Echols County, Georgia

Echols County, Georgia
County
Echols County Courthouse in Statenville
Echols County Courthouse in Statenville
Flag of Echols County, Georgia
Flag
Map of Georgia highlighting Echols County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Coordinates: 30°43′N 82°54′W / 30.72°N 82.9°W / 30.72; -82.9
Country United States
State Georgia
FoundedDecember 13, 1858; 167 years ago (1858-12-13)
Named forRobert Milner Echols
SeatStatenville
Largest communityStatenville
Area
 • Total
421 sq mi (1,090 km2)
 • Land415 sq mi (1,070 km2)
 • Water5.8 sq mi (15 km2)  1.4%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
3,697
 • Estimate 
(2025)
3,685 Decrease
 • Density8.91/sq mi (3.44/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district1st
Websiteecholscountyga.com

Echols County (/ˈɛkəlz/) is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,697. The county seat is Statenville. Since 2008, Statenville is a disincorporated municipality. Echols and Webster counties are the only two counties in Georgia to currently have no incorporated municipalities. The county was established in 1858 and named in honor of Robert Milner Echols. Echols County is part of the Valdosta metropolitan area.

History

On December 13, 1858, the Georgia General Assembly passed a bill establishing Echols County from a south-eastern section of Lowndes County and a south-western section Clinch County. The original borders of the county were a line from the mouth of the Suwanoochee Creek directly south to the state line, then along the state line, then north to the junction of Grand Bay Creek and Mud Swamp, then up the course of Grand Bay Creek to Carter's Ford, then a direct line to where Cow's Creek enters the Alapaha River, then up the creek to Griffins' Mill, then a direct line to Jack's Fort on Suwanoochee Creek, and then down Suwanoochee Creek to its mouth. With the exception of some minor adjustments of the border Echols shares with Lowndes and the loss of a thin strip to Florida following Florida v. Georgia, the borders of Echols County has changed little since its establishment. Statenville was declared the county seat in 1859.

At the time of the 1860 census, Echols County had a white population of 1,177, with 314 slaves, and no free people of color.

Echols County became notable as it has served as a place of banishment for many of Georgia's criminals. As the Georgia State Constitution forbids banishment beyond the borders of the state, officials instead ban the offender from 158 of Georgia's 159 counties, with Echols remaining as their only option. Few criminals have been documented as actually moving to Echols. This is because almost all banished criminals choose to leave the state instead of moving to Echols County.

Banishment, including 158-county banishment, has repeatedly been upheld by Georgia courts. The first case when banishment was upheld was in the 1974 case State v Collett, when the Georgia Supreme Court upheld the banishment of a drug dealer from seven counties. The most recent time banishment was upheld, in 2011, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled it was constitutional to banish David Nathan Thompson (a mentally ill man who was convicted of firing a gun into a home, although no one was injured) from all but one county in Georgia.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 421 square miles (1,090 km2), of which 415 square miles (1,070 km2) is land and 5.8 square miles (15 km2) (1.4%) is water. The county contains a notable swamp, Whitehead Bay.

The western half of Echols County is located in the Alapaha River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin. The eastern half of the county, from well east of Statenville to just west of Fargo, is located in the Upper Suwannee River sub-basin of the same Suwannee River basin.

Major highways

Major waterways

Railways

Adjacent counties

Unincorporated communities

Extinct town

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18601,491—
18701,97832.7%
18802,55329.1%
18903,07920.6%
19003,2094.2%
19103,3093.1%
19203,3130.1%
19302,744−17.2%
19402,9648.0%
19502,494−15.9%
19601,876−24.8%
19701,9242.6%
19802,29719.4%
19902,3341.6%
20003,75460.8%
20104,0347.5%
20203,697−8.4%
2025 (est.)3,685 Decrease−0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1880 1890-1910
1920-1930 1930-1940
1940-1950 1960-1980
1980-2000 2010 2020

Racial and ethnic composition

Echols County, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
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 (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980 Pop 1990 Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 1,860 1,990 2,688 2,555 2,328 80.98% 85.26% 71.60% 63.34% 62.97%
Black or African American alone (NH) 374 257 252 163 147 16.28% 11.01% 6.71% 4.04% 3.98%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 39 40 43 55 37 1.70% 1.71% 1.15% 1.36% 1.00%
Asian alone (NH) 0 2 3 12 8 0.00% 0.09% 0.08% 0.30% 0.22%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x x 0 1 0 x x 0.00% 0.02% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 0 0 1 9 2 0.00% 0.00% 0.03% 0.22% 0.05%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x x 28 56 84 x x 0.75% 1.39% 2.27%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 24 45 739 1,183 1,091 1.04% 1.93% 19.69% 29.33% 29.51%
Total 2,297 2,334 3,754 4,034 3,697 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 3,697 people, 1,286 households, and 1,097 families residing in the county. The median age was 37.2 years, 26.7% of residents were under the age of 18, and 14.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older.

For every 100 females there were 101.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.9 males age 18 and over. No residents lived in urban areas while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 68.5% White, 4.2% Black or African American, 1.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 14.7% from some other race, and 10.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 29.5% of the population.

There were 1,286 households in the county, of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 22.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 1,531 housing units, of which 16.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 69.3% were owner-occupied and 30.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.0%.

Education

Echols County School District headquarters

Echols County School District, the only school district in the county, operates public schools.

Politics

Echols County is one of the most Republican counties in Georgia, having voted over 90% for Donald Trump in 2024. For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Echols County is part of Georgia's 8th congressional district, currently represented by Austin Scott. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Echols County is part of District 8, currently represented by Russ Goodman. For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Echols County is part of District 174, currently represented by John Corbett.

United States presidential election results for Echols County, Georgia
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1880 40 17.78% 185 82.22% 0 0.00%
1884 91 32.85% 186 67.15% 0 0.00%
1888 43 21.72% 150 75.76% 5 2.53%
1892 54 16.07% 270 80.36% 12 3.57%
1896 52 22.91% 174 76.65% 1 0.44%
1900 38 22.62% 130 77.38% 0 0.00%
1904 12 7.02% 159 92.98% 0 0.00%
1908 15 9.68% 140 90.32% 0 0.00%
1912 0 0.00% 144 97.30% 4 2.70%
1916 0 0.00% 173 100.00% 0 0.00%
1924 11 2.22% 482 97.37% 2 0.40%
1928 29 8.45% 314 91.55% 0 0.00%
1932 5 1.19% 414 98.81% 0 0.00%
1936 30 9.06% 300 90.63% 1 0.30%
1940 18 3.91% 441 95.87% 1 0.22%
1944 42 8.27% 466 91.73% 0 0.00%
1948 32 5.14% 332 53.38% 258 41.48%
1952 94 15.02% 532 84.98% 0 0.00%
1956 134 20.24% 528 79.76% 0 0.00%
1960 108 29.59% 257 70.41% 0 0.00%
1964 399 68.44% 184 31.56% 0 0.00%
1968 53 8.26% 56 8.72% 533 83.02%
1972 404 85.59% 68 14.41% 0 0.00%
1976 111 15.95% 585 84.05% 0 0.00%
1980 259 33.08% 515 65.77% 9 1.15%
1984 453 66.62% 227 33.38% 0 0.00%
1988 422 62.99% 245 36.57% 3 0.45%
1992 361 39.63% 312 34.25% 238 26.13%
1996 335 45.09% 308 41.45% 100 13.46%
2000 614 68.37% 272 30.29% 12 1.34%
2004 757 76.39% 231 23.31% 3 0.30%
2008 981 82.58% 201 16.92% 6 0.51%
2012 917 82.99% 173 15.66% 15 1.36%
2016 1,007 85.19% 156 13.20% 19 1.61%
2020 1,256 87.10% 167 11.58% 19 1.32%
2024 1,307 90.89% 127 8.83% 4 0.28%
United States Senate election results for Echols County, Georgia2
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
2020 1,232 86.88% 162 11.42% 24 1.69%
2020 1,057 89.05% 130 10.95% 0 0.00%
United States Senate election results for Echols County, Georgia3
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
2020 558 40.41% 36 2.61% 787 56.99%
2020 1,058 89.21% 128 10.79% 0 0.00%
2022 937 88.40% 100 9.43% 23 2.17%
2022 861 90.73% 88 9.27% 0 0.00%
Georgia Gubernatorial election results for Echols County
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
2022 956 89.77% 94 8.83% 15 1.41%

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  2. ↑ "QA on the News: Are there any non-partisan commissions in Georgia?". The Atlanta Constitution. November 23, 2010 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 113.
  4. ↑ "Lee County Georgia 1860 slaveholders and 1870 African Americans". sites.rootsweb.com. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  5. ↑ Bynum, Russ (November 11, 2001). "Georgia Communities Put Criminals on First Bus Out of Town". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ↑ Isaacs, Lindsay (2015). "Q&A/Rural county baffled by judges' punishment". American City and County. Penton.
  7. ↑ Yung, Corey Rayburn (January 2007). "Banishment by a Thousand Laws: Residency Restrictions on Sex Offenders". Washington Law Review. 85 (1). The majority opinion in Collett did not address the fact that any of the defendants sentenced to 158-county banishment would likely choose to live in Ware or Echols County. The result of the 158-county banishment sentences, while not technically ordering the defendants to leave the state, has been to cause such an exodus to occur.
  8. ↑ "STATE v. COLLETT". Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  9. ↑ Brumback, Kate. "Judge changes but won't lift Ga. man's banishment". Associated Press. Retrieved December 29, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  10. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Whitehead Bay, Echols County". Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  12. ↑ "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.
  13. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
  15. ↑ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
  16. ↑ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 16, 2024.
  17. ↑ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
  18. ↑ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
  19. ↑ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
  20. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
  21. ↑ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
  22. 1 2 "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Echols County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  23. 1 2 "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Echols County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  24. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Georgia - Table 58 - Race by Sex: 1980 and Table 59 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 12-52. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 18, 2026 – via Wayback Machine.
  25. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia: Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 15-65. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 1, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  26. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Echols County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  27. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  28. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  29. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  30. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  31. 1 2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  33. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  34. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Echols County, GA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 27, 2024. - Text list
  35. ↑ "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  36. ↑ "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  37. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 19, 2018.

30°43′N 82°54′W / 30.72°N 82.90°W / 30.72; -82.90