in Bibb County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- FranklintonFranklinton, GeorgiaFranklinton is an unincorporated community in Bibb County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- AvondaleAvondale, GeorgiaAvondale is an unincorporated community in Bibb County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area.for the citae of Avondale Estates in Dekalb County, GA click here...
See also
External links
- http://www.co.bibb.ga.us/
- Bibb County Historical Marker
- Bibb County Documents at the Digital Library of Georgia