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Ben Hill County
County
Ben Hill County Courthouse, Fitzgerald
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°46′N 83°13′W / 31.76°N 83.22°W / 31.76; -83.22
Country	United States
State	Georgia
Founded	1906; 119 years ago (1906)
Named for	Benjamin Harvey Hill
Seat	Fitzgerald
Largest city	Fitzgerald
Area
• Total	254 sq mi (660 km)
• Land	250 sq mi (600 km)
• Water	3.8 sq mi (10 km)  1.5%
Population
• Total	17,194
• Density	69/sq mi (27/km)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	8th
Website	benhillcounty-ga.gov

Ben Hill County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,194. The county seat is Fitzgerald. The county was organized in 1906. It is named after Benjamin Harvey Hill, a former Confederate and United States Senator.

Ben Hill County comprises the Fitzgerald micropolitan statistical area. The Ben Hill County Courthouse and Ben Hill County Jail are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

Ben Hill County was organized in 1906. It was created from Irwin and Wilcox counties.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 254 square miles (660 km), of which 250 square miles (650 km) is land and 3.8 square miles (9.8 km) (1.5%) is water.

The majority of Ben Hill County, its northern and eastern portions, are located in the Lower Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The northwestern corner of the county, east of Rebecca, is located in the Alapaha River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin. The southeastern corner of the county, east of Fitzgerald, is located in the Satilla River sub-basin of the St. Marys-Satilla River basin. Ben Hill County is part of the Southeast Georgia region.

Major highways

• U.S. Route 129
• U.S. Route 319
• State Route 11
• State Route 90
• State Route 107
• State Route 125
• State Route 182
• State Route 206
• State Route 215
• State Route 233

Adjacent counties

• Wilcox County - north
• Telfair County - northeast
• Coffee County - east
• Irwin County - south
• Turner County - west

Communities

City

• Fitzgerald (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Bowen's Mill
• Queensland

Demographics

In 2000, there were 17,484 people, 6,673 households, and 4,631 families living in the county. The population density was 69 inhabitants per square mile (27/km). There were 7,623 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile (12/km). In 2010, there were 17,634 people, 6,794 households, and 4,730 families living in the county. By the 2020 United States census, there were 17,194 people, 6,443 households, and 4,019 families residing in the county.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $27,100, and the median income for a family was $33,023. Males had a median income of $26,750 versus $19,547 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,093. 22.30% of the population and 18.70% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 33.30% are under the age of 18 and 17.60% are 65 or older. In 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $30,134 and the median income for a family was $35,868. Males had a median income of $32,613 versus $23,320 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,529. About 22.7% of families and 26.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.0% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over. According to the 2022 American Community Survey, the county's median household income was $38,255 with a per capita income of $22,625. An estimated 26.5% of the county lived at or below the poverty line.

Religiously, the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020 denoted Christianity as the predominant religion, being part of the Bible Belt. Among its Christian population, the majority formed the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Baptist tradition was the county's dominant Christian affiliation. The National Baptist Convention, USA was the second-largest Baptist denomination in Ben Hill County. One notable non-Christian religion for the county has been the Baha'i Faith.

Education

The Ben Hill County School District operates schools serving the county.

• Ben Hill Preschool
• Ben Hill County Primary School
• Ben Hill County Elementary School
• Ben Hill County Middle School
• Fitzgerald High School

Politics

Transportation

• Fitzgerald Municipal Airport is a public use airport located 2 miles southwest of Fitzgerald.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Ben Hill County, Georgia
• List of counties in Georgia

References

1. "Census - Geography Profile: Ben Hill County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 26, 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. 16. ISBN 0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 17, 2003.
4. "Ben Hill County - Georgia Historical Society". Georgia Historical Society. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
5. "Ben Hill County". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
7. "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.
8. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
9. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
10. "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1880.
11. "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1910.
12. "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1930.
13. "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1940.
14. "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1950.
15. "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1980.
16. "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 2000.
17. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
18. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
19. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
20. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
21. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
22. "Census profile: Ben Hill County, GA". Census Reporter. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
23. "Congregational Membership Reports | US Religion". www.thearda.com. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
24. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 18, 2018.

External links

• Ben Hill County historical marker

v t e Places adjacent to Ben Hill County, Georgia
Wilcox County Telfair County Turner County Ben Hill County, Georgia Coffee County Irwin County

v t e Municipalities and communities of Ben Hill County, Georgia, United States
County seat: Fitzgerald
City	Fitzgerald‡
Unincorporated communities	Ashton Bowens Mill Queensland
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Georgia portal United States portal

31°46′N 83°13′W / 31.76°N 83.22°W / 31.76; -83.22

• Georgia (U.S. state) counties
• Ben Hill County, Georgia
• 1906 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
• Populated places established in 1906
• Fitzgerald, Georgia micropolitan area