Randolph County is a county in Georgia, United States, part of the Black Belt region in the county’s part of the state historically built on cotton plantations. It had a population of 6,425 at the 2020 census and covers 431 square miles (1,120 km2), of which 428 square miles (1,110 km2) is land and 2.6 square miles (7 km2) is water, centred near 31°46′N 84°46′W.
Cuthbert is the county seat and its postal code is 39840. The county has two incorporated cities (Cuthbert and Shellman) and roughly a dozen unincorporated communities. Randolph County sits in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Randolph County
Randolph County has 2 incorporated cities and about 18 recognized unincorporated communities and crossroads settlements, most of them former mill sites, railroad stops or farming hamlets. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuthbert | City · seat | — | 39840 |
| Shellman | City | — | 39886 |
| Coleman | Unincorp. | — | 39836 |
| Benevolence | Unincorp. | — | 39840 |
| Carnegie | Unincorp. | — | 39840 |
| Springvale | Unincorp. | — | 39840 |
| Brooksville | Unincorp. | — | 39840 |
| Pachitla | Unincorp. | — | 39840 |
| Aycock Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bass Store | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coles | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Five Points | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Goffs Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Martins Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Peterson Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pumpkintown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shivers Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wades | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Water Pipe | Unincorp. | — | — |
Coleman, in the county’s south, has held onto its own ZIP code (39836) even though it was never incorporated; most of the smaller crossroads communities are grouped under Cuthbert’s 39840 ZIP for mail purposes.
ZIP Codes
- 39840 — Cuthbert (also serves Benevolence, Carnegie, Springvale, Brooksville and Pachitla)
- 39886 — Shellman
- 39836 — Coleman
The remaining small communities — Aycock Mill, Bass Store, Coles, Five Points, Goffs Mill, Gore, Martins Crossroads, Peterson Hill, Pumpkintown, Shivers Mill, Wades and Water Pipe — have no ZIP code of their own and use whichever of the three above is nearest.
Geography
Randolph County lies in southwestern Georgia on the Alabama-facing side of the state, in the gently rolling coastal plain of the Black Belt. The Chattahoochee River basin drains the county’s western edge on its way toward the Alabama state line, and several smaller creeks, including Pataula Creek, cross the county toward the Chattahoochee. Farmland and pine woodland cover most of the land area.
Randolph County borders Stewart County to the north, Webster County to the northeast, Terrell County to the east, Calhoun County to the southeast, Clay County to the southwest, and Quitman County to the west.
Demographics
Randolph County had 6,425 residents at the 2020 census, down sharply from its 1910 peak, when cotton farming drew far more agricultural laborers to the area. Cuthbert and Shellman are the county’s two largest communities. Median household income runs well below the Georgia median of $74,632, reflecting the county’s long-running population loss and its dependence on farm-related work. Population density is about 15 people per square mile, one of the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture remains the backbone of the local economy, with peanuts, cotton, corn and timber the dominant crops on the county’s farmland. Andrew College, a two-year private college founded in 1854, has its campus in Cuthbert and is one of the county’s most visible institutions alongside the county government offices and school system based there.
History
Randolph County was created by the Georgia legislature on December 20, 1828, from land taken from Lee County, and was named for John Randolph of Roanoke, the Virginia planter and politician. Cotton plantations built on enslaved labor dominated the antebellum economy; the county’s population peaked around 1910 and has declined in most census counts since, as mechanized farming reduced the need for agricultural labor and residents moved to larger cities.
Getting There
U.S. Route 27 and U.S. Highway 82 cross the county, along with Georgia State Routes 1, 41, 50, 216 and 266.
- Albany, Georgia — 40 miles east
- Columbus, Georgia — 45 miles northwest
- Eufaula, Alabama — 20 miles southwest
- Americus, Georgia — 30 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Southwest Georgia Regional Airport in Albany.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Randolph County, Georgia?
It sits in the southwestern part of the state, near the Alabama state line, centred near 31°46′N 84°46′W.
What is the population of Randolph County?
6,425 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Randolph County?
431 square miles (1,120 km2), of which 2.6 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Randolph County?
Cuthbert is the county seat.
How many towns are in Randolph County?
Two incorporated cities, Cuthbert and Shellman, plus about 18 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Randolph County?
39840 (Cuthbert), 39886 (Shellman) and 39836 (Coleman).
What college is in Randolph County?
Andrew College, a private two-year college founded in 1854, is based in Cuthbert.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Georgia.