Lanier County, Georgia

Lanier County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. At the 2020 census, the population was 9,877. The county seat is Lakeland. It is named after Georgia poet Sidney Lanier.

Lanier County is part of the Valdosta metropolitan area and shares Moody Air Force Base with Lowndes County on its western boundary.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (7.3%) is water.

The vast majority of Lanier County is in the Alapaha River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin. Just a narrow section of the western border of the county, northeast and southeast of Ray City, is in the Withlacoochee River sub-basin of the same Suwannee River basin, and a very narrow section of the eastern border of Lanier County is in the Upper Suwannee River sub-basin of the same Suwannee River basin.

Major highways

20px U.S. Route 84
23px U.S. Route 129
23px U.S. Route 221
20px State Route 11
20px State Route 11 Bypass
20px State Route 31
20px State Route 31 Connector
20px State Route 37
20px State Route 38
20px State Route 64
20px State Route 122
20px State Route 122 Connector
20px State Route 125
20px State Route 135
20px State Route 135 Bypass
20px State Route 168

Major waterways

Alapaha River
Banks Lake

Railways

CSX Transportation

Defunct

Atlantic and Gulf Railroad
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Lakeland Railroad (Defunct, it was used from 1929 to 1957. It ran along the same path as the Milltown Air Line Railroad)
Milltown Air Line Railroad (Defunct, it was used from 1904 to 1928. It ran from Lakeland to Naylor, Georgia)
Plant System
Waycross and Western Railroad (Defunct, it was used from 1912 to 1925 from Waycross, Georgia to Lakeland, Georgia. It roughly followed current Georgia State Route 122)

Adjacent counties

Berrien County - northwest
Atkinson County - north
Clinch County - east
Echols County - south
Lowndes County - southwest

National protected area

thumb|upright|Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge sign

The Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1985, hosts approximately 20,000 visitors annually. It provides hiking, fishing, and boating opportunities on more than of water, Banks Lake marsh, and swamp. The Robert Simpson III Nature Trail, dedicated in August 2001, is in the Lakeland, Georgia city limits on of pine and hardwood forests. The county is known for its excellent fishing in the Alapaha River, Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge as well as in its many small lakes.

Communities

Cities

Lakeland
Ray City

Census-designated place

Stockton

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Lanier County, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 1980

!Pop 1990

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020

!% 1980

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|White alone (NH)

|4,223

|3,957

|5,122

|6,899

|style='background: #ffffe6; |6,595

|74.69%

|71.54%

|70.74%

|68.46%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |66.77%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|1,378

|1,455

|1,845

|2,367

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,138

|24.37%

|26.31%

|25.48%

|23.49%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |21.65%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|13

|36

|35

|38

|style='background: #ffffe6; |31

|0.23%

|0.65%

|0.48%

|0.38%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.31%

|Asian alone (NH)

|15

|26

|101

|style='background: #ffffe6; |81

|0.11%

|0.27%

|0.36%

|1.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.82%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |14

|0.04%

|0.03%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.14%

|Other race alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |33

|0.00%

|0.08%

|0.04%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.33%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|78

|205

|style='background: #ffffe6; |413

|1.08%

|2.03%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.18%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|34

|68

|126

|461

|style='background: #ffffe6; |572

|0.60%

|1.23%

|1.74%

|4.57%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.79%

|Total

|5,654

|5,531

|7,241

|10,078

|style='background: #ffffe6; |9,877

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 9,877 people, 3,570 households, and 2,536 families residing in the county. The median age was 35.1 years, 25.8% of residents were under the age of 18, and 13.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older.

The racial makeup of the county was 66.77% White (non-Hispanic), 21.65% Black or African American (non-Hispanic), 0.31% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 4.52% Other/Mixed, and 5.79% Hispanic or Latino residents of any race.

There were 3,570 households in the county, of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. operates four schools: Lanier County Primary School, Lanier County Elementary School, Lanier County Middle School, and Lanier County High School.

Politics

As of the 2020s, Lanier County is a Republican stronghold, voting 77% for Donald Trump in 2024. For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Lanier County is part of Georgia's 8th congressional district, currently represented by Austin Scott. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Lanier County is part of District 8. For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Lanier County is part of District 176.

Notes

References

GeorgiaInfo.com Lanier County Courthouse History
Lanier County School System
Lanier County History