Newton County is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
located in the north central portion of the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
. As of the
2020 census, the population was 112,483.
The
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
is
Covington.
Newton County is included in the ''
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area''.
History
Newton county is named after Sgt.
John Newton
John Newton (; – 21 December 1807) was an English evangelical Anglican cleric and slavery abolitionist. He had previously been a captain of slave ships and an investor in the slave trade. He served as a sailor in the Royal Navy (after forc ...
, who served under Gen.
Francis Marion
Brigadier-General Francis Marion ( 1732 – February 27, 1795), also known as the Swamp Fox, was an American military officer, planter and politician who served during the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. During the Ameri ...
, the "Swamp Fox", in the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
. It was created on December 24, 1821.
During the American Civil War, the county provided the Lamar Infantry, which was a part of
Cobb's Legion
Cobb's Legion (also known as the Georgia Legion) was an American Civil War unit that was raised on the Confederate side from the State of Georgia by Thomas Reade Rootes Cobb during the summer of 1861. A "legion" consisted of a single integrated ...
. The 1860 census shows the enslaved population was nearly half, 45.2 percent. Newton County adjoins
Jasper County: Georgia is one of many states that have a
Newton County and a
Jasper County that border each other.
In late 1978, the first five episodes of ''
The Dukes of Hazzard
''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television serie ...
'' were filmed in and around
Covington,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
. The TV series ''
In The Heat of the Night'' was filmed in Covington from 1988 to 1995. Also, in ''
Remember the Titans
''Remember the Titans'' is a 2000 American biographical sports film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin. The screenplay, written by Gregory Allen Howard, is based on the true story of coach Herman Boone, portrayed by Denze ...
'', there were many scenes shot on "The Square" and the final football scene was shot at Homer Sharp Stadium, which is located near downtown Covington. Currently part of the new series ''
The Vampire Diaries
''The Vampire Diaries'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural teen drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson (screenwriter), Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, based on the The Vampire Diaries (novel series), book series ...
'' is being filmed on "The Square". Additionally, major films including ''
My Cousin Vinny
''My Cousin Vinny'' is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn, and written by Dale Launer, who also produced with Paul Schiff. The film stars Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, Marisa Tomei, Mitchell Whitfield, Lane Smith, Bruce McGill, a ...
'', ''
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives'' and ''
Halloween II'', Rob Zombie's sequel to his 2007 film ''Halloween'', were also filmed near and around "The Square" in downtown Covington.
Newton County claims to be the birthplace of
Georgia 4-H
Georgia 4-H was founded in 1904 by G.C. Adams in Newton County, Georgia, Newton County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States, as the Girls Canning, and Boys Corn Clubs.
The Georgia 4-H Program is a branch of Cooperative extension service, ...
. Actually, the Girls Canning and Boys Corn Clubs in 1904 by G.C. Adams was renamed the 4-H Club in 1906, after the original 4-H Club that opened in Iowa in 1905.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.5%) is water.
The county is located in the
Piedmont
it, Piemontese
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 =
, demographics1_info1 =
, demographics1_title2 ...
region of the state.
The majority of Newton County is located in the Upper
Ocmulgee River
The Ocmulgee River () is a western tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi (410 km) long, in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the westernmost major tributary of the Altamaha. sub-basin of the
Altamaha River
The Altamaha River is a major river in the U.S. state of Georgia. It flows generally eastward for 137 miles (220 km) from its origin at the confluence of the Oconee River and Ocmulgee River towards the Atlantic Ocean, where it empt ...
basin. A small eastern portion of the county, from southwest of
Social Circle
In the social sciences, a social group can be defined as two or more people who interact with one another, share similar characteristics, and collectively have a sense of unity. Regardless, social groups come in a myriad of sizes and varieties ...
to southwest of
Newborn
An infant or baby is the very young offspring of human beings. ''Infant'' (from the Latin word ''infans'', meaning 'unable to speak' or 'speechless') is a formal or specialised synonym for the common term ''baby''. The terms may also be used to ...
, is located in the Upper
Oconee River
The Oconee River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map Accessed April 21, 2011 river in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its origin is in Hall County and it terminates where it joins ...
sub-basin of the same
Altamaha River
The Altamaha River is a major river in the U.S. state of Georgia. It flows generally eastward for 137 miles (220 km) from its origin at the confluence of the Oconee River and Ocmulgee River towards the Atlantic Ocean, where it empt ...
basin.
Major highways
*
Interstate 20
Interstate 20 (I‑20) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I-20 runs beginning at an interchange with Interstate 10, I-10 in Scroggins Draw, Texas, and ending at an interchange with Interstate 95, I-95 in Flo ...
*
U.S. Route 278
*
State Route 11
*
State Route 12
*
State Route 20
*
State Route 36
*
State Route 81
*
State Route 138
*
State Route 142
*
State Route 162
*
State Route 162 Connector
*
State Route 212
*
State Route 402 (unsigned designation for I-20)
Adjacent counties
*
Walton County (north)
*
Morgan County (east)
*
Jasper County (southeast)
*
Butts County (south)
*
Henry County (southwest)
*
Rockdale County (northwest)
Demographics
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 62,001 people, 21,997 households, and 17,113 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 23,033 housing units at an average density of 83 per square mile (32/km
2). The racial makeup of the county was 75.27%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 22.21%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.22%
Native American, 0.72%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.02%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.58% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.87% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race.
There were 21,997 households, out of which 37.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were
married couples living together, 14.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.20% were non-families. 18.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.70% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 32.10% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 9.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $44,875, and the median income for a family was $49,748. Males had a median income of $36,742 versus $26,097 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the county was $19,317. About 7.20% of families and 10.00% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 14.90% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
As of the
2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...
, there were 99,958 people, 34,390 households, and 26,165 families living in the county.
The population density was . There were 38,342 housing units at an average density of .
The racial makeup of the county was 53.8% white, 40.9% black or African American, 0.9% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 2.1% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.6% of the population.
In terms of ancestry, 13.4% were
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
, 9.2% were
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
, 8.0% were
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, and 7.5% were
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
.
Of the 34,390 households, 43.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 19.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 23.9% were non-families, and 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.27. The median age was 34.7 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $52,361 and the median income for a family was $56,519. Males had a median income of $44,504 versus $33,133 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,583. About 10.8% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 112,483 people, 37,867 households, and 28,095 families residing in the county.
Education
Communities
*
Covington (county seat)
*
Mansfield
*
Newborn
An infant or baby is the very young offspring of human beings. ''Infant'' (from the Latin word ''infans'', meaning 'unable to speak' or 'speechless') is a formal or specialised synonym for the common term ''baby''. The terms may also be used to ...
*
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
*
Porterdale
*
Social Circle
In the social sciences, a social group can be defined as two or more people who interact with one another, share similar characteristics, and collectively have a sense of unity. Regardless, social groups come in a myriad of sizes and varieties ...
*
Starrsville
Politics
For the first half of the 20th century, Newton County followed the regular Solid South pattern of voting Democratic. It would later become a state bellwether from
1968 to
2004--meaning that Newton's voting was an accurate predictor of the overall statewide winner. From 2008 to 2016 Newton had been narrowly won by Democrats thanks to its location within the
Atlanta metro and the influx of progressive voters both the region and Newton have experienced in recent years. This margin ballooned to a double digit percentage in 2020 as
Joe Biden flipped the state back into the Democratic column.
See also
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Newton County, Georgia
References
External links
Covington and Newton County LivingThe City of Covington official siteDowntown CovingtonThe Covington/Newton County Chamber of CommerceThe Center for Community Preservation and PlanningThe Covington NewsThe Newton Citizenfrom the
Digital Library Collection
{{authority control
Georgia (U.S. state) counties
1821 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
Populated places established in 1821
Newton
Majority-minority counties in Georgia