# Mitchell County, Georgia

Mitchell County is a county in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,755. The county seat is Camilla. Mitchell County was created on December 21, 1857.

## Etymology

Sources conflict as to whether Mitchell County was named for David Brydie Mitchell, the 27th Governor of Georgia, or for Henry Mitchell, a general in the Revolutionary War. However, it is most likely that the county was named for General Henry Mitchell, as a marker outside of the Mitchell County Courthouse says, "However, the Georgia Laws of 1857 (pages 38-40), creating Mitchell County, say the county was named in honor of Gen. Henry Mitchell...."

## History

Mitchell County was created out of Baker County on December 21, 1857. It is the state's 123rd county.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 514 square miles (1,330 km$^2$), of which 512 square miles (1,330 km$^2$) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km$^2$) (0.3%) is water.
The bulk of Mitchell County is located in the Lower Flint River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The county's southeastern corner, bordered by a line from Sale City southwest through Pelham, is located in the Lower Ochlockonee River sub-basin of the same Ochlockonee River basin.

### Major highways

* U.S. Route 19
* State Route 3
* State Route 37
* State Route 37 Connector
* State Route 65
* State Route 93
* State Route 97
* State Route 111
* State Route 112
* State Route 262
* State Route 270
* State Route 300
* State Route 311

### Adjacent counties

* Dougherty County (north)
* Worth County (northeast)
* Colquitt County (east)
* Thomas County (southeast)
* Grady County (south)
* Decatur County (southwest)
* Baker County (west)

## Communities
### Cities

* Baconton
* Camilla
* Meigs (partly in Thomas County)
* Pelham

### Towns

* Sale City

### Unincorporated communities

* Adelaide
* Branchville
* Cotton
* DeWitt
* Flint
* Greenough
* Greenwood
* Hinsonton
* Hopeful
* Laney
* Lester
* Pebble City
* Petty
* Rogerville
* Saco
* Vada (partly in Decatur County)

## Demographics

Mitchell 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 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
| White alone (NH) | 11,746 | 10,894 | 10,106 | 49.08% | 46.36% | 46.45% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 11,423 | 11,185 | 10,054 | 47.73% | 47.60% | 46.21% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 41 | 60 | 37 | 0.17% | 0.26% | 0.17% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 61 | 120 | 108 | 0.25% | 0.51% | 0.50% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0.03% | 0.02% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 8 | 18 | 41 | 0.03% | 0.08% | 0.19% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 154 | 189 | 445 | 0.64% | 0.80% | 2.05% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 491 | 1,028 | 964 | 2.05% | 4.37% | 4.43% |
| Total | 23,932 | 23,498 | 21,755 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 21,755 people, 7,982 households, and 5,454 families residing in the county.

## Education

The Mitchell County School District operates public schools in the majority of the county, although Pelham City School District includes the city limits of Pelham.
Andersonville Theological Seminary has its headquarters based in Camilla. The seminary's headquarters consists of two administrative buildings. Most of the seminary's students take online classes to complete their degree programs, but in January 2020 the school started to provide on-site courses at their location in Camilla.

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Mitchell County, Georgia :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 5,150 | 58.02% | 3,701 | 41.69% | 26 | 0.29% |
| 2020 | 4,935 | 55.06% | 3,993 | 44.55% | 35 | 0.39% |
| 2016 | 4,279 | 54.30% | 3,493 | 44.33% | 108 | 1.37% |
| 2012 | 4,155 | 50.18% | 4,081 | 49.28% | 45 | 0.54% |
| 2008 | 4,201 | 51.66% | 3,872 | 47.61% | 59 | 0.73% |
| 2004 | 3,885 | 53.42% | 3,360 | 46.20% | 27 | 0.37% |
| 2000 | 2,790 | 48.11% | 2,971 | 51.23% | 38 | 0.66% |
| 1996 | 2,033 | 36.39% | 3,165 | 56.66% | 388 | 6.95% |
| 1992 | 1,917 | 33.08% | 3,052 | 52.67% | 826 | 14.25% |
| 1988 | 2,590 | 53.29% | 2,260 | 46.50% | 10 | 0.21% |
| 1984 | 2,737 | 49.51% | 2,791 | 50.49% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 2,231 | 38.10% | 3,566 | 60.89% | 59 | 1.01% |
| 1976 | 1,572 | 25.91% | 4,495 | 74.09% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1972 | 2,400 | 68.18% | 1,120 | 31.82% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 731 | 12.97% | 1,256 | 22.29% | 3,647 | 64.73% |
| 1964 | 3,265 | 73.17% | 1,197 | 26.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 430 | 11.64% | 3,264 | 88.36% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 382 | 12.26% | 2,735 | 87.74% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 601 | 16.44% | 3,054 | 83.56% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 152 | 7.35% | 1,453 | 70.30% | 462 | 22.35% |
| 1944 | 226 | 9.40% | 2,179 | 90.60% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 155 | 6.78% | 2,131 | 93.22% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 79 | 3.32% | 2,297 | 96.47% | 5 | 0.21% |
| 1932 | 15 | 0.71% | 2,097 | 99.06% | 5 | 0.24% |
| 1928 | 143 | 9.53% | 1,358 | 90.47% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 51 | 6.09% | 736 | 87.83% | 51 | 6.09% |
| 1920 | 144 | 13.41% | 930 | 86.59% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1916 | 96 | 9.07% | 921 | 87.05% | 41 | 3.88% |
| 1912 | 150 | 12.54% | 1,046 | 87.46% | 0 | 0.00% |

## Notable people

* George Thornewell Smith - former Lieutenant Governor of Georgia and state court judge