Dougherty County
County
Dougherty County Government Center
Dougherty County Government Center
Map of Georgia highlighting Dougherty County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Map of the United States highlighting Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°32′N 84°13′W / 31.54°N 84.22°W / 31.54; -84.22
Country United States
State Georgia
Founded1853; 171 years ago (1853)
Named forCharles Dougherty
SeatAlbany
Largest cityAlbany
Area
 • Total335 sq mi (870 km2)
 • Land329 sq mi (850 km2)
 • Water5.9 sq mi (15 km2)  1.8%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total85,790
 • Density288/sq mi (111/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.albany.ga.us/content/1800

Dougherty County is located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 85,790.[1] The county seat and sole incorporated city is Albany.[2]

Dougherty County is included in the Albany, GA metropolitan statistical area. Historically dominated by cotton plantation agriculture in the nineteenth century, it is part of the Black Belt of the South.

History

The county was created by the Georgia General Assembly on December 15, 1853, from a part of Baker County.[3] It was named after Charles Dougherty,[4] a respected judge and lawyer from Athens, Georgia. In 1854 and 1856 small areas were added from Worth County.

As noted above, the county was developed by European Americans using enslaved African Americans as workers for the production of cotton as a commodity crop. Its county seat of Albany, Georgia is located on the Flint River, which was originally the chief means of transportation for shipped products. Albany was later served by seven railroad lines, adding to its significance as a market center. The city was a center of the Civil Rights Movement, particularly during the early 1960s.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 335 square miles (870 km2), of which 329 square miles (850 km2) is land and 5.9 square miles (15 km2) (1.8%) is water.[5]

The majority of Dougherty County is located in the Lower Flint River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The northeastern corner of the county, northeast of Albany, is located in the Middle Flint River sub-basin of the same ACF River basin. A very small portion of Dougherty County, north of Albany, is located in the Kinchafoonee-Muckalee sub-basin of the larger ACF River Basin. The remaining western portion of the county is located in the Ichawaynochaway Creek sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin.[6]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Communities

City

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18608,295—
187011,51738.8%
188012,6229.6%
189012,206−3.3%
190013,67912.1%
191016,03517.2%
192020,06325.1%
193022,30611.2%
194028,56528.1%
195043,61752.7%
196075,68073.5%
197089,63918.4%
1980100,71812.4%
199096,311−4.4%
200096,065−0.3%
201094,565−1.6%
202085,790−9.3%
2023 (est.)82,645[7]−3.7%
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] 2020[17]
Dougherty County, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000[18] Pop 2010[16] Pop 2020[17] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 35,794 27,315 20,631 37.26% 28.88% 24.05%
Black or African American alone (NH) 57,521 63,198 59,720 59.88% 66.83% 69.61%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 192 177 128 0.20% 0.19% 0.15%
Asian alone (NH) 544 719 647 0.57% 0.76% 0.75%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 25 52 20 0.03% 0.05% 0.02%
Other race alone (NH) 74 84 234 0.08% 0.09% 0.27%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 623 947 1,997 0.65% 1.00% 2.33%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1,292 2,073 2,413 1.34% 2.19% 2.81%
Total 96,065 94,565 85,790 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 85,790 people, 32,630 households, and 18,213 families residing in the county.

Education

Main article: Albany, Georgia § Education

Politics

United States presidential election results for Dougherty County, Georgia[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 10,441 29.59% 24,568 69.62% 278 0.79%
2016 10,232 29.83% 23,311 67.96% 760 2.22%
2012 11,449 30.15% 26,295 69.24% 231 0.61%
2008 12,547 32.27% 26,135 67.21% 204 0.52%
2004 13,711 40.70% 19,805 58.79% 171 0.51%
2000 12,248 42.14% 16,650 57.29% 166 0.57%
1996 11,144 39.98% 15,600 55.97% 1,128 4.05%
1992 12,455 40.27% 15,236 49.26% 3,240 10.47%
1988 15,520 50.86% 12,579 41.22% 2,418 7.92%
1984 16,920 56.73% 12,904 43.27% 0 0.00%
1980 12,726 47.82% 13,430 50.46% 459 1.72%
1976 9,337 44.89% 11,461 55.11% 0 0.00%
1972 12,878 78.03% 3,625 21.97% 0 0.00%
1968 5,611 29.91% 3,834 20.43% 9,317 49.66%
1964 12,776 70.88% 5,248 29.12% 0 0.00%
1960 4,323 48.88% 4,522 51.12% 0 0.00%
1956 3,248 44.05% 4,126 55.95% 0 0.00%
1952 2,535 36.37% 4,435 63.63% 0 0.00%
1948 614 15.66% 2,517 64.19% 790 20.15%
1944 338 9.56% 3,199 90.44% 0 0.00%
1940 180 7.64% 2,175 92.32% 1 0.04%
1936 122 4.49% 2,591 95.40% 3 0.11%
1932 95 4.49% 2,012 95.04% 10 0.47%
1928 379 27.85% 982 72.15% 0 0.00%
1924 167 12.71% 1,065 81.05% 82 6.24%
1920 105 14.46% 621 85.54% 0 0.00%
1916 17 1.91% 836 93.93% 37 4.16%
1912 18 2.74% 617 94.05% 21 3.20%

See also

References

  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Dougherty County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 63. ISBN 0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 17, 2003.
  4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 108.
  5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  6. ^ "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  7. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  8. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
  9. ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
  10. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
  11. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
  12. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
  13. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
  14. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
  15. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
  16. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Dougherty County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  17. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Dougherty County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  18. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Dougherty County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  19. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 19, 2018.

External links

31°32′N 84°13′W / 31.54°N 84.22°W / 31.54; -84.22

Places adjacent to Dougherty County, Georgia
Municipalities and communities of Dougherty County, Georgia, United States
State of Georgia
Authority control databases
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