Clinch County is a county in Georgia, United States, near the Okefenokee Swamp in the state’s southeastern corner. It had a population of 6,749 at the 2020 census and covers 824 square miles (2,130 km2) centred near 30°55′N 82°42′W.
Homerville is the county seat, and its postal code is 31634. The county holds two cities, two towns, one census-designated place, and about two dozen unincorporated communities. Clinch County observes Eastern time and carries the FIPS code 13065.
Towns & Villages in Clinch County
Clinch County has four incorporated municipalities — the cities of Fargo and Homerville and the towns of Argyle and Du Pont — plus the census-designated place of Cogdell and roughly two dozen unincorporated communities and crossroads settlements scattered across the county’s pine flatwoods and swamp margins.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homerville | City · seat | — | 31634 |
| Fargo | City | — | 31631 |
| Argyle | Town | — | 31623 |
| Du Pont | Town | — | 31630 |
| Cogdell | CDP | — | — |
| Chauncey | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Colon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Council | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cutting | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Edith | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eightmile Still | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ernest | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fivemile Still | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jamestown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Magnolia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mexico Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Paletree | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sirmans | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spooner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Travisville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vickers Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Williamsburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Withers | Unincorp. | — | — |
The old site listing spelled one community “Traisville”; the accepted spelling on record is Travisville, and the table above uses it. “Cogdell” appeared twice in the old list — it is one place, the county’s only census-designated place.
ZIP Codes
- 31634 — Homerville (the county’s dominant ZIP, covering most of the eastern county)
- 31631 — Fargo
- 31630 — Du Pont
- 31623 — Argyle
Clinch County’s unincorporated communities have no ZIP codes of their own; mail there is addressed to whichever of the four post office towns is closest.
Geography
Clinch County sits in the flat coastal plain of southeastern Georgia. Its eastern and southeastern portions lie inside the Okefenokee Swamp and its protected wildlife refuge lands, and the Suwannee River rises near the county’s southern edge. The county is bordered by Atkinson County to the north, Ware County to the east, Lanier County to the west, and Echols County to the southwest, and its southern corner runs close to the Florida state line.
Bordering counties: Atkinson County (north), Ware County (east), Lanier County (west), and Echols County (southwest).
Demographics
Clinch County had 6,749 residents at the 2020 census, spread across 800 square miles of land for a density of about 8 people per square mile — one of the more sparsely settled counties in the state. Homerville and Fargo are the two largest communities. Median household income in the county runs below the Georgia median of $74,632, consistent with the mostly rural, agriculture- and timber-based economy of the surrounding Okefenokee region.
Economy & Local Life
Timber, pulpwood, and pine straw production are the backbone of Clinch County’s economy, alongside row-crop and livestock farming on the county’s western side. The Okefenokee Swamp draws hunters, fishers, and paddlers to the county’s eastern edge, and Clinch County Schools and county government are among the largest local employers. Homerville hosts the county’s civic and retail center around the courthouse square.
History
Clinch County was created on February 14, 1850, from parts of Ware and Lowndes counties, and named for General Duncan Lamont Clinch, an army officer who fought in the Seminole Wars in nearby Florida. The county’s economy through the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries centered on turpentine and timber extraction from the surrounding longleaf pine forests and swamp margins, an industry whose legacy is still visible in community names such as Eightmile Still and Fivemile Still.
Getting There
US Routes 84, 221, and 441 cross Clinch County, along with several Georgia state routes.
- Waycross — about 25 miles east, via US 84
- Valdosta — about 30 miles west, via US 84
- Jacksonville, Florida — about 75 miles southeast
Valdosta Regional Airport is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Clinch County, Georgia?
It is in the southeastern part of Georgia, bordering the Okefenokee Swamp near the Florida state line.
What is the population of Clinch County?
6,749 people, at the 2020 census.
How big is Clinch County?
824 square miles (2,130 km2) in total, including 24 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Clinch County?
Homerville is the county seat.
How many towns and communities are in Clinch County?
Four incorporated municipalities (two cities, two towns), one census-designated place, and around two dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Clinch County?
31634 (Homerville), 31631 (Fargo), 31630 (Du Pont), and 31623 (Argyle).
What is Clinch County named for?
General Duncan Lamont Clinch, a U.S. Army officer of the Seminole Wars era, when the county was created in 1850.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Georgia.