Wilkes County is a county in Georgia, United States, in the state’s east-central Piedmont region above the fall line. It had a population of 9,565 at the 2020 census, and covers 474 square miles (1,230 km2) of which 469 square miles is land, centred near 33°47′N 82°44′W.
Washington is the county seat, and its postal code is 30673. The county holds one city and two towns plus a scatter of unincorporated communities, sits in the Eastern time zone, and is part of the Central Savannah River Area. Locals and the county’s own historical society commonly call the seat “Washington-Wilkes” to set it apart from other Washingtons.
Towns & Villages in Wilkes County
Washington anchors the county as its only incorporated city; Rayle and Tignall are the two incorporated towns. The rest of the list below is unincorporated communities and crossroads, several dating to the county’s plantation-era settlement pattern.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | City · seat | 3,754 | 30673 |
| Tignall | Town | 485 | 30668 |
| Rayle | Town | 158 | 30660 |
| Adasburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Anne Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Aonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brickhouse | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Broad | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Callaway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Celeste | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Centerville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cohentown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Danburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Daniel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Delhi | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ficklin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Floral Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jackson Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jacksons Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lincoln Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Linesville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Little River | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Logan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lundberg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Metasville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Town | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Norman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Porters | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Prather | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ravenwood Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sandtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sandy Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tyrone | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Washington Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 30673 — Washington (also serves most of the surrounding rural county)
- 30668 — Tignall
- 30660 — Rayle
The unincorporated communities scattered across the county do not carry their own ZIP codes; mail there is delivered under Washington, Tignall, or Rayle depending on location.
Geography
Wilkes County sits above the fall line in Georgia’s Piedmont, a landscape of rolling hills, red clay, and pine and hardwood woodland cut by the Little River and Broad River drainages. Of its 474 square miles, 469 square miles is land and 4.6 square miles is water. The county borders six neighbors: Elbert County to the north, Lincoln County to the east, McDuffie County to the southeast, Warren County to the south, Taliaferro County to the southwest, and Oglethorpe County to the west.
Demographics
Wilkes County had a population of 9,565 at the 2020 census. Washington, the county seat, is the largest community at 3,754 residents, followed by Tignall at 485. Georgia’s 2023 ACS median household income was $74,632; Wilkes County’s is well below that figure, reflecting the county’s rural, agriculture-based economy. Population density works out to roughly 20 people per square mile, among the more sparsely settled counties in the state’s east-central Piedmont.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture and forestry anchor the local economy, with cattle, poultry, and timber the leading sectors, alongside small manufacturing and county government employment based in Washington. The county’s biggest annual draw is the Washington-Wilkes County Fair, held each fall, along with a spring Antebellum home tour that trades on the seat’s large stock of pre-Civil War architecture.
History
Wilkes County was established on February 5, 1777, one of the first eight counties created under Georgia’s first state constitution, and is named for John Wilkes, a British radical politician and lord mayor of London who was popular among American colonists for his opposition to the Crown. The county was the site of the Battle of Kettle Creek in February 1779, a Patriot victory over Loyalist forces that helped check British control of backcountry Georgia during the Revolutionary War. Washington, founded soon after and named for George Washington, later hosted the final full meeting of the Confederate Cabinet under Jefferson Davis in May 1865.
Getting There
US 78/SR 10, US 378, and SR 17, SR 47, and SR 80 cross the county, converging on Washington.
- Athens, Georgia — 45 miles northwest
- Augusta, Georgia — 50 miles southeast
- Elberton — 25 miles north
- Thomson — 20 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Augusta Regional Airport. Amtrak does not serve Wilkes County; the closest station is in Toccoa or via Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson hub for air travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Washington postcode?
30673.
What county is Washington, Georgia in?
Washington is in Wilkes County, and serves as its seat of government.
How many people live in Wilkes County?
The county had a population of 9,565 at the 2020 census.
How big is Wilkes County?
474 square miles (1,230 km2), of which 469 square miles is land.
What counties border Wilkes County?
Elbert, Lincoln, McDuffie, Warren, Taliaferro, and Oglethorpe counties.
When was Wilkes County created?
February 5, 1777, one of Georgia’s original eight counties.
What is Wilkes County named for?
John Wilkes, a British politician and lord mayor of London admired by American colonists for opposing the Crown.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Georgia.