Pierce County, Georgia

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Pierce County, Georgia
Pierce County Courthouse in Blackshear
Location in the state of Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia's location in the U.S.
Founded	December 18, 1857 (1857)
Named for	Franklin Pierce
Seat	Blackshear
Largest city	Blackshear
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	343 sq mi (888 km²) 316 sq mi (818 km²) 27 sq mi (70 km²), 7.8%
Population  - (2020)  - Density	19,716 59/sq mi (23/km²)
Congressional district	1st
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website	https://piercecountyga.gov/

Pierce County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,716. The county seat is Blackshear.

Pierce County is part of the Waycross, Georgia Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Pierce County is named for Franklin Pierce, fourteenth President of the United States. It was created December 18, 1857, from Appling and Ware counties.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 343 square miles (890 km²), of which 316 square miles (820 km²) is land and 27 square miles (70 km²) (7.8%) is water.

The northeastern third of Pierce County, bordered by a line from just west of Mershon to just south of Bristol, then south to just north of Blackshear, and then heading due east, is located in the Little Satilla River sub-basin of the St. Marys River-Satilla River basin. The southern two-thirds of the county is located in the Satilla River sub-basin of the St. Marys-Satilla River basin.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 84
• State Route 15
• State Route 32
• State Route 38
• State Route 121
• State Route 203

Adjacent counties

• Appling County - north
• Wayne County - northeast
• Brantley County - southeast
• Ware County - west
• Bacon County - northwest

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	1,973		—
1870	2,778		40.8%
1880	4,538		63.4%
1890	6,379		40.6%
1900	8,100		27.0%
1910	10,749		32.7%
1920	11,934		11.0%
1930	12,522		4.9%
1940	11,800		−5.8%
1950	11,112		−5.8%
1960	9,678		−12.9%
1970	9,281		−4.1%
1980	11,897		28.2%
1990	13,328		12.0%
2000	15,636		17.3%
2010	18,758		20.0%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 15,636 people, 5,958 households, and 4,438 families living in the county. The population density was 46 inhabitants per square mile (18 /km²). There were 6,719 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.90% White, 10.91% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.97% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. 2.28% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census of 2000, the largest ancestry groups were: 71.14% of people in Pierce County were of English descent, 11.37% were of Scots-Irish descent and 10.91% were of African descent.

There were 5,958 households, out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.00% were married couples living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.50% were non-families. 23.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.70% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,895, and the median income for a family was $35,903. Males had a median income of $28,331 versus $19,771 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,230. About 14.40% of families and 18.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.50% of those under age 18 and 22.40% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 18,758 people, 7,083 households, and 5,268 families living in the county. The population density was 59.3 inhabitants per square mile (22.9 /km²). There were 7,986 housing units at an average density of 25.2 per square mile (9.7 /km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.9% white, 8.9% black or African American, 0.4% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.1% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.7% of the population. Of the 7,083 households, 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 25.6% were non-families, and 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.05. The median age was 38.4 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,062 and the median income for a family was $47,157. Males had a median income of $38,770 versus $26,510 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,283. About 13.6% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 14.9% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

Pierce County racial composition

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	16,403	83.2%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	1,597	8.1%
Native American	41	0.21%
Asian	82	0.42%
Other/Mixed	595	3.02%
Hispanic or Latino	998	5.06%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 19,716 people, 7,048 households, and 5,319 families residing in the county.

Media

• The Blackshear Times (weekly newspaper)
• The Pierce County Press (weekly newspaper)
• Waycross Journal-Herald (daily newspaper)
• WKUB 105.1FM (Country radio)
• WWUF 97.7FM (Oldies radio)
• WSFN AM 1350 (Sports radio)
• WAYX AM 1230 (News Talk radio)

Communities

Cities

• Blackshear
• Offerman
• Patterson

Unincorporated communities

• Bristol
• Mershon
• Otter Creek
• Walkerville

Politics

United States presidential election results for Pierce County, Georgia

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	7,898	87.29%	1,100	12.16%	50	0.55%
2016	6,302	86.20%	903	12.35%	106	1.45%
2012	5,667	82.67%	1,124	16.40%	64	0.93%
2008	5,500	80.92%	1,253	18.43%	44	0.65%
2004	4,680	78.99%	1,234	20.83%	11	0.19%
2000	3,348	71.52%	1,300	27.77%	33	0.70%
1996	2,319	56.73%	1,420	34.74%	349	8.54%
1992	1,899	42.46%	1,852	41.41%	721	16.12%
1988	1,947	55.49%	1,558	44.40%	4	0.11%
1984	1,978	56.86%	1,501	43.14%	0	0.00%
1980	1,027	34.41%	1,918	64.25%	40	1.34%
1976	544	17.15%	2,628	82.85%	0	0.00%
1972	1,982	88.05%	269	11.95%	0	0.00%
1968	579	17.93%	507	15.70%	2,144	66.38%
1964	1,981	66.86%	982	33.14%	0	0.00%
1960	544	27.30%	1,449	72.70%	0	0.00%
1956	298	14.44%	1,766	85.56%	0	0.00%
1952	592	23.73%	1,903	76.27%	0	0.00%
1948	108	7.13%	908	59.97%	498	32.89%
1944	165	13.37%	1,069	86.63%	0	0.00%
1940	84	8.16%	943	91.55%	3	0.29%
1936	45	2.91%	1,494	96.45%	10	0.65%
1932	29	2.57%	1,094	96.90%	6	0.53%
1928	285	35.27%	523	64.73%	0	0.00%
1924	83	16.57%	397	79.24%	21	4.19%
1920	122	23.06%	407	76.94%	0	0.00%
1916	85	14.19%	489	81.64%	25	4.17%
1912	63	10.96%	408	70.96%	104	18.09%
1908	150	29.01%	295	57.06%	72	13.93%
1904	73	14.40%	354	69.82%	80	15.78%
1900	290	50.79%	267	46.76%	14	2.45%
1896	215	34.62%	329	52.98%	77	12.40%
1892	107	17.29%	397	64.14%	115	18.58%
1888	198	34.98%	366	64.66%	2	0.35%
1884	197	29.98%	460	70.02%	0	0.00%
1880	195	41.49%	275	58.51%	0	0.00%

See also

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