McRae–Helena, Georgia | |
|---|---|
 Downtown McRae–Helena, Georgia | |
| Nickname: The Purple Heart City | |
| Motto: The Crossroads City | |
  McRae–Helena, Georgia Location in Georgia | |
| Coordinates:32°04′10″N82°54′10″W / 32.06944°N 82.90278°W /32.06944; -82.90278 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Telfair,Wheeler |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Mike Young |
| • City Manager | Lance Jones (Interim) |
| Area | |
• Total | 6.53 sq mi (16.92 km2) |
| • Land | 6.44 sq mi (16.67 km2) |
| • Water | 0.097 sq mi (0.25 km2) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 6,253 |
| • Density | 971.6/sq mi (375.15/km2) |
| ZIP code | 31055 |
| Area codes | 229,912 |
| FIPS code | 13-49100 |
| Website | mcrae-helena |
McRae–Helena is a city in the U.S. state ofGeorgia, formed on January 1, 2015, by the merger of the two cities ofMcRae andHelena. McRae–Helena is thecounty seat ofTelfair County.
It is the largest city in Telfair County, with a population of 6,253 in 2020.[2] This includes the population held as inmates atMcRae Correctional Institution.
On January 1, 2015,McRae and the adjacent town ofHelena merged to form McRae–Helena. This merge was initiated when Helena discovered it could no longer manage its wastewater supply. While it seemed to make sense to have nearby McRae take over Helena's water services, it would have not only reduced Helena's revenue, but left Helena with only two municipal services.[3] The cities were united under House Bill 967, sponsored byRepresentative Jimmy Pruett of the 149th district. It was signed into law by GovernorNathan Deal on April 10, 2014.[4]
McRae–Helena is located in northern Telfair County at32°3′52″N82°53′54″W / 32.06444°N 82.89833°W /32.06444; -82.89833 (32.064508, -82.898251).
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total land area of 6.436 square miles (16.67 km2) and a total area of 6.534 square miles (16.92 km2).[5] TheLittle Ocmulgee River flows just northeast of the city limits, whileSugar Creek passes through the southwest border of the city.
Several highways travel through McRae–Helena Area.U.S. Route 23 (US 23), along withUS 341/SR 27 travel through the city as aone-way pair using Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (formerly Railroad Street), heading northwest 20 miles (32 km) toEastman and Oak Street heading southeast 24 miles (39 km) toHazlehurst, whileUS 280/US 319/US 441/SR 30/SR 31 travel through as Third Avenue, crossing US 23/US 341/SR 27 in the center of the city. US 280/SR 30 heads northeast 33 miles (53 km) toVidalia and west 55 miles (89 km) toCordele, while US 319/US 441/SR 31 heads south 19 miles (31 km) to the small town ofJacksonville and north 35 miles (56 km) toDublin.
Major railroad lines include the formerMacon and Brunswick Railroad, now the Brunswick Division ofNorfolk Southern Railway which passes through both former cities, and a formerSeaboard Air Line Railroad line now owned by theHeart of Georgia Railroad that passed only through Helena. A junction between these lines exists in the former Helena.
Located in downtown McRae–Helena is Liberty Square, home of aStatue of Liberty replica that is one-twelfth the size of the original. The square is also the site of a replica of theLiberty Bell and a marble memorial to Telfair County residents who died in military service.
On the outskirts of McRae–Helena is the Talmadge Home. This historic home was occupied by two former Georgia governors,Eugene Talmadge andHerman Eugene Talmadge. McRae–Helena was the birthplace ofMarion B. Folsom (1893–1976), a longtime executive of theEastman Kodak Company who served as theUnited States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare during theEisenhower administration.
Famousrailfan photographer William B. Folsom is buried in McRae–Helena.
TheTelfair County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of one elementary school, a middle school, and a high school.[6] The district has 112 full-time teachers and over 1,648 students.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6,253 | — | |
| 2023 (est.) | 4,759 | [9] | −23.9% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] | |||
As of the 2022[update]American Community Survey estimates, there were 6,338 people and 1,215 households.[11][12] Thepopulation density was 984.8 inhabitants per square mile (380.2/km2). There were 1,843 housing units at an average density of 286.4 per square mile (110.6/km2).[11][13][14] The racial makeup of the city was 41.6% White, 34.0% Black or African American, 10.5% some other race, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, and 0.2% Asian, with 13.5% from two or more races.[11]Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 24.6% of the population.[11]
Of the 1,215 households, 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.0% had seniors 65 years or older living with them, 40.3% were married couples living together, 2.1% were couples cohabitating, 18.1% had a male householder with no partner present, and 39.5% had a female householder with no partner present.[12] The median household size was 3.49 and the median family size was 4.21.[12]
The age distribution was 24.5% under 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36.4 years.[15] For every 100 females, there were 211.1 males.[11]
The median income for a family household was $54,583 and the median income for a non-family household was $15,590. Theper capita income was $12,592.[16][17] Males workingfull-time jobs had median earnings of $50,445 compared to $40,536 for females.[18] Out of the 4,184 people with a determined poverty status, 42.1% were below thepoverty line. Further, 73.8% of minors and 28.0% of seniors were below the poverty line.[19]
In the survey, residents self-identified with various ethnic ancestries. People ofScotch-Irish descent made up 13.7% of the population of the town, followed byAmerican at 3.1%,English at 3.0%,Irish at 1.8%, andGerman at 0.9%.[12]
Major employers in McRae–Helena include:
Municipalities and communities ofTelfair County, Georgia,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Town | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Municipalities and communities ofWheeler County, Georgia,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Unincorporated community | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
