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Coweta County, Georgia

Coordinates: 33°21′N 84°46′W / 33.35°N 84.76°W / 33.35; -84.76
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Coweta County, Georgia
County
Historic Coweta County Courthouse in Newnan
Historic Coweta County Courthouse in Newnan
Flag of Coweta County, Georgia
Flag
Official seal of Coweta County, Georgia
Seal
Official logo of Coweta County, Georgia
Logo
Map of Georgia highlighting Coweta County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Coordinates: 33°21′N 84°46′W / 33.35°N 84.76°W / 33.35; -84.76
Country United States
State Georgia
Founded1826; 200 years ago (1826)
SeatNewnan
Largest cityNewnan
Area
 • Total
446 sq mi (1,160 km2)
 • Land441 sq mi (1,140 km2)
 • Water4.9 sq mi (13 km2)  1.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
146,158
 • Estimate 
(2025)
160,240 Increase
 • Density327/sq mi (126/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitecoweta.ga.us

Coweta County /kaʊˈiːtə/ is a county in the West Central region of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of Metro Atlanta. As of the 2020 census, the population was 146,158.[1] The county seat is Newnan.[2]

Coweta County is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metropolitan statistical area.

History

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The land for Lee, Muscogee, Troup, Coweta and Carroll counties was ceded by the Creek people in the 1825 Treaty of Indian Springs. The counties' boundaries were created by the Georgia General Assembly on June 9, 1826, but they were not named until December 14, 1826. Coweta County was named for the Koweta Indians (a sub-group of the Creek people), who had several towns in and around the present-day county.[3]

In 1882, Aleck Brown, an African-American man accused of raping a white woman, was lynched.[4] In 1899, Sam Hose, an African-American man accused of killing his boss, was tortured and burned alive by a lynch mob of approximately 2,000 citizens of Coweta County.[5]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 446 square miles (1,160 km2), of which 441 square miles (1,140 km2) is land and 4.9 square miles (13 km2) (1.1%) is water.[6] The county is located in the Piedmont region of the state.

The eastern half of Coweta County, from Palmetto southwest to Newnan, then south to Luthersville, is in the Upper Flint River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The western half is in the Middle Chattahoochee River-Lake Harding sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin.[7]

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Communities

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Cities

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Towns

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Census-designated place

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Unincorporated communities

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Planned town

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In the federal government's National Urban Policy and New Community Development Act of 1970, funding was provided for thirteen "new towns" or planned cities throughout the country. One 7,400-acre location was set to be developed in Coweta County and was known as Shenandoah.[8] The project was launched in the early 1970s and was foreclosed on in 1981, when it included 170 families and 108 residential lots.[9]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18305,003—
184010,364107.2%
185013,63531.6%
186014,7037.8%
187015,8758.0%
188021,10933.0%
189022,3545.9%
190024,98011.7%
191028,80015.3%
192029,0470.9%
193025,127−13.5%
194026,9727.3%
195027,7863.0%
196028,8934.0%
197032,31011.8%
198039,26821.5%
199053,85337.1%
200089,21565.7%
2010127,31742.7%
2020146,15814.8%
2025 (est.)160,240[10] Increase9.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1880[12] 1890-1910[13]
1920-1930[14] 1930-1940[15]
1940-1950[16] 1960-1980[17]
1980-2000[18] 2010[1]

Racial and ethnic composition

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Coweta 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 1980[19] Pop 1990[20] Pop 2000[21] Pop 2010[22] Pop 2020[23] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 28,324 41,044 68,867 92,604 99,421 72.13% 76.21% 77.19% 72.73% 68.02%
Black or African American alone (NH) 10,564 12,162 15,935 21,744 25,544 26.90% 22.58% 17.86% 17.08% 17.48%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 32 101 183 284 298 0.08% 0.19% 0.21% 0.22% 0.20%
Asian alone (NH) 35 149 608 1,895 3,329 0.09% 0.28% 0.68% 1.49% 2.28%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [24] x [25] 13 54 62 x x 0.01% 0.04% 0.04%
Other race alone (NH) 19 12 78 182 669 0.05% 0.02% 0.09% 0.14% 0.46%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [26] x [27] 734 2,061 5,782 x x 0.82% 1.62% 3.96%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 294 385 2,797 8,493 11,053 0.75% 0.71% 3.14% 6.67% 7.56%
Total 39,268 53,853 89,215 127,317 146,158 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%


2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 146,158. The median age was 39.5 years. 23.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.4 males age 18 and over. 55.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 44.9% lived in rural areas.[28][29][30]

The racial makeup of the county was 69.6% White, 17.7% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.2% from some other race, and 6.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.6% of the population.[30]

There were 53,596 households in the county, of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[29]

There were 56,729 housing units, of which 5.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.4% were owner-occupied and 26.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.2%.[29]

Education

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The Coweta County School System holds pre-school to grade 12, and consists of nineteen elementary schools, six middle schools and three high schools.[31] The system has 1,164 full-time teachers and more than 18,389 students.[32] Private schools in the county include The Heritage School and Trinity Christian School.

Mercer University has a Regional Academic Center in Newnan. The center, opened in 2010, offers programs through the university's College of Continuing and Professional Studies. The University of West Georgia has a campus near downtown Newnan on the site of the old Newnan Hospital. This campus offers two undergraduate programs - Bachelor of Science in nursing and early childhood education.[33]

Newnan is also home to a campus of West Georgia Technical College.[34]

Government

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The legislative body of Coweta is the Coweta County Commission, which consists of five members elected from numbered districts. The chairmanship rotates among the members. Coweta County is the only county in Georgia that operates with a rotating chairmanship.

District Commissioner Party Term of office Seat up
District 1 Paul Poole Republican 2021–present 2024
District 2 Bill McKenzie Republican 2021–present 2026
District 3 Bob Blackburn Republican 2023–present 2026
District 4 John Reidelbach (chairman) Republican 2021–present 2024
District 5 Al Smith Democratic 2021–present 2024

In the General Assembly, it is currently divided between State House district 70, 71, 72 and 132, and is within State Senate district 28 (currently held by Matt Brass). In Congress, it is in the 3rd congressional district, currently represented by Brian Jack.

Politics

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Coweta County is a strongly Republican county, voting 68.4 percent for Donald Trump in 2016 and 69.9 percent for Brian Kemp in 2018.

For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Coweta County is part of Georgia's 3rd congressional district.

For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Coweta County is a part of District 6.[35] For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Coweta County is represented by districts 65, 67, 70 and 73.[36]

United States presidential election results for Coweta County, Georgia[37]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1880 1,285 48.20% 1,381 51.80% 0 0.00%
1884 1,326 47.10% 1,489 52.90% 0 0.00%
1888 990 40.05% 1,476 59.71% 6 0.24%
1892 1,085 34.50% 2,005 63.75% 55 1.75%
1896 571 31.86% 1,196 66.74% 25 1.40%
1900 232 17.82% 1,063 81.64% 7 0.54%
1904 160 12.46% 1,070 83.33% 54 4.21%
1908 220 17.30% 1,032 81.13% 20 1.57%
1912 46 4.09% 1,044 92.80% 35 3.11%
1916 26 2.02% 1,179 91.40% 85 6.59%
1920 169 13.38% 1,094 86.62% 0 0.00%
1924 67 6.00% 1,010 90.42% 40 3.58%
1928 229 12.15% 1,656 87.85% 0 0.00%
1932 46 2.06% 2,183 97.67% 6 0.27%
1936 73 3.13% 2,260 96.75% 3 0.13%
1940 103 3.48% 2,846 96.25% 8 0.27%
1944 130 4.68% 2,649 95.32% 0 0.00%
1948 219 8.27% 2,214 83.58% 216 8.15%
1952 652 14.52% 3,837 85.48% 0 0.00%
1956 850 22.06% 3,003 77.94% 0 0.00%
1960 1,159 23.12% 3,855 76.88% 0 0.00%
1964 3,656 49.62% 3,712 50.38% 0 0.00%
1968 2,442 32.84% 1,204 16.19% 3,791 50.97%
1972 5,751 78.66% 1,560 21.34% 0 0.00%
1976 3,044 32.95% 6,195 67.05% 0 0.00%
1980 4,480 42.99% 5,697 54.66% 245 2.35%
1984 7,981 68.62% 3,650 31.38% 0 0.00%
1988 9,668 69.41% 4,212 30.24% 49 0.35%
1992 9,814 47.75% 7,093 34.51% 3,646 17.74%
1996 13,058 56.85% 7,794 33.93% 2,118 9.22%
2000 21,327 68.30% 9,056 29.00% 843 2.70%
2004 31,682 74.36% 10,647 24.99% 280 0.66%
2008 37,571 70.05% 15,521 28.94% 543 1.01%
2012 39,653 71.17% 15,168 27.22% 897 1.61%
2016 42,533 68.37% 16,583 26.66% 3,094 4.97%
2020 51,501 67.02% 24,210 31.50% 1,134 1.48%
2024 57,204 66.20% 28,111 32.53% 1,101 1.27%
United States Senate election results for Coweta County, Georgia2
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 51,299 67.39% 22,915 30.10% 1,908 2.51%
2020 45,776 68.01% 21,527 31.99% 0 0.00%
United States Senate election results for Coweta County, Georgia3
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 28,927 38.24% 16,593 21.94% 30,122 39.82%
2020 45,462 67.56% 21,825 32.44% 0 0.00%
2022 41,512 65.52% 20,169 31.83% 1,674 2.64%
2022 35,110 66.74% 17,500 33.26% 0 0.00%
Georgia Gubernatorial election results for Coweta County
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2022 45,376 71.20% 17,847 28.01% 503 0.79%

Notable people

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See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 52. ISBN 0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 10, 2003.
  4. ^ "CSDE Lynching Database". lynching.csde.washington.edu. Archived from the original on August 27, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  5. ^ Litwack, Leon (July 27, 1999). Trouble In Mind: Black Southerners in the Age of Jim Crow. Vintage Books. p. 281. ISBN 0375702636.
  6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ^ "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  8. ^ "History of New Communities Program" (PDF). GMU.edu. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 9, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  9. ^ "Shenandoah was origin of new community zoning". Newnan Times Herald. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  10. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  11. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  12. ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1880.
  13. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1910. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 16, 2024.
  14. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1930.
  15. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1940.
  16. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1950.
  17. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1980.
  18. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 2000.
  19. ^ "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Georgia - Table 58 - Race by Sex: 1980 and Table 59 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 12-52. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 18, 2026 – via Wayback Machine.
  20. ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia: Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 15-65. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 1, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  21. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Coweta County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  22. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Coweta County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  23. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Coweta County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  24. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  25. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  26. ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
  27. ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
  28. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  29. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  30. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  31. ^ Georgia Board of Education[permanent dead link], Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  32. ^ School Stats, Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  33. ^ Georgia, University of West. "UWG | University of West Georgia Newnan". www.westga.edu. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  34. ^ "West Georgia Technical College". Archived from the original on August 17, 2011. Retrieved August 24, 2011.>.
  35. ^ "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  36. ^ "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  37. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
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33°21′N 84°46′W / 33.35°N 84.76°W / 33.35; -84.76

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