Maybe
something like
“Fascinating Facts on Georgia Counties” would have been a
catchier name. The
simple title, “The Georgia County Guide”, doesn’t
seem to do justice to
this University of Georgia
almanac.
The 17th edition of the annual County Guide is being
released this fall by the UGA
colleges of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences
and Family and Consumer
Sciences through the CAES
for Agribusiness and Economic
Development.
A quick look through its 195 pages of tables, charts and
maps is revealing.
- In Randolph County, only 5.1 percent of the households
have incomes of more than $50,000
a year. But in Fayette County, more than half of the
households — 50.3 percent — make
more than that.
- In 1997, Echols County had six people per square mile,
while DeKalb County had 2,191.
- At 48.35 mills, Hancock County has the highest
property tax millage rate in Georgia.
Towns County has the lowest rate, at 11 mills.
- In 1996, Richmond County had 1,193 physicians — one
for every 170 people — while
Brantley County had only one doctor for its 13,349
residents. But that was better than in
six counties that had no doctors at all.
The county-by-county data covers everything from AIDS
cases to HOPE scholarships. It
comes from 39 federal and state agencies and several private
companies — all public
information.
“It’s not ‘my’ data,” said Doug Bachtel,
the CFCS professor who created the County Guide in 1981. “We
just put it in an
easy-to-use form.”
The Guide gives the latest figures on agriculture, courts
and crime, economics,
education, government, health, housing and households,
labor, libraries, natural
resources, occupations, population, public assistance,
religion, transportation, veterans
and vital statistics.
The book is $15. For easier number-crunching, a Windows
database is available for $90.
Don’t wait too long to order, though. They don’t print
that many books. “We sell
about 3,000 a year,” said Sue Boatright, the
data collection coordinator who puts it all together.
You may order either through the county extension office.
Or send a request, with a
check to The Georgia County Guide, to Ag Business Office,
203 Conner Hall, The University
of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7506.
