Sylvester, Georgia | |
---|---|
| |
Nickname: | |
Motto: "Small Town. Big Heart."[1] | |
Coordinates: 31°31′53″N 83°50′10″W / 31.53139°N 83.83611°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Georgia |
County | Worth |
Settled | 1893 |
Incorporated (City) | December 21st, 1898 |
Area | |
• Total | 6.60 sq mi (17.09 km2) |
• Land | 6.56 sq mi (16.99 km2) |
• Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2) |
Elevation | 387 ft (118 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 5,644 |
• Density | 860.37/sq mi (332.21/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
ZIP code | 31791 |
Area code | 229 |
FIPS code | 13-75188[4] |
GNIS feature ID | 0356576[5] |
Website | cityofsylvester |
Sylvester is the county seat of Worth County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,644 in 2020. The city is the county seat[6] and business center of Worth County[7] and is claimed to be the Peanut Capital of the World due to its peanut production.[1]
History
Sylvester was platted in 1893.[8] The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Sylvester as a town in 1898.[9]
Geography
Sylvester is located at 31°31′53″N 83°50′10″W / 31.53139°N 83.83611°W (31.531425, -83.836233).[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.7 square miles (15 km2), of which 5.7 square miles (15 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (0.52%) is water.
Sylvester is located on U.S. Highway 82 at the junction of Georgia State Route 33. Georgia State Route 256 enters into southeast Sylvester, where it is co-designated Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1900 | 552 | — | |
1910 | 1,447 | 162.1% | |
1920 | 1,547 | 6.9% | |
1930 | 1,984 | 28.2% | |
1940 | 2,191 | 10.4% | |
1950 | 2,623 | 19.7% | |
1960 | 3,610 | 37.6% | |
1970 | 4,226 | 17.1% | |
1980 | 5,860 | 38.7% | |
1990 | 5,702 | −2.7% | |
2000 | 5,990 | 5.1% | |
2010 | 6,188 | 3.3% | |
2020 | 5,644 | −8.8% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[11] |
Race | Num. | Perc. |
---|---|---|
White (non-Hispanic) | 2,023 | 35.84% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 3,342 | 59.21% |
Native American | 6 | 0.11% |
Asian | 47 | 0.83% |
Pacific Islander | 6 | 0.11% |
Other/Mixed | 129 | 2.29% |
Hispanic or Latino | 91 | 1.61% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,644 people, 2,346 households, and 1,709 families residing in the city.
Education
The Worth County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school.[13] The district has 296 full-time teachers and over 4,354 students.[14]
- Worth County Elementary School
- Worth County Primary School
- Worth County Middle School
- Worth County High School
Notable people
- Marion Butts - NFL running back who played for the San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots, and Houston Oilers; born in Sylvester.
- Rickey Claitt - NFL running back who played for the Washington Redskins; born in Sylvester.
- Meshak Williams - NFL defensive end who played for the Baltimore Ravens; born in Sylvester.
- Mary Hood - award-winning author of How Far She Went, And Venus Is Blue and Familiar Heat. Graduated from Worth County High School.
- Ray Jenkins - Newspaper editor and deputy press secretary to President Jimmy Carter; born in Sylvester.
- Sue Monk Kidd - author of the New York Times bestseller, The Secret Life of Bees and The Mermaid Chair. Born in Sylvester.
- Frank Park - Congressman (1913-1935)
- Bob Sikes - U.S. Representative for Florida, born in Isabella.
- Sonny Skinner - PGA golf pro.
- Michael Carter - Musician, Songwriter, Producer (Lead guitarist for Luke Bryan), graduated from Worth County High School.
References
- 1 2 3 "City of Sylvester Georgia". City of Sylvester Georgia. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
- ↑ "Sylvester". GeorgiaGov. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
- ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ↑ "Profile for Sylvester, Georgia, GA". ePodunk. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ↑ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 218. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
- ↑ Acts Passed by the General Assembly of Georgia. J. Johnston. 1899. p. 269.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ↑ Georgia Board of Education, Retrieved June 30, 2010.
- ↑ School Stats, Retrieved June 30, 2010.
External links
- City of Sylvester Georgia Portal style website, government, business, library, recreation and more
- Worth County Schools Home Page
- City-Data.com Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Sylvester