Charlton County, Georgia

This article is based on the corresponding article in another wiki. For Familypedia purposes, it requires significantly more historical detail on phases of this location's development. The ideal article for a place will give the reader a feel for what it was like to live at that location at the time their relatives were alive there. Also desirable are links to organizations that may be repositories of genealogical information..
Please help to improve this page yourself if you can.

Charlton County, Georgia
Charlton County Courthouse in Folkston
Location in the state of Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia's location in the U.S.
Founded	1854 (1854)
Named for	Robert M. Charlton
Seat	Folkston
Largest city	Folkston
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	782 sq mi (2,025 km²) 774 sq mi (2,005 km²) 8.8 sq mi (23 km²), 1.1%
Population  - (2020)  - Density	12,518 16.4/sq mi (6/km²)
Congressional district	1st
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4

Charlton County is the southernmost county of the U.S. state of Georgia, located in the southeastern part of the state. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,518. The county seat is Folkston.

History

Georgia, by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on February 18, 1854. The original county seat was at Trader's Hill, until 1901. Additional lands from Ware County, Georgia, were added to Charlton's borders by an 1855 act of the General Assembly. In 1856, an additional legislative act redefined the Charlton–Camden borders again with each county ceding land to the other.

The county is named for Robert Milledge Charlton, a U. S. Senator from Georgia.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 782 square miles (2,030 km²), of which 774 square miles (2,000 km²) is land and 8.8 square miles (23 km²) (1.1%) is water. It is the fifth-largest county by area in Georgia. It is the southernmost county in Georgia. A large portion of the county lies within the Okefenokee Swamp and its federally protected areas.

The entire central and southern portion of Charlton County is located in the St. Marys sub-basin of the St. Marys-Satilla basin. The county's northeastern portion, north of Homeland, is located in the Satilla River sub-basin of the St. Marys-Satilla basin. The western portion of Charlton County is located in the Upper Suwannee River sub-basin of the larger Suwannee River basin. The country's southern region is level with the northern most part of the central and eastern Panhandle of the Florida peninsula.

Major highways

• U.S. Route 1
• U.S. Route 23
• U.S. Route 301
• State Route 4
• State Route 15
• State Route 23
• State Route 40
• State Route 40 Connector
• State Route 94
• State Route 121
• State Route 177
• State Route 185
• State Route 252

Adjacent counties

• Brantley County - northeast
• Nassau County, Florida - east
• Camden County - east
• Baker County, Florida - south
• Ware County - northwest

National protected area

• Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	1,780		—
1870	1,897		6.6%
1880	2,154		13.5%
1890	3,335		54.8%
1900	3,592		7.7%
1910	4,722		31.5%
1920	4,536		−3.9%
1930	4,381		−3.4%
1940	5,256		20.0%
1950	4,821		−8.3%
1960	5,313		10.2%
1970	5,680		6.9%
1980	7,343		29.3%
1990	8,496		15.7%
2000	10,282		21.0%
2010	12,171		18.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 10,282 people, 3,342 households, and 2,499 families living in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 3,859 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.59% White, 29.26% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. 0.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,342 households, out of which 37.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.40% were married couples living together, 15.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.20% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.50% under the age of 18, 10.60% from 18 to 24, 31.70% from 25 to 44, 20.60% from 45 to 64, and 9.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 112.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,869, and the median income for a family was $33,364. Males had a median income of $26,631 versus $17,978 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,920. About 17.80% of families and 20.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.10% of those under age 18 and 20.40% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 12,171 people, 3,927 households, and 2,866 families living in the county. The population density was 15.7 inhabitants per square mile (6.1 /km²). There were 4,475 housing units at an average density of 5.8 per square mile (2.2 /km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.6% white, 28.5% black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 7.9% were American, 7.3% were English, and 6.2% were Irish.

Of the 3,927 households, 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.0% were non-families, and 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age was 38.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,850 and the median income for a family was $45,913. Males had a median income of $36,675 versus $25,140 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,652. About 18.1% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.4% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

Charlton County racial composition

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	7,532	60.17%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	2,386	19.06%
Native American	40	0.32%
Asian	109	0.87%
Pacific Islander	2	0.02%
Other/Mixed	413	3.3%
Hispanic or Latino	2,036	16.26%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 12,518 people, 3,675 households, and 2,685 families residing in the county.

Communities

• Folkston
• Homeland
• Moniac
• Racepond
• Saint George
• Toledo
• Trader's Hill
• Uptonville

Education

Main article: Charlton County School District

Politics

United States presidential election results for Charlton County, Georgia

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	3,419	74.85%	1,105	24.19%	44	0.96%
2016	2,951	73.21%	1,004	24.91%	76	1.89%
2012	2,527	67.12%	1,197	31.79%	41	1.09%
2008	2,466	66.70%	1,197	32.38%	34	0.92%
2004	2,311	68.15%	1,064	31.38%	16	0.47%
2000	1,770	62.86%	1,015	36.04%	31	1.10%
1996	1,374	45.33%	1,368	45.13%	289	9.53%
1992	1,333	46.09%	1,127	38.97%	432	14.94%
1988	1,327	57.60%	943	40.93%	34	1.48%
1984	1,368	55.18%	1,111	44.82%	0	0.00%
1980	779	34.08%	1,469	64.26%	38	1.66%
1976	452	20.53%	1,750	79.47%	0	0.00%
1972	1,244	80.05%	310	19.95%	0	0.00%
1968	332	17.08%	455	23.41%	1,157	59.52%
1964	1,179	67.26%	574	32.74%	0	0.00%
1960	289	28.28%	733	71.72%	0	0.00%
1956	204	21.38%	750	78.62%	0	0.00%
1952	288	26.11%	815	73.89%	0	0.00%
1948	70	12.32%	339	59.68%	159	27.99%
1944	89	16.15%	462	83.85%	0	0.00%
1940	60	9.65%	562	90.35%	0	0.00%
1936	28	5.63%	468	94.16%	1	0.20%
1932	32	8.82%	330	90.91%	1	0.28%
1928	160	27.83%	415	72.17%	0	0.00%
1924	20	11.24%	151	84.83%	7	3.93%
1920	28	15.14%	157	84.86%	0	0.00%
1916	52	22.41%	169	72.84%	11	4.74%
1912	22	9.95%	150	67.87%	49	22.17%
1908	53	28.65%	124	67.03%	8	4.32%
1904	31	13.03%	207	86.97%	0	0.00%
1900	64	27.35%	168	71.79%	2	0.85%
1892	22	8.87%	192	77.42%	34	13.71%
1888	58	33.53%	113	65.32%	2	1.16%
1884	27	12.22%	194	87.78%	0	0.00%
1880	46	24.60%	141	75.40%	0	0.00%

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Charlton County, Georgia

External links

• Media related to Charlton County, Georgia at Wikimedia Commons
• Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Charlton County historical marker
• Sardis Church historical marker