- Gwinnett County, Georgia
Infobox U.S. County
county = Gwinnett County
state = Georgia
seallink =
map size = 225
founded = 1818
seat = Lawrenceville
largest city = Lawrenceville
area_total_sq_mi = 437
area_total_km2 = 1131
area_land_sq_mi = 433
area_land_km2 = 1121
area_water_sq_mi = 4
area_water_km2 = 10
area percentage = 0.91%
census estimate yr = 2006
pop = 757104
density_sq_mi = 1360
density_km2 = 525
time zone = Eastern
UTC offset = -5
DST offset = -4
named for =Button Gwinnett
web = www.co.gwinnett.ga.usGwinnett County is a
county located in theU.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 15, 1818. As of the 2000census , thepopulation was 588,448. The 2007 Census Estimate placed the population at 776,380 [http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/tables/CO-EST2007-01-13.xls] . It is estimated to be the 9th fastest growing county in the country in terms of numeral increase. Thecounty seat is LawrencevilleGR|6.The county was named for
Button Gwinnett , one of thedelegate s to have signed theU.S. Declaration of Independence on behalf of Georgia.This county is a part of the
Atlanta Metropolitan Area (Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GeorgiaMetropolitan Statistical Area ). It contains many important suburbs ofAtlanta , many of whose residents commute usingInterstate 85 . Despite recent efforts of forming a public bus system, the average commute time in Gwinnett County is 30.8 minutes, ranking it the highest inmetro Atlanta and 18th highest nationwide (2003census ).Gwinnett County's population is approximately 18.3 percent of the total Atlanta region population and has captured 26% of the region's growth since 2000, growing faster numerically than any other county in the region for the past 25 years running. It is the fourth-largest county on the list of 100 fastest-growing counties in the nation; to see large counties have a high percentage growth is quite rare.
Gwinnett County Public Schools is the largest school system in Georgia and the fastest-growing in the entire Southeast, with 113 total school facilities and a projected 2007-08 enrollment of 159,258 students.Someone from Gwinnett County is called a "Gwinnettian" (rhymes with "Venitian," referring to someone from Venice).
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 437square mile s (1,131km² ), of which, 433 square miles (1,121 km²) of it is land and 4 square miles (10 km²) of it (0.91%) is water.Adjacent counties
*Forsyth County, Georgia - north
*Hall County, Georgia - northeast
*Jackson County, Georgia - northeast
*Barrow County, Georgia - east
*Walton County, Georgia - southeast
*DeKalb County, Georgia - southwest
*Rockdale County, Georgia - south
*Fulton County, Georgia - westNational
protected area *
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (part)Major highways
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*Secondary highways
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Arcado Road
*Beaver Ruin Road (S.R. 378)
*Bethany Church Road (S.R. 264)
*Braselton Highway (S.R. 124)
*Buford Drive (S.R. 20)
*Buford Highway (U.S. 23/S.R. 13)
*Duluth Highway (S.R. 120)
*Indian Trail-Lilburn Road
*Jimmy Carter Boulevard (S.R. 140)
*Jones Mill Road
*Lawrenceville Highway (U.S. 29/S.R. 8)
*Pleasantdale Road
*Pleasant Hill Road
*Ronald Reagan Parkway
*Scenic Highway (S.R. 124)
*Singleton Road
*Steve Reynolds Boulevard
*Stone Mountain Freeway (U.S. 78/S.R. 10)
*Sugarloaf Parkway
*University Parkway (U.S. 29/S.R. 316)Demographics
USCensusPop
1900= 25585
1910= 28824
1920= 30327
1930= 27853
1940= 29087
1950= 32320
1960= 43541
1970= 72349
1980= 166903
1990= 352910
2000= 588448As of the
census GR|2 of 2000, there were 588,448 people, 202,317 households, and 152,344 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 1,360 people per square mile (525/km²). There were 209,682 housing units at an average density of 485 per square mile (187/km²). The racial makeup of the county is currently 52.2% White non-Hispanic, 19.8% Black, 0.2% Native American, 9.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.32% from other races, and 2.15% from two or more races. 17.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Gwinnett County has the largest Latino and Asian populations in the state of Georgia.There were 202,317 households out of which 42.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.20% were married couples living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.70% were non-families. 18.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the county the population was spread out with 28.20% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 37.50% from 25 to 44, 20.30% from 45 to 64, and 5.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 101.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $60,537, and the median income for a family was $66,693. Males had a median income of $42,343 versus $31,772 for females. The
per capita income for the county was $25,006. About 3.80% of families and 5.70% of the population were below thepoverty line , including 5.90% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over.Transportation
By Road
Gwinnett County is accessible by major interstates as well as several US Highways.
Interstate 85 runs through Gwinnett from DeKalb County at its southwestern entry point, and Barrow County in the northeast.Interstate 985 branches off Interstate 85 at Exit 113 near Suwanee.Several U.S. Highways run through Gwinnett County as well. US Route 23 runs through Duluth and Suwanee. US Route 29 runs through Central Gwinnett through Lawrenceville. US Route 78 runs through the Southern portion of Gwinnett County. All of the U.S. Highways are east-west throughout Gwinnett County (although U.S. Routes 23 and 29 run north-south throughout most of its route).
Gwinnett County is served by several Georgia State Routes. Georgia Route 316 branches off Interstate 85 at Exit 106 after the Pleasant Hill Exit 104. This highway connects metropolitan Atlanta with Athens, where the
University of Georgia is located. A second route is State Route 124, also known as Scenic Highway. This serves as the main route between Lawrenceville and Snellville. A third highly used route is Georgia Route 120, which runs from Tallapoosa, Georgia (west of Atlanta) to Lawrenceville. A fourth major route is Georgia Route 20, which runs Northwest to Southeast in Gwinnett County through Grayson,Lawrenceville ,Buford ,Sugar Hill , andCumming (in Forsyth County). And a fifth major route is State Route 8, which parallels Georgia Route 316, connects East to West between Auburn,Dacula ,Lawrenceville (where it merges with US Route 29) and continues throughLilburn and eventually intoAtlanta and Austell.By Air
Gwinnett County is primarily reached through Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The county also has its own airport, the Gwinnett County
Briscoe Field . This is Gwinnett's municipal airport near Lawrenceville, accessible by GA Route 316.Public Transportation
Gwinnett also operates its own public transportation. The
Gwinnett County Transit (GCT), formed in 2000 and starting local service in 2002, serves much of central and north Gwinnett, and provides easy access to the Doraville MARTA station in northeastern DeKalb County, as well as transportation between major commercial and residential areas.At present, Gwinnett County is not connected to the Atlanta Area's MARTA rail system. Several proposals have been made regarding rail transit that would pass through Gwinnett, most recently a "university link" system that would link
Georgia State University inAtlanta ,Georgia Institute of Technology inAtlanta and theUniversity of Georgia inAthens . Potential stops within Gwinnett County include Lilburn,Lawrenceville and Dacula, among other possibilities.Government and Elections
Under Georgia's "home rule" provision, county governments have free rein to legislate on all matters within the county, provided that such legislation does not conflict with state or federal law, or the state or federal Constitutions.
Gwinnett County is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners, which has both legislative and executive authority within the county. The chairman of the Board is elected county-wide and serves in a full-time position. The other four Commissioners are elected from single-member districts and serve in part-time positions. The Board hires a County Administrator who oversees day-to-day operations of the county's 11 executive departments. Gwinnett County also has a separate police department under the authority of the Board of Commissioners.
In addition to the Board of Commissioners, county residents also elect a Sheriff, District Attorney, Probate Court Judge, Clerk of State/Superior Court,Tax Commissioner, State Court Solicitor, Chief Magistrate Judge (who then appoints other Magistrate Court judges), Chief Superior Court Judge and Superior Court Judges, and a Chief State Court Judge and State Court Judges.
Gwinnett County has the [http://www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/ largest public school system] in the State of Georgia.
United States Congress
Healthcare
Gwinnett County is home to three hospitals:
Gwinnett Medical Center (Lawrenceville), Gwinnett Medical Center - Duluth and Emory Eastside Medical Center.GMC (which also operates Gwinnett Medical Center - Duluth) is the largest healthcare provider in the county. It is a non-profit, 500-bed healthcare network located in Gwinnett County, Georgia. GMC is comprised of two hospitals, plus several supporting medical facilities, with more than 4,300 employees and more than 800 affiliated physicians. GMC provided care to more than 400,000 patients in 2007. [http://www.gwinnettmedicalcenter.org]
Libraries
The
Gwinnett County Public Library system has 14 branch locations spread throughout Gwinnett County. The newest branch library opened October 28, 2006, in Grayson, Georgia. The library system was named "Library of the Year" in 2000 byLibrary Journal magazine.ports
The minor-league affiliates of the NHL
Atlanta Thrashers and the MLBAtlanta Braves all play home games in the area, which has created a cost-saving move, since the parent clubs' scouts can observe the players' home games nearby. Furthermore, call-ups to the top league are much cheaper for the teams.The AFL
Georgia Force also call Gwinnett home, their second stint in the county. The team initially played their games atPhilips Arena in downtown Atlanta in 2001 and 2002, but moved to Gwinnett in 2003-04. The team moved back to Philips whenArthur Blank purchased the Force in 2005. The team would return to Gwinnett in 2007.Cities and towns
*Auburn
*Berkeley Lake
*Braselton
*Buford
*Centerville (unincorporated)
*Dacula
*Duluth
*Five Forks (unincorporated)
*Grayson
*Harbins (unincorporated)
*Hog Mountain (unincorporated)
*Lawrenceville
*Lenora (unincorporated)
*Lilburn
*Loganville
*Mountain Park (unincorporated)
*Norcross
*Peachtree Corners (unincorporated)
*Rest Haven
*Rosebud (unincorporated)
*Snellville
*Sugar Hill (Top 100 Fastest Growing Suburb in America - Forbes Managzine 2007)
*Suwanee (Top 10 Small Town in America - Money Magazine 2007)See also
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Gwinnett County Public Schools External links
* [http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/ Official Web site of Gwinnett County Government]
* [http://www.gwinnettchamber.org/ Official site of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.partnershipgwinnett.com/ Official site of Partnerhship Gwinnett]
* [http://www.gwinnetteconomicdevelopment.com/ Official site of Gwinnett Economic Development]
* [http://www.gwinnettcountysheriff.com/ Web site of the Sheriff of Gwinnett County]
* [http://www.gwinnettcourts.com/ Web site of the Courts of Gwinnett County]
* [http://www.gctransit.com/ Gwinnett County Transit web site (public transportation agency)]
* [http://gwinnett.k12.ga.us/ Gwinnett County Public Schools]
* [http://www.gwinnettpl.org/ Gwinnett County Public Library]
* [http://www.gwinnettcollege.edu/ Web site of Gwinnett College]
* [http://www.gwinnett.net/ Official site of Gwinnett Net]
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