Pierce County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers 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

southeastern The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...

part of the U.S. state 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 19,716. 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 ...

is Blackshear. Pierce County is part of the Waycross, Georgia Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Pierce County is named for

Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity ...

, fourteenth

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

. It was created December 18, 1857, from Appling and Ware counties.

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 (7.8%) is water. The northeastern third of Pierce County, bordered by a line from just west of Mershon to just south of

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city, Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Glouces ...

, then south to just north of Blackshear, and then heading due east, is located in the Little Satilla River sub-basin of the St. Marys River-Satilla River basin. The southern two-thirds of the county is located in the Satilla River sub-basin of the St. Marys-Satilla River basin.

Major highways

U.S. Highway 84 U.S. Route 84 (US 84) is an east–west U.S. Highway that started as a short Georgia–Alabama route in the original 1926 scheme. Later, in 1941, it had been extended all the way to Colorado. The highway's eastern terminus is a short distan ...

State Route 15 * Georgia 32

State Route 32 * Georgia 38

State Route 38 * Georgia 121

State Route 121 * Georgia 203

State Route 203

Adjacent counties

* Appling County - north * Wayne County - northeast * Brantley County - southeast * Ware County - west * Bacon 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 inc ...

of 2000, there were 15,636 people, 5,958 households, and 4,438 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 6,719 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.90%

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 ...

, 10.91%

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 ha ...

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 ...

, 0.26% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.05%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.97% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. 2.28% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. As of the

of 2000, the largest ancestry groups were: 71.14% of people in Pierce County were of

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 ...

descent, 11.37% were of Scots-Irish descent and 10.91% were of African descent. There were 5,958 households, out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.00% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.50% were non-families. 23.10% 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 2.61 and the average family size was 3.06. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.70% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.40 males. The median income for a household in the county was $29,895, and the median income for a family was $35,903. Males had a median income of $28,331 versus $19,771 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 $14,230. About 14.40% of families and 18.40% 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 ...

, including 25.50% of those under age 18 and 22.40% 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 serving ...

, there were 18,758 people, 7,083 households, and 5,268 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 7,986 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 86.9% white, 8.9% black or African American, 0.4% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.1% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.7% of the population. Of the 7,083 households, 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 25.6% were non-families, and 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.05. The median age was 38.4 years. The median income for a household in the county was $37,062 and the median income for a family was $47,157. Males had a median income of $38,770 versus $26,510 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,283. About 13.6% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the

, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 14.9% 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 off ...

, there were 19,716 people, 7,048 households, and 5,319 families residing in the county.

Media

* The Blackshear Times (weekly newspaper)
''The Pierce County Press''
(weekly newspaper)
''Waycross Journal-Herald''
(daily newspaper) * WKUB 105.1FM (Country radio) * WWUF 97.7FM (Oldies radio) *

WSFN WSFN (790 AM) is a sports radio station in Brunswick, Georgia. WSFN programming is simulcast on WFNS 1350 AM and W279BC 103.7 FM. Southern Media Interactive LLC also owns WSEG at Savannah and WFNS at Blackshear. The station lineup includes Ke ...

br> AM 1350 (Sports radio)
*

WAYX WAYX (1230 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. WAYX serves Ware, Pierce and Brantley Counties in Southeast Georgia. WAYX streams at WAYX.com. It formerly aired a news-talk format with Fox Radio News, Georgia Network News an ...

br> AM 1230 (News Talk radio)