Byron, Georgia



Byron is a city located primarily in Peach County, Georgia, United States. A small portion of the city also extends into parts of Houston and Crawford counties. The population was estimated to be 5,149 in 2019 by the Census Bureau, an increasing of 14.1% from 4,512 at the 2010 census. The city is in the Warner Robins metropolitan statistical area.

Byron was home to the Middle Georgia Raceway, an auto racetrack that hosted NASCAR races and the filming of TV commercials and a feature movie. From July 3–5, 1970, in a field next to the raceway, the Atlanta International Pop Festival was held, which was the largest gathering in Georgia history until the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. On September 15, 2012, an official Georgia Historical Society marker was placed near the raceway site to commemorate the festival.

History
The community was named after Lord Byron, the British Romantic poet. A former variant name was "Jackson", but the name was changed in order to avoid repetition with the Jackson in Butts County. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated the place as the "Town of Byron" in 1874.

Geography
Byron is located in the northeast corner of Peach County at 32.64889°N, -83.75556°W (32.648908, -83.755640), near the geographic center of Georgia. Interstate 75 passes through the eastern side of the city, with access from Exits 146 and 149 (Georgia State Route 49). Byron is 93 mi south of Atlanta, 16 mi south of Macon, and 11 mi northeast of the Peach County seat of Fort Valley.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.4 km2, of which 0.06 km2, or 0.28%, are water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,702 people, 2,198 households, and 1,588 families residing in the city.

Arts and culture
The city hosts the Battle of Byron, an annual charity fundraiser.