Lanier County, Georgia | |
|---|---|
 Lanier County Courthouse in Lakeland | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofGeorgia | |
| Coordinates:31°02′16″N83°03′46″W / 31.0378937°N 83.0626534°W /31.0378937; -83.0626534 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Georgia |
| Founded | August 7, 1920 |
| Named after | Sidney Lanier |
| Seat | Lakeland |
| Largest city | Lakeland |
| Area | |
• Total | 200 sq mi (520 km2) |
| • Land | 185 sq mi (480 km2) |
| • Water | 15 sq mi (39 km2) 7.3% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 9,877 |
| • Density | 53/sq mi (20/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
| Website | laniercountyboc |
| [1] | |
Lanier County is acounty in the south central portion of theU.S. state ofGeorgia. At the2020 census, the population was 9,877.[2] Thecounty seat isLakeland.[3] It is named after Georgia poetSidney Lanier.[4]
Lanier County is part of theValdosta metropolitan area and sharesMoody Air Force Base withLowndes County on its western boundary.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 200 square miles (520 km2), of which 185 square miles (480 km2) is land and 15 square miles (39 km2) (7.3%) is water.[5]
The vast majority of Lanier County is in theAlapaha River sub-basin of theSuwannee River basin. Just a narrow section of the western border of the county, northeast and southeast ofRay City, is in theWithlacoochee River sub-basin of the same Suwannee River basin, and a very narrow section of the eastern border of Lanier County is in the Upper Suwannee River sub-basin of the same Suwannee River basin.[6]
TheBanks Lake National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1985, hosts approximately 20,000 visitors annually. It provides hiking, fishing, and boating opportunities on more than 4,000 acres (16 km2) of water, Banks Lake marsh, and swamp. The Robert Simpson III Nature Trail, dedicated in August 2001, is in theLakeland, Georgia city limits on 75 acres (300,000 m2) of pine and hardwood forests. The county is known for its excellent fishing in theAlapaha River,Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge as well as in its many small lakes.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 5,190 | — | |
| 1940 | 5,632 | 8.5% | |
| 1950 | 5,151 | −8.5% | |
| 1960 | 5,097 | −1.0% | |
| 1970 | 5,031 | −1.3% | |
| 1980 | 5,654 | 12.4% | |
| 1990 | 5,531 | −2.2% | |
| 2000 | 7,847 | 41.9% | |
| 2010 | 10,078 | 28.4% | |
| 2020 | 9,877 | −2.0% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 10,464 | [7] | 5.9% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1880[9] 1890-1910[10] 1920-1930[11] 1930-1940[12] 1940-1950[13] 1960-1980[14] 1980-2000[15] 2010[16] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 6,595 | 66.77% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 2,138 | 21.65% |
| Native American | 31 | 0.31% |
| Asian | 81 | 0.82% |
| Pacific Islander | 14 | 0.14% |
| Other/Mixed | 446 | 4.52% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 572 | 5.79% |
As of the2020 census, there were 9,877 people, 3,570 households, and 2,536 families residing in the county.[18] The median age was 35.1 years, 25.8% of residents were under the age of 18, and 13.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older.[18]
For every 100 females there were 100.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.5 males age 18 and over.[18] 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[19]
The racial makeup of the county was 66.77% White (non-Hispanic), 21.65% Black or African American (non-Hispanic), 0.31% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 4.52% Other/Mixed, and 5.79% Hispanic or Latino residents of any race.[20]
There were 3,570 households in the county, of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[18]
There were 4,069 housing units, of which 12.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 64.9% were owner-occupied and 35.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%.[18]
The county's economy has remained rural in nature, but the educational, health and social service sector was the largest employment category in 2006. Factors contributing to this economy include the presence of Moody Air Force Base (shared by adjoining Lowndes County), the several lakes and nature reserve, the hospital, and a large state correctional facility.
The top ten employers in Lanier County are:[citation needed]
Historic sites includeGovernorEurith D. Rivers' home, which was moved from its original spot on Banks Lake to West Main Street in Lakeland in the early 1980s; Union Baptist Church, located near Georgia Highway 135; and Fender Cemetery, located east of Lakeland at the junction ofU.S. 221 andGeorgia Highway 37 on land that once belonged to David Fender. The site of the cemetery, in which many of the area's first settlers are buried, was chosen so that mourners would not have to ferry their dead across the river for burial. Also, the "Murals of Milltown," which depict community life in the 1920s, grace the exteriors of buildings in downtown Lakeland.
TheLanier County School District, the only school district in the county,[21] operates four schools: Lanier County Primary School, Lanier County Elementary School, Lanier County Middle School, andLanier County High School.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1924 | 46 | 11.41% | 356 | 88.34% | 1 | 0.25% |
| 1928 | 138 | 31.29% | 303 | 68.71% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 3 | 1.38% | 211 | 97.24% | 3 | 1.38% |
| 1936 | 30 | 3.59% | 800 | 95.81% | 5 | 0.60% |
| 1940 | 16 | 2.56% | 607 | 97.12% | 2 | 0.32% |
| 1944 | 40 | 6.02% | 625 | 93.98% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 92 | 13.53% | 486 | 71.47% | 102 | 15.00% |
| 1952 | 170 | 16.75% | 845 | 83.25% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 152 | 14.59% | 890 | 85.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 198 | 15.88% | 1,049 | 84.12% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 719 | 52.10% | 661 | 47.90% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 241 | 15.63% | 277 | 17.96% | 1,024 | 66.41% |
| 1972 | 850 | 81.50% | 193 | 18.50% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 207 | 14.02% | 1,269 | 85.98% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 470 | 29.30% | 1,116 | 69.58% | 18 | 1.12% |
| 1984 | 852 | 53.48% | 741 | 46.52% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1988 | 725 | 50.81% | 698 | 48.91% | 4 | 0.28% |
| 1992 | 600 | 35.03% | 811 | 47.34% | 302 | 17.63% |
| 1996 | 519 | 34.55% | 818 | 54.46% | 165 | 10.99% |
| 2000 | 1,048 | 55.04% | 832 | 43.70% | 24 | 1.26% |
| 2004 | 1,641 | 63.38% | 931 | 35.96% | 17 | 0.66% |
| 2008 | 1,787 | 62.05% | 1,062 | 36.88% | 31 | 1.08% |
| 2012 | 1,820 | 61.11% | 1,114 | 37.41% | 44 | 1.48% |
| 2016 | 1,984 | 69.10% | 806 | 28.07% | 81 | 2.82% |
| 2020 | 2,509 | 70.16% | 1,019 | 28.50% | 48 | 1.34% |
| 2024 | 2,726 | 72.97% | 995 | 26.63% | 15 | 0.40% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 2,481 | 70.50% | 944 | 26.83% | 94 | 2.67% |
| 2020 | 2,127 | 70.15% | 905 | 29.85% | 0 | 0.00% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 1,191 | 34.70% | 365 | 10.64% | 1,876 | 54.66% |
| 2020 | 2,126 | 70.03% | 910 | 29.97% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 2022 | 1,860 | 70.91% | 725 | 27.64% | 38 | 1.45% |
| 2022 | 1,752 | 71.42% | 701 | 28.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2022 | 1,932 | 73.24% | 691 | 26.19% | 15 | 0.57% |
As of the 2020s, Lanier County is a Republican stronghold, voting 77% forDonald Trump in2024. For elections to theUnited States House of Representatives, Lanier County is part ofGeorgia's 8th congressional district, currently represented byAustin Scott. For elections to theGeorgia State Senate, Lanier County is part of District8.[24] For elections to theGeorgia House of Representatives, Lanier County is part of District176.[25]
Places adjacent to Lanier County, Georgia | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofLanier County, Georgia,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties. | |
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| National | |
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| Other | |
