Editing Ben Hill County, Georgia

{{Short description|County in Georgia, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Ben Hill County
 | state                = Georgia
 | seal                 = Seal of Ben Hill County, Georgia.png
 | seal size            = 90px
 | founded              = {{start date and age|1906}}
 | seat wl              = Fitzgerald
 | largest city wl      = Fitzgerald
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 254
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 250
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 3.8
 | area percentage      = 1.5%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 17194
 | density_sq_mi        = 69
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | website              = {{URL|https://www.benhillcounty-ga.gov/|benhillcounty-ga.gov}}
 | ex image             = Ben Hill County Courthouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Ben Hill County Courthouse]], Fitzgerald
 | district             = 8th
 | named for            = [[Benjamin Harvey Hill]]
}}

'''Ben Hill County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 17,194.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Ben Hill County, Georgia|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Ben_Hill_County,_Georgia?g=0500000US13017|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 26, 2022}}</ref> The [[county seat]] is [[Fitzgerald, Georgia|Fitzgerald]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> The county was organized in 1906. It is named after [[Benjamin Harvey Hill]], a former [[Congress of the Confederate States|Confederate]] and [[United States Senate|United States Senator]].<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/b.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030917072724/http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/b.pdf |archive-date=September 17, 2003 |url-status=live | title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=16 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref>

Ben Hill County comprises the Fitzgerald [[Fitzgerald micropolitan area|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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ben Hill County - Georgia Historical Society |url=https://georgiahistory.com/ghmi_marker_updated/ben-hill-county/ |access-date=December 28, 2023 |website=Georgia Historical Society |language=en-US}}</ref> It was created from [[Irwin County, Georgia|Irwin]] and [[Wilcox County, Georgia|Wilcox]] counties.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ben Hill County |url=https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/counties-cities-neighborhoods/ben-hill-county/ |access-date=December 28, 2023 |website=New Georgia Encyclopedia |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|254|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|250|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|3.8|sqmi}} (1.5%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

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, Georgia|Rebecca]], is located in the [[Alapaha River]] sub-basin of the [[Suwannee River]] basin. The southeastern corner of the county, east of [[Fitzgerald, Georgia|Fitzgerald]], is located in the [[Satilla River]] sub-basin of the [[St. Marys River (Florida–Georgia)|St. Marys]]-Satilla River basin.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gaswcc.org/maps/ |title=Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience |publisher=Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission |access-date=November 27, 2015 |archive-date=October 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003004639/http://www.gaswcc.org/maps/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Ben Hill County is part of the [[Southeast Georgia]] region.

===Major highways===
{{div col}}
* [[File:US 129.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 129 in Georgia|U.S. Route 129]]
* [[File:US 319.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 319 in Georgia|U.S. Route 319]]
* [[File:Georgia 11.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 11|State Route 11]]
* [[File:Georgia 90.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 90|State Route 90]]
* [[File:Georgia 107.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 107|State Route 107]]
* [[File:Georgia 125.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 125|State Route 125]]
* [[File:Georgia 182.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 182|State Route 182]]
* [[File:Georgia 206.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 206|State Route 206]]
* [[File:Georgia 215.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 215|State Route 215]]
* [[File:Georgia 233.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 233|State Route 233]]
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Wilcox County, Georgia|Wilcox County]] - north
* [[Telfair County, Georgia|Telfair County]] - northeast
* [[Coffee County, Georgia|Coffee County]] - east
* [[Irwin County, Georgia|Irwin County]] - south
* [[Turner County, Georgia|Turner County]] - west

=== Communities ===

==== City ====
* [[Fitzgerald, Georgia|Fitzgerald]] (county seat)

==== Unincorporated communities ====
* [[Bowen's Mill, Georgia|Bowen's Mill]]
* [[Queensland, Georgia|Queensland]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 11863
|1920= 14599
|1930= 13047
|1940= 14523
|1950= 14879
|1960= 13633
|1970= 13171
|1980= 16000
|1990= 16245
|2000= 17484
|2010= 17634
|2020= 17194
|estyear=2023
|estimate=17128
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 31, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br>1790-1880<ref name=1880CensusGACty>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800 |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 1880|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1880/vol-01-population/1880_v1-08.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref> 1890-1910<ref name=1910CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1910 Census of Population - Georgia  |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 1910|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ga.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref><br> 1920-1930<ref name=1930CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1930 Census of Population - Georgia  |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 1930|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/03815512v1ch04.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref> 1930-1940<ref name=1940CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1940 Census of Population - Georgia  |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 1940|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch04.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref><br> 1940-1950<ref name=1950CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1950 Census of Population - Georgia - |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 1950|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-2/37779083v2p11ch2.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 1960-1980<ref name=1980CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia  |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 1980|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_gaABC-01.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref><br> 1980-2000<ref name=2000CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia  |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 2000|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-12.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/13017.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607121842/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/13017.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Ben Hill County racial composition as of 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US13017&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 18, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|9,219
|53.62%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|6,222
|36.19%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|57
|0.33%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|116
|0.67%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|526
|3.06%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|1,054
|6.13%
|}
In 2000, there were 17,484 people, 6,673 households, and 4,631 families living in the county.<ref name="GR8">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> The population density was {{convert|69|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 7,623 housing units at an average density of {{convert|30|/mi2|/km2}}. In 2010, there were 17,634&nbsp;people, 6,794&nbsp;households, and 4,730&nbsp;families living in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US13017
  |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data
  |access-date=December 27, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213031624/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US13017
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> 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.<ref name="census-dp3">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US13017
  |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=December 27, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213021608/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US13017
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Census profile: Ben Hill County, GA |url=http://censusreporter.org/profiles/05000US13017-ben-hill-county-ga/ |access-date=December 28, 2023 |website=Census Reporter |language=en}}</ref>

Religiously, the [[Association of Religion Data Archives]] in 2020 denoted [[Christianity in the United States|Christianity]] as the predominant religion, being part of the [[Bible Belt]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Congregational Membership Reports {{!}} US Religion |url=https://www.thearda.com/us-religion/census/congregational-membership?y=2020&y2=0&t=0&c=13017 |access-date=December 28, 2023 |website=www.thearda.com}}</ref> 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, Inc.|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 [[Baháʼí Faith in the United States|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 (Georgia)|Fitzgerald High School]]

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Ben Hill County, Georgia|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|4,281|2,199|21|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|4,111|2,393|60|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|3,739|2,101|96|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|3,396|2,512|62|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|3,417|2,590|45|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|3,331|2,180|34|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,381|2,234|46|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,516|2,198|374|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,476|2,348|640|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,005|1,867|46|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|2,313|1,859|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|1,459|2,544|64|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|814|2,449|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,104|703|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|661|877|1,833|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|2,089|1,523|1|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|558|1,881|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|554|2,150|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|697|2,048|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|223|1,438|235|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|190|1,046|1|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|181|1,206|5|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|146|1,147|1|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|85|1,026|5|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|460|1,006|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|150|507|190|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|232|543|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|134|627|8|Georgia}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|263|535|34|Georgia}}

==Transportation==
* [[Fitzgerald Municipal Airport]] is a public use airport located 2 miles southwest of Fitzgerald.

==See also==
{{Portal|State of Georgia}}
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Ben Hill County, Georgia]]
*[[List of counties in Georgia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/ben-hill/ben-hill-county Ben Hill County] historical marker

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Ben Hill County, Georgia
|North     = [[Wilcox County, Georgia|Wilcox County]]
|Northeast = [[Telfair County, Georgia|Telfair County]]
|East      = [[Coffee County, Georgia|Coffee County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Irwin County, Georgia|Irwin County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Turner County, Georgia|Turner County]]
|Northwest =
}}
{{Ben Hill County, Georgia}}
{{Georgia (U.S. state)}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|31.76|-83.22|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-GA_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Ben Hill County, Georgia| ]]
[[Category:1906 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1906]]
[[Category:Georgia (U.S. state) counties]]
[[Category:Fitzgerald, Georgia micropolitan area]]