Quitman County is a county in Georgia, United States, on the Alabama state line along the Chattahoochee River. It had a population of 2,235 at the 2020 census and covers 161 square miles (420 km2), of which 151 square miles is land and 9.3 square miles is water, centred near 31°52′N 85°01′W.
Georgetown is the county seat, and its postal code is 39854. The county has one incorporated city and two unincorporated communities; Georgia has no civil townships. Quitman County sits in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Quitman County
Quitman County is small and mostly rural, with a single incorporated city and a handful of unincorporated crossroads communities. Georgetown accounts for roughly 95% of the county’s population. In the table below, “Unincorp.” means an unincorporated community with no ZIP of its own listed unless noted.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown | City · seat | 2,436 | 39854 |
| Morris | Unincorp. | 127 | 39867 |
| Hatcher | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Union | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
Georgetown’s ZIP-code population figure of 2,436 slightly exceeds the county’s own 2,235 census count because the 39854 ZIP area extends a short distance across the county line; treat it as an approximate service-area figure rather than a strict city population.
ZIP Codes
- 39854 — Georgetown (the county’s main post office town)
- 39867 — Morris
Hatcher, Union, and Crossroads have no ZIP code of their own and are served by the Georgetown or Morris post offices depending on location.
Geography
Quitman County lies in Georgia’s southwestern corner, where the Chattahoochee River forms the state line with Alabama. The terrain is a mix of river-bottom farmland and pine woodland typical of the lower Chattahoochee valley, with the river itself forming most of the county’s western edge. Roughly 6 percent of the county’s total area is water, mostly the river and its backwaters, and the land rises gently away from the floodplain toward rolling upland farm country in the east. The county borders Stewart County to the north, Randolph County to the east, Clay County to the south, and Barbour County, Alabama, across the river to the west.
Demographics
Quitman County had a population of 2,235 at the 2020 census, one of the smallest counts of any county in Georgia. Georgetown and Morris are the county’s two largest named communities. Median household income in the county runs well below the Georgia median of $74,632, reflecting the area’s small tax base and limited job market. Population density is about 15 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Farming and forestry drive the local economy, with row crops, pecans, and timber the main products of the flat, fertile Chattahoochee bottomland. Cotton, peanuts, and corn are grown across the county’s river-bottom fields, and pine plantations supply the pulpwood mills of the surrounding region. Quitman County government, consolidated with the city of Georgetown since 2006, is one of the largest local employers, alongside the local school system. The county’s small population and rural character mean most residents commute to nearby Eufaula, Alabama, or Cuthbert in Randolph County for larger retail, healthcare, and services, and to Columbus for higher-paying industrial and military-adjacent jobs.
History
Quitman County was organized on December 10, 1858, from parts of Randolph and Stewart counties, and named for General John A. Quitman, a Mexican-American War commander and former governor of Mississippi. The county developed as a cotton-plantation economy along the Chattahoochee River bottomlands in the 19th century, and Georgetown grew up as a river landing and later a rail and highway crossroads serving the surrounding farm country. In November 2006, county voters approved merging the governments of Georgetown and Quitman County into a single consolidated city-county administration, one of only a few such governments in Georgia and a response to the practical difficulty of running two separate small governments for so few residents.
Getting There
U.S. Route 27 runs north-south through Georgetown, connecting the county to Eufaula, Alabama, and Cuthbert, Georgia.
- Eufaula, Alabama — 3 miles west
- Cuthbert, Georgia — 20 miles east
- Columbus, Georgia — 55 miles north
- Albany, Georgia — 65 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Columbus Airport (CSG) in Columbus, Georgia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Quitman County, Georgia?
It sits in Georgia’s southwestern corner, along the Chattahoochee River on the Alabama state line, between Columbus and Albany.
What is the population of Quitman County?
2,235 people, per the 2020 census, making it one of Georgia’s least populous counties.
How big is Quitman County?
161 square miles (420 km2) in total, of which 151 square miles is land.
What is the Quitman County seat?
Georgetown is the county seat, and since 2006 its city government has been consolidated with the county government.
How many towns are in Quitman County?
One incorporated city, Georgetown, plus the unincorporated communities of Morris, Hatcher, Union, and Crossroads.
What ZIP codes are in Quitman County?
39854 (Georgetown) and 39867 (Morris).
Why is it called Quitman County?
It is named for General John A. Quitman, a Mexican-American War leader and former governor of Mississippi.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Georgia.