For other uses, see Webster County (disambiguation).
Webster County, Georgia
CountyWebster County
StateGeorgia
FoundedDecember 16, 1853 (age 172)
Seat wlPreston
Largest city wlPreston
City typecommunity
Area total210 sq mi
Area land209 sq mi
Area water1.1 sq mi
Area percentage0.5%
Census yr2020
Pop2348
Pop est as of2025
Population est2369
Webwww.webstercountyga.org
Ex imageWebster County, GA Courthouse.JPG
Ex image capCounty courthouse in Preston
District2nd
Time zoneEastern
Named forDaniel Webster

Webster County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census reflected a population of 2,348,[1] making it the third-least populous county in Georgia. The county seat is Preston.[2]

History

Webster County was created by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 16, 1853, as Kinchafoonee County.[3] A subsequent legislative act on February 21, 1856, changed the name to Webster.[3] The land for the county came from eastern portions of Stewart County.[4]

The county is named for Daniel Webster, U.S. representative of New Hampshire and U.S. representative and U.S. senator of Massachusetts.[5] Webster County's original name of Kinchafoonee came from the Kinchafoonee Creek which runs through the county.[3]

On January 1, 2009, the city of Preston and town of Weston gave up their municipal charters and formed a consolidated city-county known as the Unified Government of Webster County.[6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 210 square miles (540 km2), of which 209 square miles (540 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) (0.5%) is water.[7]

The majority of Webster County, bordered to the southwest by State Route 520, is located in the Kinchafoonee-Muckalee sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The southwestern corner of the county is located in the Ichawaynochaway Creek sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin. A tiny edge of the southwestern border, just south of State Route 520, is located in the Middle Chattahoochee River-Walter F. George Lake sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin.[8]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Communities

None of these places are incorporated, instead Webster county acts as a unified county. Preston is the county seat, despite being unincorporated.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

Webster 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[9]Pop 1990[10]Pop 2000[11]Pop 2010[12]Pop 2020[13]% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)1,1451,1261,1861,492style='background: #ffffe6; |1,13648.91%49.76%49.62%53.30%style='background: #ffffe6; |48.38%
Black or African American alone (NH)1,1591,1321,1231,177style='background: #ffffe6; |1,06349.51%50.02%46.99%42.05%style='background: #ffffe6; |45.27%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)9420style='background: #ffffe6; |00.38%0.18%0.08%0.00%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
Asian alone (NH)2007style='background: #ffffe6; |120.09%0.00%0.00%0.25%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.51%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x [14]x [15]00style='background: #ffffe6; |6xx0.00%0.00%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.26%
Other race alone (NH)1001style='background: #ffffe6; |30.04%0.00%0.00%0.04%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.13%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x [16]x [17]1324style='background: #ffffe6; |69xx0.54%0.86%style='background: #ffffe6; |2.94%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)2516698style='background: #ffffe6; |591.07%0.04%2.76%3.50%style='background: #ffffe6; |2.51%
Total2,3412,2632,3902,799style='background: #ffffe6; |2,348 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 2,348 and 724 families residing in the county. The median age was 45.5 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.0 males age 18 and over. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[18][19]

The racial makeup of the county was 48.8% White, 45.3% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.9% from some other race, and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.5% of the population.[20]

There were 991 households in the county, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 32.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[19]

There were 1,196 housing units, of which 17.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 74.0% were owner-occupied and 26.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.1%.[19]

Education

Webster County School District operates public schools.

Politics

As of the 2020s, Webster County is a Republican stronghold, voting 59% for Donald Trump in 2024. Webster County was reliably Democratic throughout the 20th century. However, the margins tightened in the 2000 election and in 2004, Democrat John Kerry only won this county very narrowly as George Bush won Georgia's electoral votes easily. Webster County is the only county in Georgia that flipped to John McCain's column in 2008 after voting for Kerry in 2004.

For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Webster County is part of Georgia's 2nd congressional district, currently represented by Sanford Bishop. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Webster County is part of District 12.[21] For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Webster County is part of District 151.[22]

[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Webster County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Weston Woman's Club: History of Webster County, Georgia, W. H. Wolfe Associates, Roswell, Ga., 1980, pp. 16-19.
  4. ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins. Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 249. ISBN 0-915430-00-2. Archived July 27, 2003 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ^ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 242. ISBN 978-1135948597. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  6. ^ River Valley Regional Commission (September 10, 2024). Webster County Comprehensive Plan 2024–2029. Preston, Georgia: Unified Government of Webster County. p. 4. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  7. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  8. ^ "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 24, 2015.
  9. ^ "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". United States Census Bureau. p. 12-52. Archived February 18, 2026 at the Wayback Machine. – via Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia: Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Origin". United States Census Bureau. p. 15-65. Archived September 1, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. – via Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Webster County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau
  12. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Webster County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau
  13. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Webster County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau
  14. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  15. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  16. ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
  17. ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
  18. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  19. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  20. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  21. ^ "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
  22. ^ "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
  23. ^ "2022 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Georgia by county. November 5, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2024.