Thomas County, Georgia

Thomas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census the population was 45,798. The county seat is Thomasville. Thomas County comprises the Thomasville, GA micropolitan statistical area.

History
Thomas County was created by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 23, 1825, from portions of Decatur and Irwin Counties. Colquitt (1856), Brooks (1858), and Grady (1905) Counties all were formed partially from lands within Thomas County's original borders.

The county is named for Jett Thomas, an officer in the War of 1812 who is also known for overseeing the construction of the first building at the University of Georgia (originally referred to as Franklin College and known today as Old College) as well as the state capital at Milledgeville.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 552 sqmi, of which 545 sqmi is land and 7.6 sqmi (1.4%) is water.

The northwestern half of Thomas County, bordered by U.S. Route 319 southwest of Thomasville, and a line that ends up bisecting the distance between Coolidge and Pavo in the northeast, is located in the Upper Ochlockonee River sub-basin of the larger Ochlockonee River basin. The northeastern edge of the county, from north of Pavo to Boston, is located in the Withlacoochee River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin. The southeastern portion of Thomas County, running southeast from Thomasville, is located in the Aucilla River sub-basin of the larger Aucilla-Waccasassa basin. Almost all of the southwestern portion of the county is located in the Apalachee Bay-St. Marks sub-basin of the Ochlockonee River basin, with the exception of the tiny southwesternmost corner, which is located in the Lower Ochlockonee River sub-basin of the same Ochlockonee River basin.

The Aucilla River rises in Thomas County. The Red Hills Region is centered on Thomas County.

Major highways
U.S. Route 84 Business
 * US 19.svg U.S. Route 19
 * US 84.svg U.S. Route 84
 * Business plate.svg
 * US 319.svg U.S. Route 319
 * Georgia 3.svg State Route 3
 * Georgia 3 Alternate.svg State Route 3 Alternate
 * Georgia 33.svg State Route 33
 * Georgia 35.svg State Route 35
 * Georgia 35 Connector.svg State Route 35 Connector
 * Georgia 38.svg State Route 38
 * Georgia 38 Business.svg State Route 38 Business
 * Georgia 111.svg State Route 111
 * Georgia 122.svg State Route 122
 * Georgia 188.svg State Route 188
 * Georgia 202.svg State Route 202
 * Georgia 300.svg State Route 300

Adjacent counties

 * Colquitt County - northeast
 * Brooks County - east
 * Jefferson County, Florida - south
 * Leon County, Florida - southwest
 * Grady County - west
 * Mitchell County - northwest

Cities

 * Barwick (partly in Brooks County)
 * Boston
 * Coolidge
 * Meigs (partly in Mitchell County)
 * Pavo (partly in Brooks County)
 * Thomasville

Town

 * Ochlocknee

Unincorporated community

 * Metcalf

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 45,798 people, 17,595 households, and 12,161 families residing in the county.

Education

 * Thomas University
 * Southern Regional Technical College
 * Thomasville City School District
 * Thomas County School District
 * Brookwood School

Politics
Similar to other Georgia counties on the Florida border, the county is very Republican in presidential elections, having last voted for a Democrat in 1980 when the Democrat was native Georgian Jimmy Carter.