Richmond 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 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 2010 census, the population was 200,549. It is one of the original counties of Georgia, created February 5, 1777. Following an election in 1995, the city of Augusta (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 ...

) consolidated governments with Richmond County. The consolidated entity is known as Augusta-Richmond County, or simply Augusta. Exempt are the cities of Hephzibah and

Blythe The name Blythe ( or ) derives from Old English ''bliþe'' ("joyous, kind, cheerful, pleasant"; modern ''blithe''), and further back from Proto-Germanic ''*blithiz'' ("gentle, kind"). People *Blythe (given name), including a list of people named ...

, in southern Richmond County, which voted to remain separate. Richmond County is included in the Augusta-Richmond County, GA- SC

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

History

The county is named for Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond, a British politician and office-holder sympathetic to the cause of the American colonies. Richmond was also a first cousin to

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great B ...

. Richmond County was established in 1777 by the first Constitution of the (newly independent) State of Georgia. As such, it is one of the original counties of the state. It was formed out of a portion of the colonial Parish of St. Paul, after the Revolution disestablished the Church of England in the (former) Royal Province of Georgia.

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 (1.3%) is water. The vast majority of Richmond County is located in the Middle

Savannah River The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the nor ...

sub-basin of the

basin, with just the southwestern corner of the county, from a line running north from

through the middle of

Fort Gordon Fort Gordon, formerly known as Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established in October 1941. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps, United States Army Cyber Command, and the Cyber Center of Excellence. ...

, located in the Brier Creek sub-basin of the Savannah River basin.

Adjacent counties

Edgefield County Edgefield County is a county located on the western border of the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 25,657. Its county seat and largest municipality is Edgefield. The county was established on March 12, ...

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

(north) * Aiken County,

(northeast) * Burke County (south) * Jefferson County (southwest) * McDuffie County (west) * Columbia County (northwest)

Transportation

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 I-10 in Scroggins Draw, Texas, and ending at an interchange with I-95 in Florence, South Carolina. Betwe ...

Interstate 520 * US 1

U.S. Route 1 * US 25

U.S. Route 25 U.S. Route 25 (US 25) is a north–south United States Highway that runs for in the southern and midwestern US. Its southern terminus is in Brunswick, Georgia, from where it proceeds mostly due north, passing through the cities of Augusta, Georg ...

U.S. Route 25 Business * US 78

U.S. Route 78 * US 278

U.S. Route 278 U.S. Route 278 (US 278) is a parallel route of US 78. It currently runs for from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, to Wickes, Arkansas at US 71/ US 59, passing through five states in the process. Landmarks along its route inclu ...

State Route 4 * Georgia 10

State Route 10 * Georgia 28

State Route 28 * Georgia 56

State Route 56 * Georgia 88

State Route 88 * Georgia 104

State Route 104 * Georgia 104 Connector

State Route 104 Connector * Georgia 121

State Route 121 * Georgia 223

State Route 223 * Georgia 232

State Route 232 * Georgia 383

State Route 383 * Georgia 402

State Route 402 (unsigned designation for I-20) * Georgia 415

State Route 415 (unsigned designation for I-520) * Georgia 540

State Route 540 (Fall Line Freeway) * Georgia 555

State Route 555 & 565 (Savannah River Parkway)

Pedestrians and cycling

* Augusta Canal Historic Trail * New Bartram Trail * Phinizy Swamp Constructed Wetlands Trail * River Levee Trail * Riverwalk Augusta Trail

Demographics

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 206,607 people, 68,361 households, and 42,363 families residing in the county.

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 200,549 people, 76,924 households, and 48,641 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 86,331 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 54.2% black or African American, 39.7% white, 1.7% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.2% Pacific islander, 1.3% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 8.0% 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 ...

, 7.0% were Irish, 6.7% 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 ...

, and 5.3% 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 ...

. Of the 76,924 households, 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples living together, 22.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.8% were non-families, and 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.09. The median age was 33.2 years. The median income for a household in the county was $37,882 and the median income for a family was $45,220. Males had a median income of $37,368 versus $29,313 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,604. About 19.4% of families and 23.3% 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 36.5% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

* Augusta (county seat) *

* Hephzibah *

Notable person

David E. Twiggs David Emanuel Twiggs (February 14, 1790 – July 15, 1862), born in Georgia, was a career army officer, serving during the War of 1812, the Black Hawk War, and Mexican–American War. As commander of the U.S. Army's Department of Texas when the ...

Politics

Similar to most urban counties in the state with majority African American populations, Richmond County has backed the Democratic Party candidate by increasing margins since 1992. However in every presidential election from 1952 to 1988 which did not have Georgian Jimmy Carter on the ballot, the county backed the Republican candidate for president. Prior to 1952, the county voted like a typical

Solid South The Solid South or Southern bloc was the electoral voting bloc of the states of the Southern United States for issues that were regarded as particularly important to the interests of Democrats in those states. The Southern bloc existed especial ...

county, voting for Democratic presidential candidates by landslide margins until backing

Dixiecrat The States' Rights Democratic Party (whose members are often called the Dixiecrats) was a short-lived segregationist political party in the United States, active primarily in the South. It arose due to a Southern regional split in opposition ...

Strom Thurmond James Strom Thurmond Sr. (December 5, 1902June 26, 2003) was an American politician who represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 1954 to 2003. Prior to his 48 years as a senator, he served as the 103rd governor of South Car ...

in 1948. 1928 was an exception to this rule with

Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gre ...

beating

Al Smith Alfred Emanuel Smith (December 30, 1873 – October 4, 1944) was an American politician who served four terms as Governor of New York and was the Democratic Party's candidate for president in 1928. The son of an Irish-American mother and a Ci ...

handily due to anti-Catholic sentiment.

References

External links

Official website of Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20110814220946/http://dot.state.ga.us/maps/Documents/County%20maps/Richmond.pdf Georgia Department of Transportation map of Richmond County(Note: map uses pre-consolidation city boundaries) {{Coord, 33.36, -82.07, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-GA_source:UScensus1990 Georgia (U.S. state) counties 1777 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Populated places established in 1777 Augusta metropolitan area Black Belt (U.S. region) Majority-minority counties in Georgia