Evans County is a county in Georgia, United States, on the Coastal Plain roughly 50 miles west of Savannah. It had a population of 10,774 at the 2020 census and covers 187 square miles (480 km2), centred near 32°10′N 81°53′W.
Claxton is the county seat, and its postal code is 30417. The county has one incorporated city (Claxton) and three unincorporated post-office communities (Bellville, Daisy, Hagan), plus several smaller settlements. Evans County lies in the Eastern time zone. Georgia has no civil townships, so places here are grouped only as incorporated or unincorporated.
Towns & Villages in Evans County
The table below lists Claxton, the county’s only incorporated city, alongside the smaller communities and rural settlements carried over from historical county records. CDP = Census-Designated Place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claxton | City · seat | 2,276 | 30417 |
| Bellville | Unincorp. | — | 30414 |
| Daisy | Unincorp. | — | 30423 |
| Hagan | Unincorp. | — | 30429 |
| Bay Branch | Unincorp. | — | 30417 |
| Daniels | Unincorp. | — | 30417 |
| Deans Crossing | Unincorp. | — | 30417 |
| Edna | Unincorp. | — | 30417 |
| Jennie | Unincorp. | — | 30417 |
| Mount Pleasant | Unincorp. | — | 30417 |
| Undine | Unincorp. | — | 30417 |
“Lovetts MH Park” from the old list was dropped as a private manufactured-home park rather than a place name; every other name from the prior list is retained above.
ZIP Codes
- 30417 — Claxton (also serves the rural communities of Bay Branch, Daniels, Deans Crossing, Edna, Jennie, Mount Pleasant and Undine)
- 30429 — Hagan
- 30423 — Daisy
- 30414 — Bellville
Claxton’s ZIP alone covers roughly 98 percent of the county’s population; the other three are largely PO-box-only addresses.
Geography
Evans County sits on Georgia’s Coastal Plain, low and gently rolling, drained by the Canoochee River, which forms much of the county’s eastern boundary and feeds the Ogeechee River downstream. Of the county’s 187 square miles, about 4.0 square miles is water. It borders Bulloch County to the northeast, Bryan County to the east, Liberty County to the southeast, Tattnall County to the southwest, and Candler County to the northwest.
Demographics
Evans County’s population was 10,774 at the 2020 census, with Claxton the largest community by a wide margin. Median household income runs below the Georgia median of $74,632; Evans is a smaller, rural county with an agriculture- and manufacturing-based economy. Population density is roughly 59 people per square mile, well below the Georgia statewide average, reflecting the county’s rural, agricultural character.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture remains central to Evans County’s economy, with corn, cotton, soybeans and poultry among the leading products. Claxton Poultry Company is one of the county’s largest private employers, alongside Evans Memorial Hospital, a state Department of Corrections facility, and Camellia Health and Rehabilitation. Claxton markets itself as the “Fruitcake Capital of the World” for its longtime fruitcake bakeries, and the county holds an annual Rattlesnake Festival, running since 1968.
History
Evans County was created on August 11, 1914, by an act of the Georgia General Assembly, carved from Bulloch and Tattnall counties, and confirmed by a local vote on November 3, 1914. It is named for Clement A. Evans, a Georgia state senator, Confederate brigadier general, Methodist minister, and historian. In 1940 the county elected Josie Mae Rogers as its first female sheriff. From the 1960s into the 1980s, the Evans County Heart Study, a long-running cardiovascular research project, produced hundreds of published papers on heart disease and genetics.
Evans County is small in population but land-rich for its size, with forestry — mainly pine plantations grown for pulpwood — a significant part of the rural economy alongside row-crop farming. Claxton High School and Evans County Elementary/Middle serve the district’s public students, and the county library sits in downtown Claxton near the courthouse square.
Getting There
U.S. Route 280 and State Routes 169 and 129 cross the county, meeting at Claxton.
- Statesboro — 25 miles northeast
- Savannah — 50 miles east
- Vidalia — 35 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Evans County, Georgia?
It is in southeastern Georgia’s Coastal Plain, about 50 miles west of Savannah.
What is the population of Evans County?
10,774 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Evans County?
187 square miles (480 km2), including 4.0 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Evans County?
Claxton is the county seat.
How many towns are in Evans County?
Claxton is the only incorporated city; the rest are unincorporated communities such as Bellville, Daisy and Hagan.
What ZIP codes are in Evans County?
30417 (Claxton), 30429 (Hagan), 30423 (Daisy) and 30414 (Bellville).
Why is Claxton called the “Fruitcake Capital of the World”?
Two Claxton bakeries have shipped fruitcakes nationwide for decades, giving the city its nickname.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Georgia.