Dade County is a county in Georgia, United States, wedged into the state’s extreme northwestern corner between the Alabama and Tennessee lines. It had a population of 16,251 at the 2020 census and covers 174 square miles (451 km2) centred near 34°51′N 85°30′W.
Trenton is the county seat, and its postal code is 30752. The county has one incorporated city, three census-designated places, and a handful of unincorporated communities and former mining settlements. Dade County observes Eastern time and has no civil townships, so town government here is limited to Trenton itself.
Towns & Villages in Dade County
Trenton is Dade County’s only incorporated municipality. New England, West Brow, and Wildwood are census-designated places (CDPs) — recognized for statistical purposes but not self-governing. The rest are unincorporated communities, several tracing back to 19th-century coal-mining and rail-stop settlements on Lookout and Sand Mountains.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton | City · seat | 2,195 | 30752 |
| Rising Fawn | Unincorp. | — | 30738 |
| Wildwood | CDP | — | 30757 |
| New England | CDP | — | 30752 |
| West Brow | CDP | — | 30752 |
| Head River | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hooker | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Morganville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cole City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cedar Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cloverdale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sulphur Springs Station | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Plum Nelly | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stewart Town | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Union | Unincorp. | — | — |
Cole City is a former coal-camp community abandoned after its mines closed in the early 20th century; its remains sit inside what is now managed forest land. Amos Mill, Avans, and Gass appeared as place names in older county gazetteers but could not be independently confirmed for this profile and are omitted rather than guessed at.
ZIP Codes
- 30752 — Trenton (also serves New England and West Brow)
- 30738 — Rising Fawn
- 30757 — Wildwood
Smaller unincorporated communities such as Head River, Hooker, Morganville, Cedar Hill, and Cloverdale share the ZIP code of their nearest post office town rather than carrying their own.
Geography
Dade County sits almost entirely atop Lookout Mountain and Sand Mountain, with Lookout Valley running between them along the Tennessee River watershed. Little Sequatchie Creek and Lookout Creek drain the valley floor. Cloudland Canyon State Park, one of Georgia’s deepest gorges, lies along the county’s eastern plateau.
Dade County borders Marion County to the north and Hamilton County to the northeast, both in Tennessee; Walker County lies to the east, also in Georgia; and Jackson County and DeKalb County border it to the west and southwest, both in Alabama. Because Dade sits on the far side of Lookout Mountain from the rest of Georgia, its road links historically ran through Tennessee and Alabama rather than across the mountain.
Demographics
The county’s population was 16,251 at the 2020 census, up from 16,633 in 2010. Trenton is the largest community at 2,195 residents, followed by the Wildwood and West Brow CDPs. Median household income in Dade County runs below the Georgia median of $74,632, reflecting the county’s rural, mountain-valley economy. Population density is roughly 93 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Dade County’s economy leans on manufacturing, small farms, and commuting into Chattanooga, Tennessee, about 20 miles northeast of Trenton via Interstate 59. The Southeast Lineman Training Center, based in Trenton, trains utility linemen from across the country and is one of the county’s better-known institutions. Cloudland Canyon State Park draws hikers and campers and supports a small tourism trade around Rising Fawn.
History
Dade County was created in 1837 out of Walker County and named for Major Francis Langhorne Dade, an army officer killed by Seminole fighters in Florida in December 1835. Coal mining shaped the county through the late 1800s and early 1900s, with company towns like Cole City rising and fading with the mines. In 1860, county voters symbolically declared Dade an independent republic they called “Sequatchee,” a local legend later commemorated by Trenton officials rejoining the union in a 1945 ceremony.
Getting There
Interstate 59 crosses the county’s northern end, and U.S. Route 11 and Georgia Routes 136, 157, and 189 provide the main local connections.
- Chattanooga, Tennessee — 20 miles northeast
- Fort Payne, Alabama — 25 miles southwest
- LaFayette, Georgia — 25 miles southeast
- Chattooga County, Georgia line — 30 miles south
Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport is the nearest commercial airport, about 25 miles from Trenton.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Dade County, Georgia?
It occupies the extreme northwest corner of Georgia, bordered by Tennessee to the north and Alabama to the west.
What is the population of Dade County?
16,251 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Dade County?
174 square miles (451 km2), almost entirely on Lookout and Sand Mountains.
What is the county seat of Dade County?
Trenton is the county seat and the county’s only incorporated city.
How many towns are in Dade County?
One incorporated city (Trenton), three census-designated places, and around a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Dade County?
30752 (Trenton), 30738 (Rising Fawn), and 30757 (Wildwood).
What is Dade County known for?
Its 1860 mock secession, its coal-mining past at Cole City, and Cloudland Canyon State Park.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Georgia.