Taliaferro County is a county in Georgia, United States, in the east-central part of the state along the I-20 corridor. It had a population of 1,559 at the 2020 census and covers 195 square miles (510 km2) centred near 33°34′N 82°53′W.
Crawfordville is the county seat and its postal code is 30631. The county has one incorporated city and a handful of small unincorporated communities, and sits in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Taliaferro County
Taliaferro County has one incorporated municipality — Crawfordville, the county seat — plus several small unincorporated communities scattered along its rural roads. The table below marks each place’s type; Unincorp. denotes a community with no municipal government of its own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crawfordville | City · seat | — | 30631 |
| Sharon | Unincorp. | — | 30664 |
| Carters Grove | Unincorp. | — | 30631 |
| Edgewood Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | 30631 |
| Hillman | Unincorp. | — | 30631 |
| Lyneville | Unincorp. | — | 30631 |
| Raytown | Unincorp. | — | 30631 |
| Robinson | Unincorp. | — | 30631 |
| Springfield | Unincorp. | — | 30631 |
ZIP Codes
- 30631 — Crawfordville (also serves Carters Grove, Edgewood Crossroads, Hillman, Lyneville, Raytown, Robinson and Springfield)
- 30664 — Sharon (PO Box delivery only)
The 30631 ZIP holds nearly the entire county’s population, a sign of how much of Taliaferro County’s population and services are concentrated around its single city.
Geography
Taliaferro County lies in the Piedmont region of east-central Georgia, a rolling landscape of pine and hardwood forest crossed by small creeks feeding the Ogeechee and Savannah river systems. The county covers 195 square miles, nearly all of it land, with only a small share of surface water. Interstate 20 runs through the county on its way between Augusta and Atlanta, and much of the surrounding countryside remains working farmland and timberland rather than subdivided residential land.
The terrain is gently rolling rather than mountainous, typical of the Georgia Piedmont, with elevations generally between 400 and 700 feet above sea level. Small streams and farm ponds are common across the county, but there is no major lake or navigable waterway within its borders. Public land is limited; most of the county remains privately held farm and forest tracts passed down through generations of local families.
Taliaferro County borders Wilkes County to the north, Oglethorpe County to the northwest, Greene County to the west, Hancock County to the south, and Warren County to the southeast.
Demographics
Taliaferro County had 1,559 residents at the 2020 census, making it the least populous county in Georgia and the second-least populous county east of the Mississippi River, after Issaquena County, Mississippi. Crawfordville, the county seat, is by far the largest community; Sharon is the county’s other named settlement. Median household income in the county runs well below the Georgia median of $74,632, reflecting the county’s small tax base and limited local job market. Population density is roughly 8 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Taliaferro County’s economy is built on agriculture, forestry, and county government, with most working residents commuting out to jobs in Augusta, Athens, or nearby larger counties. Timber and row crops such as cotton, soybeans, and corn remain the county’s principal agricultural products, worked from farms that in many cases have stayed in the same families for generations. The county government itself, based in Crawfordville, is among the largest local employers given the county’s small population.
The county has drawn national attention for the high volume of traffic citations issued along its stretch of Interstate 20, a significant source of local revenue that has made the county something of a cautionary byword for out-of-state drivers passing through on their way between Atlanta and Augusta. Its quiet, unspoiled rural scenery has also brought location shoots for feature films, including Paris Trout and Sweet Home Alabama, drawn by small-town streetscapes largely unchanged since the mid-20th century.
History
The Georgia General Assembly, meeting in Milledgeville, created Taliaferro County on December 24, 1825, from parts of Wilkes, Greene, Hancock, Oglethorpe, and Warren counties. It was named for Colonel Benjamin Taliaferro, a Virginia-born officer in the American Revolution who later settled in Georgia. The county is the birthplace and longtime home of Alexander H. Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy, whose home near Crawfordville is preserved as a state historic site.
Getting There
Interstate 20 crosses the county east–west, linking Crawfordville to Augusta and Atlanta. U.S. Route 278 and several state routes provide local connections to neighboring county seats.
- Augusta — 45 miles east
- Athens — 40 miles northwest
- Atlanta — 100 miles west
- Washington, Georgia (Wilkes County seat) — 20 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Augusta Regional Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Taliaferro County?
It is in east-central Georgia along Interstate 20, between Augusta and Atlanta.
What is the population of Taliaferro County?
1,559 people at the 2020 census, the lowest of any Georgia county.
How big is Taliaferro County?
195 square miles (510 km2), almost entirely land.
What is the county seat of Taliaferro County?
Crawfordville is the county seat.
How many towns are in Taliaferro County?
One incorporated city, Crawfordville, plus several small unincorporated communities including Sharon, Carters Grove, and Hillman.
What ZIP codes are in Taliaferro County?
30631 (Crawfordville) and 30664 (Sharon).
Who is Taliaferro County named after?
Colonel Benjamin Taliaferro, a Revolutionary War officer from Virginia who later lived in Georgia.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Georgia.