Gainesville is a city and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of
Hall County, Georgia
Hall County is a county in the Northeast region of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 203,136, up from 179,684 at the 2010 census. The county seat is Gainesville. The entirety of Hall County comprises the G ...
, United States.
As of the
2020 census, the city had a population of 42,296. Because of its large number of poultry processing plants, it has been called the "Poultry Capital of the World." Gainesville is the principal city of the Gainesville, Georgia
Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
–
Sandy Springs
Sandy Springs is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia, United States, and a suburb of Atlanta. The city's population was 108,080 at the 2020 census, making it Georgia's 7th most populous city. It is the site of several corporate headquar ...
–Gainesville, Georgia
Combined Statistical Area.
History
Gainesville was established as "Mule Camp Springs" by European-American settlers in the early 1800s. Less than three years after the organization of Hall County on December 15, 1818, Mule Camp Springs was renamed "Gainesville" on April 21, 1821. It was named in honor of General
Edmund P. Gaines
Edmund Pendleton Gaines (March 20, 1777 – June 6, 1849) was an American Army officer who served for nearly fifty years, and attained the rank of major general by brevet. He was one of the Army's senior commanders during its formative years ...
, a hero of the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...
and a noted military surveyor and road-builder. Gainesville was selected to be the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
and chartered by the
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Each of the General Assembly's 236 members serve two-year terms and are directl ...
on November 30, 1821.
A
gold rush
A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, ...
that began in nearby
Lumpkin County in the 1830s resulted in an increase in the number of settlers and the beginning of a business community. In the middle of the 19th century, Gainesville had two important events. In 1849, it became established as a resort center, with people attracted to the springs. In 1851, much of the small city was destroyed by fire.
Around 1870, after the
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, Gainesville began to grow. In 1871 The
Atlanta and Richmond Air-Line Railway, later re-organized into The
Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line Railroad, began to stop in Gainesville, increasing its ties to other markets and stimulating business and population. It grew from 1,000 in 1870, to over 5,000 by 1900.
By 1898,
textile
Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...
mills had become the primary driver of the economy, with the railroad integral to delivering raw cotton and carrying away the mills' products. With the revenues generated by the mills, in 1902, Gainesville became the first city south of
Baltimore
Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
to install
street lamp
A street light, light pole, lamp pole, lamppost, streetlamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or path. Similar lights may be found on a railway platform. When urban electric power distribution b ...
s. On March 1, 1905, free mail delivery began in Gainesville, and on August 10, 1910, the Gainesville post office was opened. On December 22, 1915, the city's first high-rise, the Jackson Building, had its formal opening. In 1919
Southern Bell
Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company was a Bell Operating Company serving the Southeastern United States of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina. It also previously covered the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, M ...
made improvements to the phone system.
City services began in Gainesville on February 22, 1873, with the election of a City Marshal, followed by solid waste collection in 1874. In 1890, a
bond issue
In finance, a bond is a type of security under which the issuer (debtor) owes the holder (creditor) a debt, and is obliged – depending on the terms – to provide cash flow to the creditor (e.g. repay the principal (i.e. amount borrowed) of t ...
to fund the waterworks was passed, and the original water distribution system was developed.
In 1943, at the height of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Gainesville contributed to the war effort by leasing the airport to the US government for $1.00. The military used it as a
naval air station
A Naval Air Station (NAS) is a military air base, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of a navy (Naval aviation). These bases are typically populated by squadron ...
for training purposes. In 1947, the airport was returned to the city of Gainesville, improved by the addition of two landing strips (one of which was later lengthened to ).
After World War II, a businessman named Jesse Jewell started the poultry industry in north Georgia. Chickens have since become the state's largest agricultural crop. This $1 billion a year industry has given Gainesville the title "Poultry Capital of the World".
In 1956, the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the military engineering branch of the United States Army. A direct reporting unit (DRU), it has three primary mission areas: Engineer Regiment, military construction, and civil wor ...
constructed
Lake Sidney Lanier, by building
Buford Dam
Buford Dam is a dam in Buford, Georgia which is located at the southern end of Lake Lanier, a reservoir formed by the construction of the dam in 1956. The dam itself is managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
The dam is made of e ...
on the
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River () is a river in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern United States. It forms the southern half of the Alabama and Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia border, as well as a portion of the Florida and Georgia border. It ...
. During the
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
, Gainesville served as the venue for the rowing and kayaking medal competitions, which were staged on Lake Lanier.
Gainesville gained accreditation of its Parks and Recreation Department in 2001. This was the third department in the state to be accredited. The Lakeside water treatment plant opened in 2002. The city has sponsored new social activities, including the Spring Chicken Festival in 2003, the Art in the Square gathering in 2004, and "Dredgefest" in 2008.
2008 saw the reopening of the Fair Street Neighborhood Center, the reopening of the Linwood Water Reclamation Facility Grand, and the completion of the Longwood Park Fishing Pier.
On January 28, 2021, a poultry plant in Gainesville leaked
liquid nitrogen
Liquid nitrogen (LN2) is nitrogen in a liquid state at cryogenics, low temperature. Liquid nitrogen has a boiling point of about . It is produced industrially by fractional distillation of liquid air. It is a colorless, mobile liquid whose vis ...
killing 6 and hospitalizing 12.
Geography

Gainesville is located in central Hall County at (34.304490, -83.833897).
It is bordered to the southwest by the city of
Oakwood.
Interstate 985
Interstate 985 (I-985) is a auxiliary Interstate Highway in Northeast Georgia. It links the Atlanta metropolitan area to the city of Gainesville, Georgia, Gainesville via Suwanee, Georgia, Suwanee. I-985 is also known as the Sidney Lanie ...
/
U.S. Route 23 passes through the southern part of the city, leading southwest to
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
and northeast to
Baldwin
Baldwin may refer to:
People
* Baldwin (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname
Places Canada
* Baldwin, York Regional Municipality, Ontario
* Baldwin, Ontario, in Sudbury District
* Baldwin's Mills, ...
and
Cornelia.
U.S. Route 129
U.S. Route 129 (US 129) is an Auxiliary U.S. Route, auxiliary route of U.S. Route 29, US 29, which it Intersection (road), intersects in Athens, Georgia. US 129 currently runs for from an intersection with U.S. Route 19 in Florid ...
runs through the east side of the city, leading north to
Cleveland
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
and southeast to
Jefferson.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which are land and , or 5.75%, are water.
Nestled in the foothills of the
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a Physiographic regions of the United States, physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States and extends 550 miles southwest from southern ...
, parts of Gainesville lie along the shore of one of the nation's most popular inland water destinations,
Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier (officially Lake Sidney Lanier) is a reservoir in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and is also fed by the waters of the Chestatee ...
. Named after Confederate veteran, Georgia author and musician
Sidney Lanier
Sidney Clopton Lanier (February 3, 1842 – September 7, 1881) was an American musician, poet and author. He served in the Confederate States Army as a private, worked on a blockade-running ship for which he was imprisoned (resulting in his catch ...
, the lake was created in 1956 when the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers dammed the
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River () is a river in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern United States. It forms the southern half of the Alabama and Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia border, as well as a portion of the Florida and Georgia border. It ...
near
Buford and flooded the river's valley. Although created primarily for hydroelectricity and flood control, it also serves as a reservoir providing water to the city of
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
and is a very popular recreational attraction for all of north Georgia.
Much of Gainesville is heavily wooded, with both
deciduous
In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed Leaf, leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...
and
coniferous
Conifers () are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a sin ...
trees.
Climate
Much like the rest of northern Georgia, Gainesville has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''Cfa''), with cool to mild winters and hot, humid summers.
Severe weather
While Gainesville does not sit in
Tornado Alley
Tornado Alley, also known as Tornado Valley, is a loosely defined location of the central United States and, in the 21st century, Canada where tornadoes are most frequent. The term was first used in 1952 as the title of a research project to st ...
, a region of the United States where severe weather is common,
supercell thunderstorms
A supercell is a thunderstorm characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone, a deep, persistently rotating vertical draft, updraft. Due to this, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms. Of the four classifications of th ...
can sweep through any time between March and November, being primarily concentrated in the spring. Tornado watches are frequent in the spring and summer, with a warning appearing at least biannually, occasionally with more than one per year.
Tornado activity in the Gainesville area is above Georgia state average and is 108% greater than the overall U.S. average. Gainesville was the site of
a deadly F4 on June 1, 1903, which killed 98 people. Gainesville was the site of the
fifth deadliest tornado in U.S. history in 1936, in which Gainesville was devastated and 203 people were killed. In
April 1974, an F4 tornado 22.6 miles away from the Gainesville city center killed six people and injured thirty. In December 1973, an F3 tornado 2.1 miles away from the city center injured twenty-one people. Both storms caused between $500,000 and $5,000,000 in property damages. On
March 20, 1998, an F3 tornado impacted the Gainesville metro area early in the morning, killing 12 people and injuring 171 others. Another F3 tornado later that day killed 2 other people and injured a further 27 people in the
Stoneville area.
Transportation
Major roads
*
Interstate 985
Interstate 985 (I-985) is a auxiliary Interstate Highway in Northeast Georgia. It links the Atlanta metropolitan area to the city of Gainesville, Georgia, Gainesville via Suwanee, Georgia, Suwanee. I-985 is also known as the Sidney Lanie ...
*
State Route 347
*
U.S. Route 23
*
U.S. Route 129
U.S. Route 129 (US 129) is an Auxiliary U.S. Route, auxiliary route of U.S. Route 29, US 29, which it Intersection (road), intersects in Athens, Georgia. US 129 currently runs for from an intersection with U.S. Route 19 in Florid ...
*
U.S. Route 129 Business
*
State Route 11
*
State Route 11 Business
*
State Route 13
*
State Route 53
*
State Route 53 Connector
*
State Route 60
*
State Route 60 Connector
*
State Route 284
*
State Route 365
*
State Route 365 Business
*
State Route 369
Pedestrians and cycling
* Highlands to Island Trail (Under construction)
* Midtown Greenway
* Wilshire Trails
Mass transit
* The
Gainesville Amtrak station is situated at 116 Industrial Boulevard.
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
's ''
Crescent
A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase (as it appears in the northern hemisphere) in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself.
In Hindu iconography, Hind ...
'' train connects Gainesville with the cities of
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
,
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
,
Baltimore
Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
,
Washington
Washington most commonly refers to:
* George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States
* Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A ...
,
Greensboro
Greensboro (; ) is a city in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 census, its population was 299,035; it was estimated to be 307,381 in 2024. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina, af ...
,
Charlotte,
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
,
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
and
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
. The southbound train arrives on Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday mornings, and the northbound train on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings.
*Gainesville connection was replaced by WeGo in 2021.
Airport
*
Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport
Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located in Gainesville, a city in Hall County, Georgia, United States.
History
In 1941 only a dirt airstrip existed. At this time a request by the City of Gainesville was placed ...
(GVL), built in 1940, is a city-owned airport with two runways (5,500 ft and 4,001 ft), and supports air taxi operations, itinerant operations, local operations, and military operations. Aircraft include 116 single engine aircraft, 21 multi-engine aircraft, 2 jet engine aircraft and 1 helicopter. In addition, Gainesville has three heliports, Beaver Trail, Lanier Park Hospital and Latham Creek.
Economy
Poultry farming
The poultry farming industry in Gainesville began to develop after World War II, when Jesse Jewell, a Gainesville feed salesman, began his business. The format he developed was to sell North Georgia farmers baby chicks and feed on
credit
Credit (from Latin verb ''credit'', meaning "one believes") is the trust which allows one party to provide money or resources to another party wherein the second party does not reimburse the first party immediately (thereby generating a debt) ...
. When the chicks were grown, Jewell would buy back the adult chickens (broilers) at a price that would cover his costs and guarantee farmers a profit. Once Jewell signed on enough farmers to produce broilers for him, he invested in his own processing plant and hatchery.
As of 2013, poultry farming remains a significant economic driver in Gainesville, representing six of its top ten employers (7,600 employees), nearly one-quarter of the total population in the city in 2010 (and a higher proportion of the working-age population). It is the most well-known business in the area, with statewide revenue exceeding $3 billion. These jobs have attracted numerous Hispanic workers, adding to the diversity of families in the city and county. The proportion of Hispanic and Latino residents is more than 40 percent of the city's population, where the jobs are.
Top employers
According to Gainesville's 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
Culture
Arts and theater
Gainesville is the home of the Gainesville Theater Alliance (GTA), which is a partnership between
Brenau University
Brenau University is a private university in Gainesville, Georgia. Founded in 1878, the university enrolls more than 2,800 students from approximately 48 states and 17 foreign countries who seek degrees ranging from associate through doctoral ...
, the
University of North Georgia
The University of North Georgia (UNG) is a public university with multiple campuses in Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. It is part of the University System of Georgia. The university was established on January 8, 2013, through a m ...
, Theatre Wings, and the Professional Company. This coalition provides theatrical entertainment for the entire Gainesville area. GTA utilizes both professional and student actors in its productions and their performances have been nationally acclaimed.
Brenau University Galleries, established in 1985 by Brenau University President, Dr. John S. Burd, is located at the historic Gainesville, Georgia campus and consists of five art galleries created to house its permanent art collection of over 5,000 works. The Galleries hold local, regional, student, and national rotating exhibitions. The Galleries serve as an educational and cultural resource for Northeast Georgia by way of free public programming and exhibitions.
The Northeast Georgia History Center is a museum established by Brenau University in Downtown Gainesville that focuses on the heritage of the Northeast Georgia region. Some notable exhibits include the Land of Promise and Northeast Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.

The Arts Council is a non-profit organization focused on providing Gainesville residents with a broad variety of visual, performing, and literary arts.. The Arts Council is located in the Smithgall Arts Center, which is a former two-story train depot that the Arts Council purchased from
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of track, it is the lead ...
in 1992. In early 2020, they broke ground on an expansion to include a new 6,300 sr. ft. pavilion that features an outdoor stage and other multi-functional facilities. The ribbon was officially cut on this expansion on April 16, 2021, and named the “
Gladys Wyant Performing Arts Pavilion” in honor of Gladys Wyant, who has been the executive director of The Arts Council for the previous 37+ years. This venue, known by many as "The Gladys", has quickly become one of the most popular event venues in Gainesville and North Georgia, as a whole.
The Quinlan Visual Arts Center is a non-profit arts association initially founded as the Gainesville Arts Association in 1942. The Quinlan Visual Arts Center acts as an exhibit, with multiple galleries on display throughout the year, as well as an event center. It is also an affiliate of the Arts Council and provides art classes for both children and adults.
The Gainesville Symphony Orchestra (GSO) was a volunteer orchestra founded in 1982 as the Lanier Symphony Orchestra. However, due to a lack in funding during the
Great Recession
The Great Recession was a period of market decline in economies around the world that occurred from late 2007 to mid-2009. , the GSO shut down in 2013 after almost 30 years of operation.
Gainesville is also home to the Gainesville Ballet Company which is a partnership with Brenau University and the Gainesville School of Dance. One of their more popular performances throughout the year is
Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular ...
's ''
The Nutcracker
''The Nutcracker'' (, ), Opus number, Op. 71, is an 1892 two-act classical ballet (conceived as a '; ) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, set on Christmas Eve at the foot of a Christmas tree in a child's imagination featuring a Nutcracker doll. Th ...
''.
Alta Vista Cemetery is a graveyard located just outside Downtown Gainesville. The famous Confederate general
James Longstreet
James Longstreet (January 8, 1821January 2, 1904) was a General officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War and was the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Ho ...
is buried here. Other notable gravesites include: several Georgia governors, an astronaut, a rocket scientist, a circus performer, and that of poultry pioneer Jesse Jewell (whom Jesse Jewell Parkway, Gainesville's main thoroughfare, is named after).
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census, there were 42,296 people, 13,314 households, and 8,796 families residing in the city.
2010 census
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2010, there were 33,804 people, 11,273 households, and 7,165 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 12,967 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 54.2%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 15.2%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.6%
Native American, 3.2%
Asian, 0.2%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...
, 23.4% from
other races, and 3.2% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino residents of any race were 41.6% of the population.
There were 11,273 households, out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.64% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.55.
Age distribution was 33.9% under the age of 20, 9.5% from 20 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 20 and over, there were 84.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,119, and the median income for a family was $43,734. Males had a median income of $26,377 versus $20,531 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $19,439. About 24.9% of families and 29.1% 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 40.7% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over. In May 2013, the unemployment rate was 6.9%, less than the overall rate in Georgia of 8.3%, the US of 7.6%
Of the population aged 15 years and over, 31.0% have never been married; 50.0% are now married; 2.4% are separated; 7.7% are widowed; and 9.9% are divorced.
Healthcare
Gainesville is home to the
Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville, which houses a
Level I Trauma Center
A trauma center, or trauma centre, is a hospital equipped and staffed to provide care for patients suffering from major trauma, major traumatic injuries such as Falling (accident), falls, motor vehicle collisions, or gunshot wounds. The term "tra ...
and the Georgia Heart Center.
Government and infrastructure
Arrendale State Prison
Lee Arrendale State Prison of the Georgia Department of Corrections is a women's prison located in Raoul, unincorporated Habersham County, Georgia, near Alto, and in proximity to Gainesville. It houses the state death row for women.
It became ...
of the
Georgia Department of Corrections
The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) is an agency of the U.S. state of Georgia operating state prisons. The agency is headquartered in Forsyth, on the former campus of Tift College.
Headquarters
The GDC has its offices in Gibson Hall, ...
is a women's prison located in
unincorporated Habersham County
Habersham County is a County (United States), county in the Northeast Georgia, Northeast region of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 46,031. The county seat is C ...
, near
Alto
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: '' altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In four-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in ch ...
, and in the Gainesville area.
Education
Three African Americans, Beulah Rucker, E. E. Butler, and Ulysses Byas were educational pioneers in Gainesville and Hall County. Rucker founded Timber Ridge Elementary School, the first school for Black children in Gainesville, in 1911. In 1951 she established a night high school for African-American veterans, which was the only High School for veterans in Georgia. E. E. Butler served as an educator for just one year before earning his Physician's license. In 1954, he became one of two who became the first Black men on the Gainesville City Schools Board of Education, a very unusual situation in the United States. When the schools were integrated in 1969, Byas, like most Black school principals was offered a demotion. Rather than take a job as an assistant principal at Gainesville High School, he moved to
Tuskegee, Alabama
Tuskegee ( ) is a city in Macon County, Alabama, Macon County, Alabama, United States. General Thomas Simpson Woodward, a Creek War veteran under Andrew Jackson, laid out the city and founded it in 1833. It became the county seat in the same y ...
, where he became the nation's first Black school superintendent.
Historical schools
E. E. Butler High School was a segregated school created in 1962 in response to court demands for equalization of resources for Black students. After the integration of public schools, it was closed in 1969.
Gainesville City School District
The
Gainesville City School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of five elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 282 full-time teachers and over 4,438 students. Its lone high school,
Gainesville High School boasts several notable alumni, including
Deshaun Watson
Derrick Deshaun Watson (born September 14, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Clemson Tigers, leading the team to a national ...
,
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
quarterback,
Cris Carpenter
Cris Howell Carpenter (born April 5, 1965) is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Florida Marlins, Texas Rangers, and Milwaukee Brewers from 1988 to 1996.
Amateur career
A nat ...
, former professional baseball player (
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
,
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. The team plays its home games at LoanDepot Park.
The ...
, Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers), Tasha Humphrey, professional basketball player, and Micah Owings, current professional baseball player (Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres). The mascot for Gainesville High School is the Red Elephant.
Hall County School District
The Hall County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of twenty-one elementary schools, six middle schools, and seven high schools. The district has 1,337 full-time teachers and over 21,730 students. The high schools in this district have produced a number of notable alumni including, Connor Shaw, starting quarterback for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks football team; Casey Cagle, Lt. Governor, State of Georgia; James Mills, Georgia State Representative; A.J. Styles, professional wrestler;
Deshaun Watson
Derrick Deshaun Watson (born September 14, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Clemson Tigers, leading the team to a national ...
, starting quarterback for the Houston Texans, Mike Wilson (offensive lineman), Mike "MoonPie" Wilson, former NFL football player; Chester Willis, former NFL football player; Jody Davis (baseball), Jody Davis, former catcher for Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves baseball teams; Billy Greer, bass guitarist for progressive rock band Kansas (band), Kansas; Corey Hulsey, former NFL Oakland Raiders football player; Robin Spriggs, author and actor; and Martrez Milner, American football tight end.
Private education
Notable private schools in Gainesville include: Riverside Military Academy, a private, college preparatory, boarding and day school for boys in grades 6 through 12; and Lakeview Academy, a private, nondenominational, coeducational day school for students in preschool through 12th grade. From 1928 to 2011, Gainesville was also home to Brenau University#Brenau Academy, Brenau Academy, a female, college preparatory, residential school for grades 9–12, and a part of the
Brenau University
Brenau University is a private university in Gainesville, Georgia. Founded in 1878, the university enrolls more than 2,800 students from approximately 48 states and 17 foreign countries who seek degrees ranging from associate through doctoral ...
system. However, in 2011 Brenau Academy was revamped into a program allowing qualified young women to earn college credits during the time in their lives in which they would normally complete high school studies.
Higher education
Gainesville has several institutions of higher education:
University of North Georgia
The University of North Georgia (UNG) is a public university with multiple campuses in Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. It is part of the University System of Georgia. The university was established on January 8, 2013, through a m ...
(formerly Gainesville State College), which was established January 8, 2013, as a result of the consolidation of North Georgia College and State University and Gainesville State College;
Brenau University
Brenau University is a private university in Gainesville, Georgia. Founded in 1878, the university enrolls more than 2,800 students from approximately 48 states and 17 foreign countries who seek degrees ranging from associate through doctoral ...
, a private, not-for-profit, undergraduate- and graduate-level higher education institution; the Interactive College of Technology; and Lanier Technical College.
Law
Established in 2005, the Public Defender's Office at Gainesville provides representation for persons accused of felony offenses in Hall County. Attorneys from the office have been recognized for their community involvement, as well as for their acumen in the courtroom. In 2008, a first-year attorney successfully challenged the Sex Offender Registration Law in the Georgia Supreme Court.
Notable people
*Tommy Aaron, professional golfer, 1973 Masters Tournament, Masters champion
*Mariah Paris Balenciaga, drag queen and television personality
*Ashley Bell (politician), Ashley D. Bell, American politician
*Jodi Benson, voice actor, voice actress, played Princess Ariel in Disney's ''The Little Mermaid''
*Roy D. Bridges, Jr., astronaut
*Casey Cagle, former Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, 2007–2019
*Rod Cameron (actor), Rod Cameron, actor
*Allen D. Candler, Governor of Georgia
*
Cris Carpenter
Cris Howell Carpenter (born April 5, 1965) is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Florida Marlins, Texas Rangers, and Milwaukee Brewers from 1988 to 1996.
Amateur career
A nat ...
, former Major League Baseball pitcher
*Daniel Carver, former Ku Klux Klan Grand Dragon
*John Casper, astronaut
*Doug Collins (politician), Doug Collins, member of the United States House of Representatives and nominee for United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
*Jason Cross, professional wrestler
*Henry Crowder, professional jazz musician
*Jody Davis (baseball), Jody Davis, professional baseball player (Major League Baseball)
*Nathan Deal, 82nd Governor of Georgia, grew up in Millen
*Dexter Fowler, Major League Baseball center fielder for the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
*Jentezen Franklin, Pastor
*Chan Gailey, former head coach of various National Football League (NFL) and college football teams
*John Driskell Hopkins, bassist for the Zac Brown Band
*Corey Hulsey, Guard (American football), guard for the Detroit Lions (NFL)
*Tasha Humphrey, Washington Mystics (WNBA) basketball player
*A. J. Johnson (linebacker), A.J. Johnson current Denver Broncos linebacker in the NFL and former University of Tennessee linebacker
*T.J. Jones, current Detroit Lions (NFL) and former University of Notre Dame wide receiver
*Sung Kang, actor
*
James Longstreet
James Longstreet (January 8, 1821January 2, 1904) was a General officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War and was the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Ho ...
, former high-ranking Confederate States of America, Confederate general; moved to Gainesville from New Orleans in 1876
[Varon, Elizabeth R. (2023) ''Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South'' New York: Simon & Schuster. pp.219-220 ]
*J. Reginald Murphy, Reg Murphy, former president of National Geographic Society and publisher//editor
*Alexander R. Nininger,
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
Medal of Honor recipient, Battle of Bataan
*Micah Owings, Major League Baseball pitcher
*Randy Pobst, auto racing, professional racing driver
*Robert Prechter, financial forecaster (1980s "Guru of the Decade")
*Blake Sims, former University of Alabama quarterback
*James Milton Smith, Governor of Georgia
*A.J. Styles, AJ Styles, Professional wrestling, professional wrestler signed to WWE
*
Deshaun Watson
Derrick Deshaun Watson (born September 14, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Clemson Tigers, leading the team to a national ...
, quarterback for the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
(NFL)
*Margaret O'Connor Wilson, civic leader
*Margaret Woodrow Wilson, daughter of US President Woodrow Wilson
*Mike Wilson (offensive lineman), Mike Wilson, former NFL offensive lineman
See also
*1936 Tupelo–Gainesville tornado outbreak
References
External links
City of Gainesville official websiteGreater Hall Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control
Gainesville, Georgia,
Cities in Georgia (U.S. state)
Cities in Hall County, Georgia
County seats in Georgia (U.S. state)
Populated places established in 1818
1818 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
Populated lakeshore places in the United States