Snapshots of Georgia: Clinch County [June 1994]

Numbers on map are the Council of Economic Development Organizations (CEDO) Regions

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Pi HRo \s o _c_o_un__ty__D_es_c_ri_pt_io__ n ___________________

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Clinch County, the 94th county formed in Georgia, was created from portions of Ware and

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Lowndes counties in 1850. The county was named for General Duncan Clinch, who defeated the

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Seminole Indian Chief Osceola in Florida and later served in the U.S. Congress.

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The courthouse was constructed in 1896. The county, Georgia's 3rd largest, is 824 square miles in area. The county is in CEDO Region 10 and the Southeast Georgia Regional Development Center.

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The county is in the 8th U.S. Congressional District, the 7th State Senatorial District, and the 176th State House District.

The county has four incorporated municipalities, the largest ofwhich is Homerville, the county

Population

Growth

seat. The other three municipalities are

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Community

19701 19801 1990 1910-1980 I 1980-1900 Argyle, Dupont, and Fargo, which was

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Clinch County Argyle Dupont

6405 206 252

6660 206 267

6160 206 177

4.0% 0.0% 6.0%

-7.5% incorporated in 1993. 0.0% -33.7% Part ofthe Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge lies

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Fargo Homerville

... ... ...
3025 3112 2560

. ..
2.9%

... in Clinch County. Both the St Mary's and
-17.7% Suwannee Rivers rise within the swamp.

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Fargo has a monument to Stephen F. Foster, who wrote "Way Down Upon the Swanee River."

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Demographics

I 200%...---------,---,--------~ Clinch County's 1990 population was 6,160. About a third of this

I~ ~150%

Ill

~ ; ! "c3..

e~00~

0

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a. 100% ~
a,
o so% --------'----'--l

i ~ 'if.

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State County

population resides in Homerville. The county experienced a 7.51%

population loss during the 1980s vs. the statewide growth rate of almost

19% during the same period.

The county's 1989 median household income was $18,098 vs. $29,021 statewide. The countyranks in the bottom 25%

County
D State

i;; $150,000+
d s100-149,999
El $75-99,999

if :-:-:-:::-:-:-:-::::-:-:,: ..... . $50-74,999

I 1:4-t1-ri-,t-1~' m!i\!

1970

1980

1990

o 2000 201 of all Georgia counties on this

measure. About 26% of the

county's population-42% of

black residents, 53.6% of

:
.::..-;-.. .. .... . $40-49,999

t=
"'C!)
::r

0

$30-39,999 ii

:r

::" $20-29,999

8
3

I 8 ; All 500A

female headed households and 31% of those 65 and over-

...i..........i.......... $10-19,999 C!I
r=,. $5-9,999

O

l 25
I i % +---+---+---'-----'--I

:

:my - ~=:;~:=in :n:~,;:,9: c:::-::e livesbelowthepovertylevelvs. i----i--+-----l=-:==:::i-<$5,000 Clinch

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~ - - - - - ' statewide level of $17,045. Only eight counties have lower per capita

1970

1980

1990

2000 2010

income levels. Unlike most other counties in Region 10, which

experiencedrelative gains in income levels over the lastdecade, Clinch County's per capitaincome

declined by nearly 3% relative to the U.S. average during the 1980s.

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Over half of county's adult population (53%) have not completed high school vs. 29.1% statewide. About 16% of the county's adult population have a college level education vs. the state average of 41.3%.

County
ffl State

In 1991-92, the county's dropout rate for grades 8-12 was 6.3% vs. the statewide rate of 5.3%. Clinch County's 1992-93 dropout rate for grades 812-reflecting anew state method for computing dropouts-was one ofthe worst in the state, 11.3% vs. 6.5% statewide.
The 1991 rate of low birth weight babies was above the state's. Three 1991 infant deaths gave an infant mortality rate of 33.3 vs. the state's 11.40.

.......-..--............. HS Not Grad ............................ 0-8
30"/o 23% 15% 8% % of Population Age 25+

85.5%

Only 14% of Clinch County workforce commutes outside the county. The county's total labor force declined by about 1,500 people between

1985 and 1990.

110%

O Workin
County
Commute
00 Outside
County

Manufacturing is still the largest employment sector in the county, although its percentage of county jobs fell from 43.5% in 1980 to 32.4% in 1990. Next largest were state and local government and services, with about 16% of the jobs each.
The unemployment rate in the county has

-;--+--b.ill~-+-~+---+-~: 8%
, --~IT'!= - State
County

consistently remained above the state rate.

1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990

Governments

Clinch County has a traditional commission form of government, with a five member board.
The county collects both a Local Option Sales Tax and a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax dedicated to roads, streets, bridges, and landfills.
In 1993, the county had very little long-term debt ($14.79 per capita).
The county's 1993 per capita general revenues were higher than average for all small counties, $457.63 vs. $391.36--due to much larger than average per capita intergovernmental revenue (primarily state health grants), $132.94 vs. $63.39 for all small counties. Clinch County's 1993 per capita own source revenues (i.e., general revenues excluding intergovernmental funds) were actually about average for a small county.
The county's 1993 state health grants were also reflected in higher than average per capita general operating expenditures for health and human services.
The county and all of its municipalities have an approved joint solid waste management plan. When the plan is adopted they will be eligible for solid waste grants, loans, and permits.
Clinch County and its municipalities' comprehensive plans are due in September 1995. The county and the City of Fargo will be required to include a River Corridor Protection Plan in their comprehensive plans.

- 375
I 250
:~
Clinch
rn All Counties
General General Revenues Operating
Expenditures

DCA Financial Assistance

Between July 1, 1990 and May 15, 1994, the county and its municipalities received $2,152,514 in financial assistance from DCA; most of that assistance was in the form of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

Source

Amount Number of Grants

Community Development Block Grant 2,053,954

6

Employment Incentive Program

82,855

1

Local Development Fund

15,705

3

Total $2,152,514

10

CDBG funds were awarded to Homerville for a housing rehabilitation program to serve the elderly, to replace a collapsed sewer line, and for drainage improvements and housing rehabilitation.

Argyle used CDBG funds for a housing rehabilitation program and for water system improvements. Clinch County also received CDBG funds for a housing program.

Local Development Fund grants were used to improve an old elementary school as a community center in Fargo, to construct a gazebo and pavilion in Homerville, and to improve the Clinch County Recreation Park.

Homerville used an Employment Incentive Fund grant to develop public infrastructure to support a Dollar General Store warehouse facility, creating 71 new jobs.

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF
COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
SPECIAL PROJECTS SECTION
1200 Equitable Building 100 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30303 (404) 656-3851
An Equal Opportunity Employer
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