Fannin County is a county in Georgia, United States, in the Blue Ridge Mountains along the North Carolina and Tennessee borders. It had a population of 25,319 at the 2020 census and covers 392 square miles (1,020 km2) centred near 34°52′N 84°19′W.
Blue Ridge is the county seat, and its postal code is 30513. The county has 3 incorporated cities, 2 census-designated places, and a scatter of unincorporated mountain communities. It sits in the Eastern time zone. Almost 90 percent of residents live outside any incorporated city — one of the highest unincorporated shares in Georgia.
Towns & Villages in Fannin County
Fannin County has 3 incorporated cities, 2 census-designated places (CDPs), and dozens of small unincorporated mill and mining communities scattered through the mountains. Georgia has no civil townships, so places are grouped simply by type below.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Ridge | City · seat | 1,373 | 30513 |
| McCaysville | City | 1,076 | 30555 |
| Morganton | City | 350 | 30560 |
| Mineral Bluff | CDP | — | 30559 |
| Epworth | CDP | — | 30541 |
| Aska | Unincorp. | — | 30513 |
| Ballew Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brown Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bryan Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chestnut Gap | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coles Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Colwell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cooper Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Curtis | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dial | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dunn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elrod Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Forge Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Galloway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Greens Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hemptown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Higdon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hurst | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jonestown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kingtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kyle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lakewood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Loving | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Maple Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mashburn Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Maxwell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McCullough | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Murphy Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Newport | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oasis | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pantertown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pierceville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pleasant Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Salem | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sparks Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stewart Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stock Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sugar Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sugar Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Swan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sweet Gum | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Three Forks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Union | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Williamstown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wilscot | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wilson Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Windy Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wright Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
McCaysville sits directly on the Tennessee state line — the town sits directly across the Toccoa River (called the Ocoee in Tennessee) from Copperhill, Tennessee, and locals treat the two as one town split by a state border.
ZIP Codes
- 30513 — Blue Ridge (also serves Aska)
- 30555 — McCaysville
- 30559 — Mineral Bluff
- 30560 — Morganton
- 30541 — Epworth
The smaller unincorporated communities carry the ZIP code of whichever post office town is nearest; most of the county’s mill communities are closest to Blue Ridge or Morganton.
Geography
Fannin County lies in the Blue Ridge Mountains of far north Georgia, the state’s most mountainous county. The Toccoa River (called the Ocoee once it crosses into Tennessee) runs through the county and feeds Lake Blue Ridge, a reservoir behind the Blue Ridge Dam that draws boaters and anglers each summer. Elevations range from valley floors near 1,600 feet to ridgelines over 3,600 feet in the Chattahoochee National Forest, which covers much of the county’s land area.
Fannin County borders Polk County, Tennessee to the north, Cherokee County, North Carolina to the northeast, Union County to the east, Dawson County to the southeast, Gilmer County to the south, and Murray County to the west.
Demographics
Fannin County had 25,319 residents at the 2020 census, giving a density of about 65 people per square mile. Blue Ridge and McCaysville are the county’s two largest communities. Median household income in the county runs below the Georgia median of $74,632 — Fannin is one of the state’s poorer, more rural counties, reflecting its mountain-tourism and retiree-driven economy rather than heavy industry.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism drives much of the local economy: Blue Ridge’s restored downtown and the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, a vintage excursion train running to McCaysville, draw weekend visitors from Atlanta and Chattanooga. Second-home and cabin construction in the mountains around Aska and Lake Blue Ridge supports a large share of local building trades. McCaysville and neighboring Copperhill, Tennessee, share a legacy copper-mining and smelting economy dating to the early 1900s, though the mines closed decades ago.
History
Fannin County was organized on January 21, 1854, from parts of Gilmer and Union counties, and named for James W. Fannin, a Georgia-born officer executed with his men at Goliad during the Texas Revolution. The county’s copper belt around McCaysville was mined intensively from the late 1800s through the mid-20th century, stripping the surrounding hillsides of vegetation so severely the bare red earth was once visible from orbit before a long reclamation effort restored much of the forest.
Getting There
U.S. Route 76 and State Route 5 are the county’s main highways, with SR 5 running north to the Tennessee line at McCaysville-Copperhill.
- Ellijay — 20 miles south
- Chattanooga, Tennessee — 60 miles northwest
- Atlanta — 90 miles south
- Asheville, North Carolina — 90 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport; Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the closest major hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Fannin County, Georgia?
It is in the far north of the state, in the Blue Ridge Mountains along the North Carolina and Tennessee borders.
What is the population of Fannin County?
25,319 at the 2020 census.
How big is Fannin County?
392 square miles (1,020 km2), of which about 5.2 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Fannin County?
Blue Ridge is the county seat.
How many towns are in Fannin County?
Three incorporated cities — Blue Ridge, McCaysville, and Morganton — plus the CDPs of Epworth and Mineral Bluff and dozens of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Fannin County?
30513 (Blue Ridge), 30555 (McCaysville), 30559 (Mineral Bluff), 30560 (Morganton), and 30541 (Epworth).
Why does McCaysville feel like it’s in two states?
It sits directly on the Tennessee line, forming one continuous downtown with Copperhill, Tennessee, on the far side of the river.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Georgia.