Swainsboro, Georgia

Swainsboro, Georgia
City
United States Courthouse in Swainsboro
United States Courthouse in Swainsboro
Nickname: 
"Crossroads of the Great South"
Location in Emanuel County and the state of Georgia
Location in Emanuel County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 32°35′37″N 82°19′56″W
Country United States
State Georgia
County Emanuel
Government
 • Mayor Greg Bennett
Area
 • Total 12.94 sq mi (33.52 km2)
 • Land 12.58 sq mi (32.58 km2)
 • Water 0.36 sq mi (0.94 km2)
Elevation
 325 ft (99 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 7,425
 • Density 590.27/sq mi (227.91/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
30401
Area code 478
FIPS code 13-74964
GNIS feature ID 0356574
Website cityofswainsboro.org

Swainsboro is a city in Emanuel County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 7,425. The city is the county seat of Emanuel County.

History

In 1822, the Georgia state legislature established "Swainsborough" as the seat of Emanuel County. The town was named in recognition of Stephen Swain, the state senator who introduced the bill for the county's creation in 1812. The town's name was changed to "Paris" at its incorporation on February 18, 1854, but three years later reverted to its current name, Swainsboro.

Transportation

Early in its corporate life, much like other rural Georgia towns, Swainsboro depended on railroads for transportation. However, in the 1930s, many of the town's streets and sidewalks were paved, and Swainsboro found itself at the intersection of two major national highways, U.S. 1 and U.S. 80, thus earning its city motto: "Crossroads of the Great South". U.S. 1 was the principal highway from Maine to Key West, and U.S. 80, at that time, ran from Tybee Island, Georgia, to San Diego.

Geography

Swainsboro is located near the center of Emanuel County at 32°35'37" North, 82°19'56" West (32.593743, -82.332146). U.S. Route 80 passes through the center of the city, and U.S. Route 1 bypasses it to the west. US 80 leads east 36 miles (58 km) to Statesboro and west 36 miles (58 km) to Dublin, while US 1 leads north 62 miles (100 km) to Augusta and south 106 miles (171 km) to Waycross. Interstate 16 is 14 miles (23 km) south of Swainsboro via US 1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.9 square miles (33.5 km2), of which 12.6 square miles (32.6 km2) is land and 0.35 square miles (0.9 km2), or 2.81%, is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. Note %±
1870 108 —
1880 186 72.2%
1890 395 112.4%
1900 895 126.6%
1910 1,313 46.7%
1920 1,578 20.2%
1930 2,442 54.8%
1940 3,575 46.4%
1950 4,300 20.3%
1960 5,943 38.2%
1970 7,325 23.3%
1980 7,602 3.8%
1990 7,361 −3.2%
2000 6,943 −5.7%
2010 7,277 4.8%
2020 7,426 2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census
Swainsboro racial composition as of 2020
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 2,684 36.15%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 4,180 56.3%
Native American 8 0.11%
Asian 91 1.23%
Pacific Islander 1 0.01%
Other/Mixed 183 2.46%
Hispanic or Latino 278 3.74%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 7,425 people, 2,697 households, and 1,783 families residing in the city.

Education

Emanuel County School District

The Emanuel County School District, run by the Emanuel County Board of Education, holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of three elementary schools, a middle school, a high school, and two academies. The district has 293 full-time teachers and over 4,664 students.

  • Adrian School of Performing Arts (Closed)
  • David Emanuel Academy (DEA)
  • Swainsboro Elementary School
  • Swainsboro Primary School
  • Twin City Elementary School
  • Swainsboro Middle School
  • Emanuel County Institute
  • Swainsboro High School

Higher education

Notable people