Editing Homer, Georgia

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
|official_name            = Homer, Georgia
|other_name               = 
|native_name              = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
|nickname                 = 
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
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|image_seal               = Seal of Homer, Georgia.png
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|image_map                = Banks_County_Georgia_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Homer_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Banks County, Georgia|Banks County]] and the state of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
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|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Georgia (U.S. state)|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Banks County, Georgia|Banks]]
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|established_title        = <!-- Settled -->
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|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_13.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 25.48
|area_land_km2            = 25.39
|area_water_km2           = 0.10
|area_total_sq_mi         = 9.84
|area_land_sq_mi          = 9.80
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.04
<!-- Population   ----------------------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_note          = 
|population_total         = 1264
|population_density_km2   = 49.79
|population_density_sq_mi = 128.95
<!-- General information  --------------->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
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|coordinates              = {{coord|34|20|08|N|83|29|55|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 837
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 30547
|area_code                = [[Area code 706|706]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 13-39720<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2405857<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2405857}}</ref>
|website                  = https://townofhomerga.com/
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}}

'''Homer''' is a town in [[Banks County, Georgia|Banks County]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], United States. The population was 1,141 at the 2010 census.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1339720| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212181836/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1339720| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Homer town, Georgia| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=October 29, 2013}}</ref> The town is the [[county seat]] of Banks County.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |accessdate=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archivedate=May 31, 2011 }}</ref>

==History==
The community was named after Homer Jackson, a pioneer citizen.<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/h.pdf | title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=111 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref> Homer was founded in 1858 as seat for the newly established Banks County.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REtEXQNWq6MC&pg=PA233 | title=Historical Gazetteer of the United States | publisher=Routledge | date=May 13, 2013 | accessdate=November 30, 2013 | author=Hellmann, Paul T. | pages=233| isbn=978-1135948597 }}</ref> Homer was incorporated as a town in 1859, and its first courthouse was built in 1863.

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|25.0|km2|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|24.9|sqkm|disp=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.1|sqkm|disp=flip|2}}, or 0.38%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left|1870= 120
|1880= 140
|1900= 221
|1910= 228
|1920= 291
|1930= 248
|1940= 283
|1950= 340
|1960= 612
|1970= 365
|1980= 734
|1990= 742
|2000= 950
|2010= 1141
|2020= 1264
| estyear = 2023
| estimate = 1647
| estref = <ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2023/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2023-POP-13.xlsx |date=May 16, 2024|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=May 16, 2024}}</ref>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 950 people, 366 households, and 249 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|99.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 406 housing units at an average density of {{convert|42.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 84.32% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 11.79% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.16% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.84% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.16% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.74% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 2.00% of the population.

There were 366 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $35,500, and the median income for a family was $41,667. Males had a median income of $30,147 versus $23,438 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $17,353.  About 8.9% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 21.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Arts and culture==
Homer is among the earliest to hold the world record for an [[Easter egg hunt]] - 80,000 eggs, listed in the 1985 [[Guinness Book of World Records]]. The event in the small town of 1,100 people is an Easter Sunday tradition that has lasted 47 years. The egg hunt each year draws about 5,000 egg hunters, children and adults. Even though it no longer holds the record, Homer has long touted its annual hunt as the world's largest.

==Education==
Banks County students in kindergarten to grade twelve are in the [[Banks County School District]], which consists of two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school.<ref>[http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=111&PID=62&PTID=69&CountyId=606&T=0&FY=2008 Georgia Board of Education]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Retrieved May 30, 2010.</ref> The district has 150 full-time teachers and over 2,428 students.<ref>[http://www.school-stats.com/GA/BANKS/BANKS_COUNTY.html School Stats], Retrieved May 30, 2010.</ref>
*Banks County Elementary School
*Banks County Primary School
*Banks County Middle School
*[[Banks County High School]]

<gallery widths="200px" heights="140px" >
Image:HomerGeorgiaDownTownMainStreet.jpg|A view of downtown Homer's main street
Image:HomerGeorgiaDownTownParkLookingTowardsOldCourtHouse.jpg|Looking across the park downtown towards the old Banks County Courthouse, the large brick building in the left background
Image:HomerGeorgiaOldBanksCountyCourtHouse.jpg|A closeup of the Old Banks County Courthouse, now a tourist attraction
Image:HomerGeorgiaSideStreetBaptistChurch.jpg|A view down a side street off the main street of Homer. The church is the First Baptist Church of Homer.
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Banks County, Georgia}}
{{Georgia county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Banks County, Georgia]]
[[Category:Towns in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:County seats in Georgia (U.S. state)]]