Richmond County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 200,549. It is one of the original counties of Georgia, created February 5, 1777. Following an election in 1995, the city of Augusta (the county seat) consolidated governments with Richmond County. The consolidated entity is known as Augusta-Richmond County, or simply Augusta. Exempt are the cities of Hephzibah and Blythe, in southern Richmond County, which voted to remain separate. Richmond County is included in the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The county is named for Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond, a British politician and office-holder sympathetic to the cause of the American colonies. Richmond was also a first cousin to King George III.
Richmond County was established in 1777 by the first Constitution of the (newly independent) State of Georgia. As such, it is one of the original counties of the state. It was formed out of a portion of the colonial Parish of St. Paul, after the Revolution disestablished the Church of England in the (former) Royal Province of Georgia.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.3%) is water.
The vast majority of Richmond County is located in the Middle Savannah River sub-basin of the Savannah River basin, with just the southwestern corner of the county, from a line running north from Blythe through the middle of Fort Gordon, located in the Brier Creek sub-basin of the Savannah River basin.
Adjacent counties
Edgefield County, South Carolina (north)
Aiken County, South Carolina (northeast)
Burke County (south)
Jefferson County (southwest)
McDuffie County (west)
Columbia County (northwest)
Transportation
Major highways
Interstate 20
Interstate 520
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 25
U.S. Route 25 Business
U.S. Route 78
U.S. Route 278
State Route 4
State Route 10
State Route 28
State Route 56
State Route 56 Spur
State Route 88
State Route 104
State Route 104 Connector
State Route 121
State Route 223
State Route 232
State Route 383
State Route 402 (unsigned designation for I-20)
State Route 415 (unsigned designation for I-520)
State Route 540 (Fall Line Freeway)
Pedestrians and cycling
Augusta Canal Historic Trail
New Bartram Trail
Phinizy Swamp Constructed Wetlands Trail
River Levee Trail
Riverwalk Augusta Trail
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 206,607 people, 68,361 households, and 42,363 families residing in the county.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 200,549 people, 76,924 households, and 48,641 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 86,331 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 54.2% black or African American, 39.7% white, 1.7% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.2% Pacific islander, 1.3% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 8.0% were American, 7.0% were Irish, 6.7% were German, and 5.3% were English.
Of the 76,924 households, 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples living together, 22.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.8% were non-families, and 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.09. The median age was 33.2 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,882 and the median income for a family was $45,220. Males had a median income of $37,368 versus $29,313 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,604. About 19.4% of families and 23.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.5% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Augusta (county seat)
Blythe
Hephzibah
Fort Gordon
Notable person
David E. Twiggs
Politics
Similar to most urban counties in the state with majority African American populations, Richmond County has backed the Democratic Party candidate by increasing margins since 1992. However in every presidential election from 1952 to 1988 which did not have Georgian Jimmy Carter on the ballot, the county backed the Republican candidate for president. Prior to 1952, the county voted like a typical Solid South county, voting for Democratic presidential candidates by landslide margins until backing Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond in 1948. 1928 was an exception to this rule with Herbert Hoover beating Al Smith handily due to anti-Catholic sentiment.
