Quitman is a city in and the county seat of Brooks County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,064 in 2020. The Quitman Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Quitman was the home of James Pierpont, author of the song "Jingle Bells" (1857), and uncle of American financier J.P. Morgan. Pierpont was an organist for the First Presbyterian Church. James' daughter, Lillie, was Quitman's first librarian in 1880.
A local Quitman ordinance prohibits chickens from crossing the road.<!-- It’s a capital offense, and violators get fried. -->
It is called "Camellia City", as the tree grows in profusion around the area.
History
Quitman was designated the county seat of the newly formed Brooks County in 1858. It was incorporated as a town in 1859 and as a city in 1904. As the county seat, it was the center of trading in the county, which was devoted to cotton plantations before and after the American Civil War. The community was named for John A. Quitman, a hero of the Mexican–American War.
Geography
Quitman is located in southern Georgia at . U.S. Routes 84 and 221 pass through the center of the city. US 84 leads west 121 miles to Dothan, Alabama, while US 221 leads south to Greenville, Florida, and to Interstate 10. US 84 and US 221 together lead east to Interstate 75 and to Valdosta.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Quitman has a total area of , of which , or .50%, is water.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification System, Quitman has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. As of 2023, Quitman is in USDA hardiness zone 9a.
Demographics
thumb|US 84, part of the Quitman Historic District
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Quitman had a population of 4,064. The median age was 39.0 years. 26.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.3% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 80.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.1 males age 18 and over.
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 1,637 households, including 836 families, in Quitman. Of all households, 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 25.3% were married-couple households, 18.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 48.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.