Dooly County, Georgia
Dooly County, Georgia | |
|---|---|
Dooly County Courthouse in Vienna | |
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia | |
| Coordinates: 32°10′N 83°48′W / 32.16°N 83.8°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| Founded | May 15, 1821 |
| Named after | John Dooly |
| Seat | Vienna |
| Largest city | Vienna |
| Area | |
• Total | 397 sq mi (1,030 km2) |
| • Land | 392 sq mi (1,020 km2) |
| • Water | 5.3 sq mi (14 km2) 1.3% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 11,208 |
| • Density | 29/sq mi (11/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | doolycountyga |
Dooly County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,208.[1] The county seat is Vienna.[2] The county was created by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on May 15, 1821, and named for Colonel John Dooly,[3] a Georgia American Revolutionary War fighter. It was one of the original landlot counties created from land ceded from the Creek Nation.
The entire county of Crisp and parts of Macon, Pulaski, Turner, Wilcox and Worth counties were formed from Dooly's original borders.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 397 square miles (1,030 km2), of which 392 square miles (1,020 km2) is land and 5.3 square miles (14 km2) (1.3%) is water.[4] The county is located in the upper Atlantic coastal plain region of the state.
The western two-thirds of Dooly County, from west of Unadilla south to Pinehurst, then to the southeastern corner of the county, is located in the Middle Flint River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The northeastern and eastern portion of Dooly County is located in the Lower Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The very southeastern corner of the county is located in the Alapaha River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin.[5]
Major highways
- Interstate 75
- U.S. Route 41
- State Route 7
- State Route 27
- State Route 90
- State Route 215
- State Route 230
- State Route 230 Connector
- State Route 257
- State Route 329
- State Route 401 (unsigned designation for I-75)
Adjacent counties
- Houston County - northeast
- Pulaski County - east
- Wilcox County - southeast
- Crisp County - south
- Sumter County - west
- Macon County - northwest
Communities
Cities
- Lilly
- Byromville
- Pinehurst
- Unadilla
- Vienna (county seat)
Towns
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 2,135 | — | |
| 1840 | 4,427 | 107.4% | |
| 1850 | 8,361 | 88.9% | |
| 1860 | 8,917 | 6.6% | |
| 1870 | 9,790 | 9.8% | |
| 1880 | 12,420 | 26.9% | |
| 1890 | 18,146 | 46.1% | |
| 1900 | 26,567 | 46.4% | |
| 1910 | 20,554 | −22.6% | |
| 1920 | 20,522 | −0.2% | |
| 1930 | 18,025 | −12.2% | |
| 1940 | 16,886 | −6.3% | |
| 1950 | 14,159 | −16.1% | |
| 1960 | 11,474 | −19.0% | |
| 1970 | 10,404 | −9.3% | |
| 1980 | 10,826 | 4.1% | |
| 1990 | 9,901 | −8.5% | |
| 2000 | 11,525 | 16.4% | |
| 2010 | 14,918 | 29.4% | |
| 2020 | 11,208 | −24.9% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 11,186 | [6] | −0.2% |
| 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] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[16] | Pop 2010[17] | Pop 2020[18] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 5,161 | 6,461 | 4,611 | 44.78% | 43.31% | 41.14% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 5,679 | 7,381 | 5,540 | 49.28% | 49.48% | 49.43% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 17 | 16 | 17 | 0.15% | 0.11% | 0.15% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 49 | 93 | 51 | 0.43% | 0.62% | 0.46% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0.10% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 5 | 6 | 14 | 0.04% | 0.04% | 0.12% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 66 | 96 | 176 | 0.57% | 0.64% | 1.57% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 537 | 862 | 797 | 4.66% | 5.78% | 7.11% |
| Total | 11,525 | 14,918 | 11,208 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 11,208. The median age was 43.4 years. 18.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 122.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 127.9 males age 18 and over. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[19][20]
The racial makeup of the county was 41.9% White, 49.6% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.0% from some other race, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.1% of the population.[21]
There were 4,047 households in the county, of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 36.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[20]
There were 4,762 housing units, of which 15.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 66.9% were owner-occupied and 33.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.1%.[20]
Economy
The Big Pig Jig, Georgia's official State Barbecue Cooking Championship, is held annually in Fall in Dooly County and attracts a national audience. The county is also notable for cotton and peanut production.
Education
Politics
As of the 2020s, Dooly County is a swing county, voting 53.7% for Donald Trump in 2024. The county flipped in 2016 after voting for every Democratic Party presidential candidate since 1976. For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Dooly County is part of Georgia's 2nd congressional district, currently represented by Sanford Bishop. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Dooly County is part of District 20.[22] For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Dooly County is part of District 150.[23]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 33 | 5.10% | 609 | 94.13% | 5 | 0.77% |
| 1916 | 31 | 4.04% | 737 | 95.96% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1920 | 39 | 6.69% | 544 | 93.31% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 45 | 7.06% | 590 | 92.62% | 2 | 0.31% |
| 1928 | 156 | 17.33% | 744 | 82.67% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 8 | 0.70% | 1,139 | 98.96% | 4 | 0.35% |
| 1936 | 41 | 2.97% | 1,339 | 97.03% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 124 | 9.27% | 1,209 | 90.43% | 4 | 0.30% |
| 1944 | 87 | 9.33% | 845 | 90.67% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 22 | 3.37% | 577 | 88.50% | 53 | 8.13% |
| 1952 | 197 | 10.05% | 1,764 | 89.95% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 174 | 8.59% | 1,851 | 91.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 220 | 11.26% | 1,733 | 88.74% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 1,662 | 53.05% | 1,471 | 46.95% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 454 | 14.48% | 879 | 28.03% | 1,803 | 57.49% |
| 1972 | 1,904 | 76.34% | 590 | 23.66% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 655 | 21.16% | 2,441 | 78.84% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 1,083 | 30.93% | 2,364 | 67.50% | 55 | 1.57% |
| 1984 | 1,435 | 45.40% | 1,726 | 54.60% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1988 | 1,386 | 45.88% | 1,613 | 53.39% | 22 | 0.73% |
| 1992 | 1,034 | 30.53% | 1,993 | 58.84% | 360 | 10.63% |
| 1996 | 990 | 31.33% | 1,951 | 61.74% | 219 | 6.93% |
| 2000 | 1,588 | 45.11% | 1,901 | 54.01% | 31 | 0.88% |
| 2004 | 1,853 | 48.18% | 1,973 | 51.30% | 20 | 0.52% |
| 2008 | 1,991 | 47.85% | 2,138 | 51.38% | 32 | 0.77% |
| 2012 | 1,985 | 46.14% | 2,285 | 53.11% | 32 | 0.74% |
| 2016 | 1,951 | 50.56% | 1,872 | 48.51% | 36 | 0.93% |
| 2020 | 2,159 | 52.58% | 1,911 | 46.54% | 36 | 0.88% |
| 2024 | 2,243 | 53.70% | 1,921 | 45.99% | 13 | 0.31% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 2,158 | 53.17% | 1,826 | 44.99% | 75 | 1.85% |
| 2020 | 1,938 | 51.82% | 1,802 | 48.18% | 0 | 0.00% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 1,041 | 25.99% | 1,188 | 29.66% | 1,776 | 44.34% |
| 2020 | 1,932 | 51.60% | 1,812 | 48.40% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2022 | 1,784 | 54.44% | 1,461 | 44.58% | 32 | 0.98% |
| 2022 | 1,645 | 53.88% | 1,408 | 46.12% | 0 | 0.00% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2022 | 1,860 | 56.60% | 1,416 | 43.09% | 10 | 0.30% |
Notable people
- John Dooly after whom the county was named
- Rooney L. Bowen, Georgia businessman and politician
- George Busbee, governor of Georgia
- Walter F. George, U.S. Senator
- Jody Powell, press secretary and aide to Jimmy Carter
- Roger Kingdom, Olympic gold medalist in track and field
- David Ragan, NASCAR driver
- Keith Mumphery, NFL player
- Julian Webb, judge on the Georgia Court of Appeals and member of the Georgia State Senate.
- Myron Mixon, mayor of Unidilla and Barbequer
See also
References
- ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Dooly County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 108.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
- ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
- ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
- ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
- ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
- ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
- ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
- ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
- ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Dooly County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Dooly County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Dooly County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
- ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
- ^ "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 19, 2018.
Further reading
- John P. Campbell, ed. (1854). "Georgia: Dooly County". Southern Business Directory. Charleston, SC: Press of Walker & James – via HathiTrust.
- Adiel Sherwood (1860), "Dooly County", A Gazetteer of Georgia (4th ed.), Georgia – via HathiTrust
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Allen D. Candler; Clement A. Evans, eds. (1906). "Dooly County". Georgia: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons Arranged in Cyclopedic Form. Vol. 1. Atlanta: State Historical Association. p. 611 – via HathiTrust.
External links
- Georgia.gov Dooly County history Archived March 2, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
- GeorgiaInfo Dooly County Courthouse info
- Dooly County historical marker
- "Dooly County", New Georgia Encyclopedia, Georgia Humanities Council
- Digital Public Library of America. Assorted items related to Dooly County