Lumpkin County is a county in Georgia, United States, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains where the Appalachian Trail’s approach path begins. It had a population of 33,488 at the 2020 census and covers 284 square miles (740 km2) centred near 34°34′N 84°00′W.
Dahlonega is the county seat and its postal code is 30533. The county has one incorporated city, a handful of unincorporated communities, and several former mining settlements now reduced to place names on the map. Lumpkin County runs on Eastern time, and its FIPS code is 13187.
Towns & Villages in Lumpkin County
Dahlonega is the only incorporated municipality in Lumpkin County; everywhere else in the county is unincorporated, including several 1830s gold-rush communities that survive only as crossroads or historical markers.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dahlonega | City · seat | 7,058 | 30533 |
| Auraria | Unincorp. | — | 30533 |
| Turners Corner | Unincorp. | — | 30512 |
| Nimblewill | Unincorp. | — | 30533 |
| Porter Springs | Unincorp. | — | 30533 |
| Cane Creek | Unincorp. | — | 30533 |
| Fort Smith | Unincorp. | — | 30533 |
| Garland | Unincorp. | — | 30533 |
| Buckhorn Tavern | Unincorp. | — | 30533 |
Auraria was Lumpkin County’s original gold-rush boomtown, briefly rivaling Dahlonega in the early 1830s before the mining trade shifted south; it now has no services of its own. Turners Corner, in the county’s northeast near the Chattahoochee National Forest boundary, carries a Cleveland ZIP (30512) rather than a Dahlonega one because it sits closer to that post office.
ZIP Codes
- 30533 — Dahlonega (covers roughly 96% of the county’s residents)
- 30597 — Dahlonega (unique ZIP assigned to the University of North Georgia campus)
Places on the county’s northeastern edge, such as Turners Corner, use the neighboring Cleveland, Georgia post office instead.
Geography
Lumpkin County sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains of north Georgia, drained by the Chestatee River and its tributaries, with the Chattahoochee National Forest covering much of its northern and eastern reaches. Elevations run from valley floors near Dahlonega up past 3,000 feet along the county’s mountain ridgelines. Lumpkin County borders Union County to the north, White County to the east, Hall County to the southeast, Dawson County to the west, and Fannin County to the northwest.
Demographics
Lumpkin County’s population was 33,488 at the 2020 census. Dahlonega, the county seat and only incorporated city, accounts for roughly 7,000 residents; the rest live in unincorporated areas spread across the county’s mountain valleys. Median household income runs below the Georgia median of $74,632, reflecting the county’s rural and student-heavy economic base. Population density is about 118 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Lumpkin County’s economy centers on Dahlonega, home to the University of North Georgia’s founding campus, one of the state’s senior military colleges. Tourism built around the town’s gold-rush history, Blue Ridge scenery, and a growing cluster of wineries along the Georgia Wine Highway is a major employer alongside education and county government. Dahlonega’s historic square, with its 1836 courthouse, anchors a compact tourist district of shops and tasting rooms that draws day-trippers from Atlanta most weekends. Autumn brings heavy leaf-peeper traffic for the fall color season, and the county’s mountain-biking and hiking trade around the Chattahoochee National Forest keeps visitor numbers high year-round.
History
Lumpkin County was created on December 3, 1832, from land taken from Cherokee and Habersham counties, and named for Wilson Lumpkin, then governor of Georgia. The discovery of gold near Auraria in 1828 sparked the nation’s first major gold rush, predating California’s by two decades, and led the federal government to open a branch mint in Dahlonega that operated until the Civil War. The gold rush also accelerated the forced removal of Cherokee residents from the area along what became the Trail of Tears.
Getting There
US Route 19 and US Route 129 run through Dahlonega, connecting to Georgia Routes 9, 11, 52, 60, 115, and 400.
- Gainesville — 20 miles southeast
- Cleveland — 15 miles northeast
- Cumming — 25 miles south
- Atlanta — 65 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lumpkin County, Georgia?
It is in the Blue Ridge Mountains of north Georgia, about 65 miles north of Atlanta.
What is the population of Lumpkin County?
33,488 at the 2020 census.
How big is Lumpkin County?
284 square miles (740 km2), of which 283 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Lumpkin County?
Dahlonega is the county seat.
How many towns are in Lumpkin County?
Dahlonega is the only incorporated city; the rest of the county is unincorporated.
What ZIP codes are in Lumpkin County?
30533 and 30597, both serving Dahlonega.
Why is Lumpkin County known for gold?
The 1828 gold discovery near Auraria triggered the first major U.S. gold rush and led to a federal mint operating in Dahlonega until the Civil War.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Georgia.