Schley County is a county in Georgia, United States, in the west-central part of the state, roughly 30 miles north of Americus. It had a population of 4,547 at the 2020 census and covers 168 square miles (440 km2) centred near 32°16′N 84°18′W.
Ellaville is the county seat, and its postal code is 31806. The county holds one incorporated city and a handful of unincorporated communities, sits in the Eastern time zone, and carries FIPS code 13261. Schley County is part of the Americus micropolitan statistical area.
Towns & Villages in Schley County
Schley County has one incorporated city, Ellaville, plus several unincorporated communities scattered across its farmland and pine woods. The table below lists every named place carried over from county records, with type and, where verified, 2020 population.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellaville | City · seat | 1,595 | 31806 |
| Concord | Unincorp. | — | 31806 |
| La Crosse | Unincorp. | — | 31806 |
| Murrays Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | 31806 |
| Walls Crossing | Unincorp. | — | 31806 |
Ellaville is the only incorporated municipality in the county; everything else listed above is an unincorporated crossroads community, and all of them share Ellaville’s single ZIP code. One name from older listings, “Bumphead,” could not be verified against any current gazetteer or postal record and has been dropped rather than published unverified.
ZIP Codes
- 31806 — Ellaville (also serves Concord, La Crosse, Murrays Crossroads and Walls Crossing)
Schley County is small enough that the Postal Service routes the entire county through the single Ellaville office; no other community has its own ZIP code.
Geography
Schley County sits in the upper coastal plain of west-central Georgia, a landscape of gently rolling farmland, pine plantations and hardwood bottoms along its creeks. The county covers 168 square miles (440 km2), of which about 167 square miles (430 km2) are land and roughly 1 square mile (2.3 km2) is water. Its watercourses drain generally southeast toward the Flint River basin.
Schley County borders four other Georgia counties: Taylor County to the north, Macon County to the east, Sumter County to the south, and Marion County to the west.
Demographics
Schley County had 4,547 residents at the 2020 census, spread across its 167 square miles of land for a density of about 27 people per square mile. Ellaville, the county seat, is by far the largest community; the unincorporated crossroads communities of Concord and La Crosse are small clusters of a few dozen homes each. Median household income in Schley County runs below the Georgia median of $74,632, reflecting the county’s rural, agricultural economic base.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture anchors the county’s economy — row crops, pecans, timber and cattle on the farmland outside Ellaville — alongside county government, the Schley County School District, and small manufacturing and retail businesses along U.S. 19 in Ellaville. Many residents commute to Americus, in neighboring Sumter County, for larger employers and shopping. Schley County High School’s football program, the Wildcats, is a focal point of community life each fall.
History
The Georgia General Assembly created Schley County on December 22, 1857, carving it from parts of Marion and Sumter counties. It is named for William Schley, a former U.S. Representative and Georgia’s 36th governor; local tradition holds that the name is pronounced “sly,” the way Governor Schley himself said it. Ellaville was laid out as the new county seat, and its first courthouse went up in 1858; the current Schley County Courthouse dates to 1899 and still serves the county today.
Getting There
U.S. Route 19 runs north–south through Ellaville, linking the county to Americus to the south and Manchester and Columbus-area roads to the north. State Routes 3, 26, 153, 228, 240 and 271 fan out from the county seat to neighboring communities.
- Americus — 20 miles south
- Columbus — 45 miles west
- Macon — 55 miles northeast
- Albany — 55 miles south
The nearest commercial air service is Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Macon; Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is about 110 miles north.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Schley County, Georgia?
It is in west-central Georgia, about 20 miles north of Americus, bordered by Taylor, Macon, Sumter and Marion counties.
What is the population of Schley County?
Schley County had a population of 4,547 at the 2020 census.
How big is Schley County?
The county covers 168 square miles (440 km2), of which about 1 square mile is water.
What is the county seat of Schley County?
Ellaville is the county seat and the only incorporated city in the county.
How many towns are in Schley County?
Schley County has one incorporated city, Ellaville, and several unincorporated communities including Concord, La Crosse, Murrays Crossroads and Walls Crossing.
What ZIP codes are in Schley County?
The entire county is served by ZIP code 31806, addressed to Ellaville.
Where does the name Schley County come from?
The county is named for William Schley, a former U.S. Representative and Georgia’s 36th governor, and was created in 1857.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Georgia.