Lee County, Georgia
Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,163.[1] The county was established in 1825 and its county seat is Leesburg.[2] Lee County is included in the Albany, Georgia metropolitan area.
History
[edit | edit source]The land for Lee, Muscogee, Troup, Coweta, and Carroll counties was ceded by the Creek people in the 1825 Treaty of Indian Springs. The counties' boundaries were created by the Georgia General Assembly on June 9, but they were not named until December 14, 1826.[3] The county was named in honor of Henry Lee III, popularly known as "Light-Horse Harry," the father of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.[4] On January 29, 1916, five African American men were lynched; they were taken from the Worth county jail and hanged, their bodies riddled with bullets.[5] The Leesburg Stockade occurred in Lee County.
Geography
[edit | edit source]According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 362 square miles (940 km2), of which 356 square miles (920 km2) is land and 5.9 square miles (15 km2) (1.6%) is water.[6] Most of the western three-quarters of Lee County is located in the Kinchafoonee-Muckalee sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The eastern quarter of the county is located in the Middle Flint River sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin, while a very small corner in the south of Lee County is located in the Lower Flint River sub-basin of the same larger ACF River Basin. An even smaller southwestern corner is located in the Ichawaynochaway Creek sub-basin of the ACF River Basin.[7]
Major highways
[edit | edit source]- File:US 19.svg U.S. Route 19
- File:By-pass plate.svg
File:US 19.svg U.S. Route 19 Bypass 
U.S. Route 82- File:Georgia 3.svg State Route 3
- File:Georgia 3 Bypass.svg State Route 3 Bypass
- File:Georgia 32.svg State Route 32
- File:Georgia 91.svg State Route 91
- File:Georgia 118.svg State Route 118
- File:Georgia 133.svg State Route 133
- File:Georgia 195.svg State Route 195
- File:Georgia 377.svg State Route 377
- File:Georgia 520.svg State Route 520
Adjacent counties
[edit | edit source]- Sumter County (north)
- Crisp County (northeast)
- Worth County (east)
- Dougherty County (south)
- Terrell County (west)
Communities
[edit | edit source]- Leesburg (county seat)
- Smithville
Demographics
[edit | edit source]Racial and ethnic composition
[edit | edit source]| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[8] | Pop 1990[9] | Pop 2000[10] | Pop 2010[11] | Pop 2020[12] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 8,804 | 12,949 | 20,203 | 21,453 | 22,758 | 75.35% | 79.69% | 81.61% | 75.81% | 68.62% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,749 | 3,112 | 3,823 | 5,239 | 7,331 | 23.53% | 19.15% | 15.44% | 18.51% | 22.11% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 22 | 30 | 60 | 66 | 57 | 0.19% | 0.18% | 0.24% | 0.23% | 0.17% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 24 | 44 | 208 | 609 | 850 | 0.21% | 0.27% | 0.84% | 2.15% | 2.56% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [13] | x [14] | 3 | 19 | 9 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.07% | 0.03% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 6 | 3 | 11 | 25 | 98 | 0.05% | 0.02% | 0.04% | 0.09% | 0.30% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [15] | x [16] | 149 | 327 | 1,107 | x | x | 0.60% | 1.16% | 3.34% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 79 | 112 | 300 | 560 | 953 | 0.68% | 0.69% | 1.21% | 1.98% | 2.87% |
| Total | 11,684 | 16,250 | 24,757 | 28,298 | 33,163 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2020 census
[edit | edit source]As of the 2020 census, there were 33,163 people, 11,971 households, and 7,872 families residing in the county. The median age was 38.5 years; 25.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.1 males age 18 and over. 37.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 62.4% lived in rural areas.[17][18]
Of the 11,971 households, 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 25.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[17]
There were 12,709 housing units, of which 5.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.5% were owner-occupied and 28.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.3%.[17]
As of the 2020 census, the racial makeup of the county was 69.3% White, 22.2% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.1% from some other race, and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.9% of the population.[19]
Education
[edit | edit source]
Public schools are operated by the Lee County School District. Lee County High School is the sole high school of the district.
Politics
[edit | edit source]Historically, Lee County was part of the solidly Democratic Solid South[20] where control of the dominant black population dictated unified white voting for Democratic candidates due to the Republican association with Reconstruction and black political power. However, with a combination of the Great Migration and white in-migration, the black share of the county's population has declined and it is now powerfully Republican, having voted Republican in every presidential election since 1964, with the exception of 1968 and 1976 when it backed Southern “favorite sons” George Wallace and Jimmy Carter.
As of the 2020s, Lee County is a Republican stronghold, voting 71% for Donald Trump in 2024. For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Lee County is part of Georgia's 2nd congressional district, currently represented by Sanford Bishop. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Lee County is part of District 13.[21] For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Lee County is part of District 151.[22]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 5 | 2.22% | 213 | 94.67% | 7 | 3.11% |
| 1916 | 4 | 1.24% | 316 | 97.83% | 3 | 0.93% |
| 1920 | 19 | 7.04% | 251 | 92.96% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 23 | 9.39% | 211 | 86.12% | 11 | 4.49% |
| 1928 | 45 | 13.55% | 287 | 86.45% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 6 | 2.33% | 252 | 97.67% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 1 | 0.20% | 490 | 99.59% | 1 | 0.20% |
| 1940 | 17 | 3.91% | 416 | 95.63% | 2 | 0.46% |
| 1944 | 27 | 5.70% | 447 | 94.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| "text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Dixiecrat |1948 | 36 | 7.69% | 215 | 45.94% | 217 | 46.37% |
| 1952 | 205 | 34.45% | 390 | 65.55% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 79 | 12.93% | 532 | 87.07% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 191 | 32.10% | 404 | 67.90% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 1,041 | 81.01% | 244 | 18.99% | 0 | 0.00% |
| "text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/American Independent |1968 | 389 | 17.18% | 674 | 29.77% | 1,201 | 53.05% |
| 1972 | 1,441 | 78.70% | 390 | 21.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 1,110 | 39.13% | 1,727 | 60.87% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 1,942 | 53.05% | 1,670 | 45.62% | 49 | 1.34% |
| 1984 | 2,972 | 69.83% | 1,284 | 30.17% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1988 | 2,875 | 74.04% | 995 | 25.62% | 13 | 0.33% |
| 1992 | 3,061 | 51.81% | 1,811 | 30.65% | 1,036 | 17.54% |
| 1996 | 3,983 | 61.15% | 2,005 | 30.78% | 525 | 8.06% |
| 2000 | 5,872 | 74.48% | 1,936 | 24.56% | 76 | 0.96% |
| 2004 | 8,201 | 78.64% | 2,182 | 20.92% | 45 | 0.43% |
| 2008 | 9,925 | 75.69% | 3,100 | 23.64% | 87 | 0.66% |
| 2012 | 10,314 | 75.58% | 3,196 | 23.42% | 136 | 1.00% |
| 2016 | 10,646 | 74.73% | 3,170 | 22.25% | 430 | 3.02% |
| 2020 | 12,007 | 71.82% | 4,558 | 27.26% | 154 | 0.92% |
| 2024 | 12,655 | 71.38% | 4,957 | 27.96% | 118 | 0.67% |
| 2016 | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% |
Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenRow[24] Template:U.S. SenFoot Template:G.A. GovHead Template:G.A. GovRow Template:G.A. GovFoot
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Lee County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ↑ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 236. ISBN 978-1135948597. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
- ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 184.
- ↑ "Coroner Probes Lynching in Lee". Atlanta Constitution. January 22, 1916. p. 9.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ↑ "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
- ↑ "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Georgia - Table 58 - Race by Sex: 1980 and Table 59 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 12-52. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 18, 2026 – via Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia: Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 15-65. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 1, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Lee County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lee County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lee County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
- ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
- ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
- ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
- ↑ Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 267 ISBN 9780691163246
- ↑ "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
- ↑ "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
- ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ↑ "2022 Senate Election (Official Returns) l". Commonwealth of Georgia by county. November 5, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
External links
[edit | edit source]Template:Geographic Location Template:Lee County, Georgia Template:Georgia (U.S. state)