Sylvester,_Georgia
Sylvester, Georgia
City in Georgia, United States
Sylvester is the county seat of Worth County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,644 in 2020. The city is the county seat[6] and business center of Worth County[7] and is claimed to be the Peanut Capital of the World due to its peanut production.[1]
Sylvester, Georgia | |
|---|---|
Sylvester City Hall | |
| Nickname: | |
| Motto: "Small Town. Big Heart."[1] | |
Location in Worth County and the state of Georgia | |
| Coordinates: 31°31′53″N 83°50′10″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Worth |
| Settled | 1893 |
| Incorporated (City) | December 21st, 1898 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.60 sq mi (17.09 km2) |
| • Land | 6.56 sq mi (16.99 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2) |
| Elevation | 387 ft (118 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 5,644 |
| • Density | 860.37/sq mi (332.21/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 31791 |
| Area code | 229 |
| FIPS code | 13-75188[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0356576[5] |
| Website | cityofsylvester |
Sylvester was platted in 1893.[8] The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Sylvester as a town in 1898.[9]
Sylvester is located at 31°31′53″N 83°50′10″W (31.531425, -83.836233).[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.7 square miles (15 km2), of which 5.7 square miles (15 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (0.52%) is water.
Sylvester is located on 
U.S. Highway 82 at the junction of 
Georgia State Route 33. 
Georgia State Route 256 enters into southeast Sylvester, where it is co-designated Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 552 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,447 | 162.1% | |
| 1920 | 1,547 | 6.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,984 | 28.2% | |
| 1940 | 2,191 | 10.4% | |
| 1950 | 2,623 | 19.7% | |
| 1960 | 3,610 | 37.6% | |
| 1970 | 4,226 | 17.1% | |
| 1980 | 5,860 | 38.7% | |
| 1990 | 5,702 | −2.7% | |
| 2000 | 5,990 | 5.1% | |
| 2010 | 6,188 | 3.3% | |
| 2020 | 5,644 | −8.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 2,023 | 35.84% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 3,342 | 59.21% |
| Native American | 6 | 0.11% |
| Asian | 47 | 0.83% |
| Pacific Islander | 6 | 0.11% |
| Other/Mixed | 129 | 2.29% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 91 | 1.61% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,644 people, 2,346 households, and 1,709 families residing in the city.
The Worth County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school.[13] The district has 296 full-time teachers and over 4,354 students.[14]
- Worth County Elementary School
- Worth County Primary School
- Worth County Middle School
- Worth County High School
- Marion Butts - NFL running back who played for the San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots, and Houston Oilers; born in Sylvester.
- Rickey Claitt - NFL running back who played for the Washington Redskins; born in Sylvester.
- Meshak Williams - NFL defensive end who played for the Baltimore Ravens; born in Sylvester.
- Mary Hood - award-winning author of How Far She Went, And Venus Is Blue and Familiar Heat. Graduated from Worth County High School.
- Ray Jenkins - Newspaper editor and deputy press secretary to President Jimmy Carter; born in Sylvester.
- Sue Monk Kidd - author of the New York Times bestseller, The Secret Life of Bees and The Mermaid Chair. Born in Sylvester.
- Frank Park - Congressman (1913–1935)
- Bob Sikes - U.S. Representative for Florida, born in Isabella.
- Sonny Skinner - PGA golf pro.
- Michael Carter - Musician, Songwriter, Producer (Lead guitarist for Luke Bryan), graduated from Worth County High School.
- "City of Sylvester Georgia". City of Sylvester Georgia. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
- "Sylvester". GeorgiaGov. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
- "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- "Profile for Sylvester, Georgia, GA". ePodunk. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
- "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 218. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
- Acts Passed by the General Assembly of Georgia. J. Johnston. 1899. p. 269.
- "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- Georgia Board of Education, Retrieved June 30, 2010.
- School Stats, Retrieved June 30, 2010.
- City of Sylvester Georgia Portal style website, government, business, library, recreation and more
- Worth County Schools Home Page