Pulaski County, Georgia
Pulaski County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,855.[1] The county seat is Hawkinsville.[2]
History
[edit | edit source]Pulaski County was created by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 13, 1808, from a portion of Laurens County.[3] In the antebellum years, it was developed for cotton cultivation and is part of the Black Belt of Georgia, an arc of highly fertile soil.
In 1870, Dodge County was partially created from a section of Pulaski County by another legislative act. In 1912, the northeastern half of Pulaski County was used to create Bleckley County via a constitutional amendment approved by Georgia voters.
The county was named for Count Kazimierz Pułaski of Poland who fought and died for United States independence in the American Revolutionary War.
The county population fell by more than half from 1910 to 1930, as residents moved to cities. African Americans especially joined the Great Migration to northern and midwestern cities, both to gain work and to escape the Jim Crow racial oppression of the South.
Geography
[edit | edit source]According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 251 square miles (650 km2), of which 249 square miles (640 km2) is land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km2) (0.9%) is water.[4] The entirety of Pulaski County is located in the Lower Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin.[5]
Major highways
[edit | edit source]- File:US 129.svg U.S. Route 129
- File:Alternate plate.svg
File:US 129.svg U.S. Route 129 Alternate - File:Business plate.svg
File:US 129.svg U.S. Route 129 Business - File:US 341.svg U.S. Route 341
- File:Business plate.svg
File:US 341.svg U.S. Route 341 Business - File:Georgia 11.svg State Route 11
- File:Georgia 11 Business.svg State Route 11 Business
- File:Georgia 26.svg State Route 26
- File:Georgia 27.svg State Route 27
- File:Georgia 112.svg State Route 112
- File:Georgia 230.svg State Route 230
- File:Georgia 247.svg State Route 247
- File:Georgia 257.svg State Route 257
Adjacent counties
[edit | edit source]- Bleckley County - northeast
- Dodge County - east
- Wilcox County - south
- Dooly County - west
- Houston County - northwest
Communities
[edit | edit source]City
[edit | edit source]- Hawkinsville (county seat)
Unincorporated community
[edit | edit source]Demographics
[edit | edit source]Racial and ethnic composition
[edit | edit source]| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[6] | Pop 1990[7] | Pop 2000[8] | Pop 2010[9] | Pop 2020[10] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 5,834 | 5,381 | 5,932 | 7,494 | 6,022 | 65.18% | 66.37% | 61.87% | 62.40% | 61.11% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 3,043 | 2,623 | 3,249 | 3,808 | 3,161 | 34.00% | 32.35% | 33.89% | 31.71% | 32.08% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 1 | 7 | 21 | 30 | 8 | 0.01% | 0.09% | 0.22% | 0.25% | 0.08% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 7 | 14 | 32 | 103 | 92 | 0.08% | 0.17% | 0.33% | 0.86% | 0.93% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [11] | x [12] | 12 | 2 | 3 | x | x | 0.13% | 0.02% | 0.03% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 8 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 48 | 0.09% | 0.00% | 0.04% | 0.15% | 0.49% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [13] | x [14] | 68 | 90 | 194 | x | x | 0.71% | 0.75% | 1.97% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 57 | 83 | 270 | 465 | 327 | 0.64% | 1.02% | 2.82% | 3.87% | 3.32% |
| Total | 8,950 | 8,108 | 9,588 | 12,010 | 9,855 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2020 census
[edit | edit source]As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 9,855, with 3,595 households and 2,479 families residing in the county.[15][16][17]
The median age was 42.9 years. 18.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 73.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 66.8 males age 18 and over. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[16][15]
The racial makeup of the county was 61.9% White, 32.2% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.0% from some other race, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.3% of the population.[17]
There were 3,595 households in the county, of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 33.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[16]
There were 4,281 housing units, of which 16.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 69.5% were owner-occupied and 30.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.9%.[16]
Government and infrastructure
[edit | edit source]Pulaski County is one of only a handful of counties in Georgia with the sole commissioner form of county government, in which the county is governed by a single elected official. Georgia is the only state that permits this form of government. In 2018, Jenna Mashburn was elected to the office of sole commissioner.[18]
The Georgia Department of Corrections operates the Pulaski State Prison in Hawkinsville.[19]
Politics
[edit | edit source]As of the 2020s, Pulaski County is a strongly Republican voting county, voting 70% for Donald Trump in 2024. For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Pulaski County is part of Georgia's 8th congressional district, currently represented by Austin Scott. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Pulaski County is part of District 20.[20] For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Pulaski County is part of District 148.[21]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 39 | 3.43% | 1,080 | 95.07% | 17 | 1.50% |
| 1916 | 23 | 5.49% | 383 | 91.41% | 13 | 3.10% |
| 1920 | 57 | 14.43% | 338 | 85.57% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 29 | 5.89% | 442 | 89.84% | 21 | 4.27% |
| 1928 | 105 | 14.11% | 639 | 85.89% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 14 | 1.42% | 973 | 98.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 38 | 4.45% | 808 | 94.61% | 8 | 0.94% |
| 1940 | 38 | 7.31% | 478 | 91.92% | 4 | 0.77% |
| 1944 | 55 | 8.50% | 592 | 91.50% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 64 | 8.06% | 567 | 71.41% | 163 | 20.53% |
| 1952 | 165 | 9.50% | 1,572 | 90.50% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 171 | 10.73% | 1,422 | 89.27% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 334 | 22.42% | 1,156 | 77.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 1,768 | 64.86% | 953 | 34.96% | 5 | 0.18% |
| "text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/American Independent |1968 | 595 | 22.22% | 514 | 19.19% | 1,569 | 58.59% |
| 1972 | 1,966 | 81.58% | 444 | 18.42% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 485 | 17.30% | 2,318 | 82.70% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 1,153 | 35.67% | 1,997 | 61.79% | 82 | 2.54% |
| 1984 | 1,509 | 51.17% | 1,440 | 48.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1988 | 1,400 | 48.48% | 1,476 | 51.11% | 12 | 0.42% |
| 1992 | 1,075 | 31.15% | 1,756 | 50.88% | 620 | 17.97% |
| 1996 | 1,196 | 39.47% | 1,554 | 51.29% | 280 | 9.24% |
| 2000 | 1,922 | 57.44% | 1,390 | 41.54% | 34 | 1.02% |
| 2004 | 2,202 | 62.61% | 1,294 | 36.79% | 21 | 0.60% |
| 2008 | 2,553 | 64.44% | 1,377 | 34.76% | 32 | 0.81% |
| 2012 | 2,444 | 66.32% | 1,219 | 33.08% | 22 | 0.60% |
| 2016 | 2,437 | 67.60% | 1,104 | 30.62% | 64 | 1.78% |
| 2020 | 2,815 | 68.98% | 1,230 | 30.14% | 36 | 0.88% |
| 2024 | 3,036 | 69.94% | 1,281 | 29.51% | 24 | 0.55% |
| 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[23] Template:U.S. SenFoot Template:G.A. GovHead Template:G.A. GovRow Template:G.A. GovFoot
Education
[edit | edit source]Public education is provided by the Pulaski County School District.
See also
[edit | edit source]- National Register of Historic Places listings in Pulaski County, Georgia
- List of counties in Georgia
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Pulaski County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ↑ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 182. ISBN 0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 17, 2003.
- ↑ "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. Retrieved November 27, 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 – Pulaski County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Pulaski County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Pulaski 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
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
- ↑ Garrett, Miles (December 4, 2018). "'Thank you so much': Mashburn to serve as Pulaski County's sole commissioner". WGXA. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
- ↑ "Pulaski State Prison Archived 2011-05-23 at the Wayback Machine." Georgia Department of Corrections. Retrieved on September 14, 2010.
- ↑ "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 22, 2018.
- ↑ "2022 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Georgia by county. November 5, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
External links
[edit | edit source]- GeorgiaInfo Pulaski County Courthouse History
- Georgia.gov info for Pulaski County
- Georgia Department of Community Affairs County Snapshots
Template:Geographic Location Template:Pulaski County, Georgia Template:Macon Metro Template:Georgia (U.S. state) Coordinates: 32°14′N 83°28′W / 32.24°N 83.47°W