Clarke County is a county in Georgia, United States, home to the University of Georgia and the consolidated Athens-Clarke County government. It had a population of 128,671 at the 2020 census and covers 121 square miles (310 km2) centred near 33°57′20″N 83°23′00″W, making it the smallest county by land area in the state.
Athens is the county seat and largest city, unified with the county government since 1991; its main postal code is 30601. Two other incorporated places sit inside the county — Winterville and Bogart (Bogart mostly lies across the line in Oconee County) — alongside dozens of unincorporated neighborhoods and subdivisions absorbed into Athens’ urban footprint. The county is in the Eastern time zone, FIPS code 13059.
Towns & Villages in Clarke County
Because Athens and Clarke County share one government, almost every named place below is a neighborhood or subdivision inside the unified city rather than a separate municipality. Only Athens, Winterville and Bogart are independently incorporated; everything else is listed as Unincorp. (unincorporated neighborhood/subdivision within Athens-Clarke).
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens | City · seat | 128,671 (county total) | 30601 |
| Winterville | City | — | 30683 |
| Bogart | Town | — | 30622 |
| Adams | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ansley Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ashton Place | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Barch Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Barnett Bluffs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Barretts Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bedgood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beechwood Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bel Air Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Berkley Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Broad Acres | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Broadacres Homes | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brookstone | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Camelot | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Carriage Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cedar Bluff | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cedar Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cedar Shoals Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chadds Walk | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chamberlin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cherokee Forest | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clarkedale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cleveland Station | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Country Club Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Country Corner MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Creekwood Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crestwood Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Davis Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eastmeadow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elder | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Epps Bridge Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Forest Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Garden Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Georgian Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glen Forest MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glen Oaks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glenwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Green Acres | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Greenmont | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Habersham Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hanover | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hickory Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Holiday Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Holly Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Homes of Mansfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Homewood Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hunters Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Huntington Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Idylwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Inverness Farms | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jefferson Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kingswood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Knottingham | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lakeside Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lakewood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lexington Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lexington Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McDonald | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McNutt Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Moss Side | Unincorp. | — | — |
| North Place | Unincorp. | — | — |
| North Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Northridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Northridge Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oconee Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Heritage Farm | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Overlook Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Park East | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Park View Homes | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pine Forest | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pine Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pinecrest Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Plantation Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Princeton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Quailwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ramble Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rebel Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Red Fox | Unincorp. | — | — |
| River Hill East | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Riverbend East | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Riverside | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Riverside Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rock and Shoals | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rollingwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rushwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sedgefield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shadow Moss | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shoal Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shoal Creek Farms | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shoalsview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Skyline Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Snapfinger | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spring Valley Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stonehenge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stonemill Run | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Swanson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tallassee Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tallassee Farms | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tanglewood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tara Way | Unincorp. | — | — |
| The Jockey Club Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Timothy Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Trail Creek Estates MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| University Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wakefield MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Waterford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Waverly Woods | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Weatherly Woods | Unincorp. | — | — |
| West Winter | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Westchester | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Westgate Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Westwood Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Whitehall | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Windfall Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Windy Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Winter Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wonderland Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Woodhaven High Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Woodland Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
Bogart straddles the Clarke–Oconee county line, with most of its footprint actually in Oconee County to the south; it is listed here because part of the town sits in Clarke.
ZIP Codes
- 30601 — downtown Athens
- 30606 — west Athens
- 30683 — Winterville
- 30622 — Bogart (also serves part of Oconee County)
Athens carries several additional ZIP codes across its neighborhoods and university-area post office branches; the unincorporated subdivisions listed above use whichever Athens or Winterville ZIP serves their part of the county.
Geography
Clarke County sits in the Piedmont region of east-central Georgia. Most of the county drains through the Upper Oconee River into the Altamaha River basin, while a small strip of the eastern edge, north of Winterville, drains into the Broad River basin toward the Savannah. The county covers 121 square miles, of which about 1.5% is water — the smallest total land area of any of Georgia’s 159 counties.
Clarke County borders Jackson County to the northwest, Madison County to the north, Oglethorpe County to the northeast (townsvillages.com/us/oglethorpe-county/), Oconee County to the south (no live sibling page to link), and Barrow County to the west (townsvillages.com/us/barrow-county/).
Demographics
Clarke County had 128,671 residents at the 2020 census, giving a density of roughly 1,063 people per square mile — among the highest in Georgia outside metro Atlanta. Athens is overwhelmingly the largest community, with Winterville a distant second at a few thousand residents. The county’s large University of Georgia student population pulls median household income well below the Georgia median of $74,632; Clarke County’s own median has consistently run in the low-$40,000s, reflecting the concentration of students and part-time workers rather than a lack of regional wealth.
Economy & Local Life
The University of Georgia is the county’s dominant employer and economic anchor, followed by the Athens-Clarke County unified government, St. Mary’s and Piedmont Athens Regional hospital systems, and a cluster of biotech and manufacturing firms drawn by the university’s research base. Athens’ downtown music scene, built around venues like the 40 Watt Club, gave rise to bands including R.E.M. and the B-52s and remains a major draw; UGA football Saturdays at Sanford Stadium are the county’s single biggest recurring event.
History
Clarke County was created December 5, 1801, from Jackson County, and named for Revolutionary War general Elijah Clarke, who led Patriot forces at the 1779 Battle of Kettle Creek. The University of Georgia, chartered in 1785 as the first state-chartered university in the United States, predates the county itself and shaped Athens’ growth around it from the outset. In 1990, Athens and Clarke County voters approved consolidation, and the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County took effect January 1, 1991 — only the second such city-county merger in Georgia after Columbus-Muscogee.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 29, 78, 129 and 441 and Georgia State Routes 8, 10, 15 and 72 converge on Athens, along with the Athens Perimeter (Loop 10) around the city core.
- Atlanta — about 70 miles west
- Watkinsville (Oconee County) — about 8 miles south
- Winder (Barrow County) — about 18 miles west
- Madison (Morgan County) — about 30 miles south
Athens Ben Epps Airport offers limited regional service; the nearest major hub is Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Clarke County, Georgia?
It is in the Piedmont region of east-central Georgia, about 70 miles east of Atlanta, centred on the city of Athens.
What is the population of Clarke County?
128,671 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Clarke County?
121 square miles (310 km2), making it the smallest county in Georgia by land area.
What is the county seat of Clarke County?
Athens is the county seat, unified with the county government since 1991.
How many towns are in Clarke County?
Only Athens, Winterville and Bogart are separately incorporated; the rest of the county is unincorporated neighborhoods absorbed into the unified Athens-Clarke government.
What ZIP codes are in Clarke County?
Athens uses ZIP codes including 30601 and 30606, Winterville uses 30683, and Bogart uses 30622.
Why did Athens and Clarke County merge governments?
Voters approved consolidation in 1990 to cut duplicate services between the city and county; the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County took effect on January 1, 1991.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Georgia.