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Numbers on map are the Council ofEconomic Development Organizations (CEDO) Regions 
 
 SNAPSHOTS OF G E 0 R GI A 
 
County Description 
 Spalding County was formed in 1851 from parts of Fayette, Henry, and Pike counties. It was 
the 96th county created in the state and named after Thomas Spalding, the first Georgian known to have successfully harvested cotton and cane. 
 
 Griffin, the county seat, was named for General L. Griffin, the first president of the Monroe 
Railroad. This railroad later became the Central of Georgia. 
. The county is 200 square miles in area. It is the 141st largest county in the state. 
 
Community Spalding County 
Griffin Orchard Hill 
Sunny Side 
 
 The county is in CEDO Region 3 and the McIntosh Trail Regional Development Center. 
. Spalding County is in the 3rd U.S. Congressional District, the 28th and 29th State Senatorial 
 
Population 
 
19701 19801 
 
39514 47899 
 
22734 20728 
 
... 
 
162 
 
209 
 
338 
 
Growth 
1990 1910-1980 I 1980-1990 
 
54457 
 
21.2% 
 
13.7% 
 
21347 
 
-8.8% 
 
3.0% 
 
239 
 
... 
 
47.5% 
 
215 
 
61.7% -36.4% 
 
Districts, and the 106th and 107th State House Districts. 
 The county has three municipalities. 
Griffin, the largest of these municipalities, has a population of almost 21,400. 
 
Demographics 
 
200% 
 
gC: 150% 
as "'5 
Q. 
0 
a.. 100% 
0 I'- 
0) 
~ 
0 50% 
~ 
 
~ 
I 
 
. Spalding County experienced 
 
.... _.:,,.,..::-: 
 
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moderate growth in the 1980s. Its population increased 13.7%, 
 
compared to a statewide growth rate 
 
of almost 19%. 
 
-'::--'," 
 
State County 
 
- 
 
 The county is approximately 70% 
white, 29% black, and 1% with other racial backgrounds. 
 
,   
,, .. 
 County 
Is] State 75% 50% 25% 
 
 
White 
Black 
Other 
I Hispanic 
 
' 
 
 
% of Population 
 
1970 
 
1980 
 
1990 
 
2000 
 
100% 
 
CD 
 
E 
 
0 
 
0 
E 
 
75% 
 
l!! 
Cuas. 50% iii 
 
........... ,:f:t 
 
 
 
I 
 
_l 
 
I 
 
2010  Per capita income is below 
! that ofthe state and nation. Per 
! capita income in the county is 
$14,733, compared to $17,045 
for the state and $18,696 for 
the nation. 
 
I 
 County 
[I] State 
I 
! 
 
65up 
55-64 
45-54 
Cl) Q. 
35-44 5 & 
 
ll.. 
 
cri :::i 
 
25% 
 
0 
 
0 ~ 
 
I 
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-,,....;.-...,.... 
 
State County 
 
 The age distribution of the 
~ 
county's population is similar to that of the state as a whole. 
 
,. 
! 
 
25-34 , 
<I:: 1~24 
~14 
 
1970 
 
1980 
 
1990 
 
2000 2010  In 1991, the county ranked 
 
0-4 
 
136th in the state in the number of crimes reported; 
 
20% 15% 10% 5% 
 
among the highest 25% of the counties. 
 
% of Population 
 
 Almost 16% of the county's population lived below the poverty level in 1989, compared to 
14.7% for the state as a whole. 
 
  Forty percent of the county's residents have not completed high school, compared to 29. I% statewide. 
 
SPALDING C OUNTY 
 
0 <HSGrad 
[] HSGrad 
ii Coll Not Grad 
 CollGrad+ 
 
 For the 1991-92 school year, the county's dropout rate in grades 8-12 was II%. This compares to a statewide rate of 5.3%. 
 The county's rates of infant mortality and low birth weight babies are higherthan that ofthe state. In 1991, the county's rate of infant mortality was 12.4 [per 1,000 live births], compared to a statewide average of 11.4; its rate of low birth weight babies was 9.4, compared to 8.6 statewide. 
 
O Workin 
County 
Commute 
B Outside 
County 
 
 About 37% of the county's population works outside of the county. 
 
 The county's unemployment rate-slightly lower than the state rate in 1980--rose to more than 2% greater than the state rate in the early 1980s and then returned to roughly the state rate in 1986. 
 From 1985 to 1990, the number of businesses in the county increased 10.7%. For the state as a whole, this figure was 13.3%. 
 Manufacturing, the largest employment sector in the county, provides roughly24%ofthecounty'sjobs. Servicesisthesecondlargest,at20%. 
 
1---1-.f'""""'"i,--i---+-'~-'---,...--'---+--t---; 8% cft_ 
 
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"O 
 
0 
 
>: State 
 
>- 
 
--- 
 
-- 
 
- 
 
-- 
 
--~ 
 
3"/o 
 
~ 
C. 
 
- 
 
County 
 
1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 
 
Governments 
 Spalding County has a commission-manager form of government. 
 Data from the Report of Local Government Finances indicates that the county had a general fund operational deficit in two of the past five years (FY 1989 - FY 1993). While this may be the result of incorrect reporting or another reporting anomaly, it may also indicate that the county is experiencing fiscal stress. 
 The county generated $427.0I per capita in general operating revenues in FY 1993 and expended $409.03 in general operating expenditures. For the other counties in the same population group, these revenues and expenditures averaged $426.59 and $323.26, respectively. 
 The county had $49.93 per capita in outstanding debt in 1993, compared to $347.87 for counties of similar size which had outstanding debt. Most of this debt ($36.73 per capita) was in the form of short-term loans. 
 The county collects a Local Option Sales Tax but does not collect a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. 
 The county has an approved and adopted solid waste management plan and is currently eligible for solid waste grants, loans, and permits. 
 
$$$ Per Capita 500 
375 
250 
125  Spalding I] All Counties General General Revenues Operating 
Expenditures 
 
Concludes on back page~ 
 
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----------Governments-cont'd 
 
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I I 
 
 Spalding County and its municipalities' comprehensive plans are due in June 1994. The City of 
 
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Griffin has an approved and adopted comprehensive plan. River Corridor Protection requirements do 
 
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DCA Financial Assistance 
 
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Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
Source 
 
Amount Number of Grants 
 
Community Development Block Grant 1,075,402 
 
2 
 
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to renovate DFACS facilities. Griffin received CDBG funds for housing rehabilitation and drainage improvements and a Local Development Fund grant for an employee literacy program. 
 
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GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF 
 
COMMUNITY AFFAIRS 
 
CTS SECTION 
quitable Building eachtree Street 
Georgia 30303 ) 656-3851 
 
unity Employer 
 
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