Clayton County, Georgia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Clayton County, Georgia | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Georgia |
|
 Georgia's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1858 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Jonesboro |
| Largest city | Forest Park |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
144 sq mi (374 km²) 143 sq mi (379 km²) 2 sq mi (4 km²), 1.15% |
| PopulationEst. - (2006) - Density |
271,240 1,658/sq mi (640/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website: www.co.clayton.ga.us | |
Clayton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 236,517. The 2007 Census estimate placed the population at 272,217 [1]. The county seat is Jonesboro[1].
Clayton County is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area and is the county in which most of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport lies.
The county was established in 1858 and named in honor of Augustin Smith Clayton (1783-1839), who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1832 until 1835.
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[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 144 square miles (374 km²), of which, 143 square miles (369 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (4 km²) of it (1.15%) is water.
[edit] Adjacent counties
- DeKalb County (northeast)
- Henry County (east)
- Spalding County (south)
- Fayette County (southwest)
- Fulton County (northwest)
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 236,517 people, 82,243 households, and 59,214 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,658 people per square mile (640/km²). There were 86,461 housing units at an average density of 606 per square mile (234/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 37.94% White, 51.55% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 4.49% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 3.55% from other races, and 2.08% from two or more races. 7.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 82,243 households out of which 40.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.70% were married couples living together, 20.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the county the population was spread out with 30.00% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 35.40% from 25 to 44, 18.40% from 45 to 64, and 5.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,697, and the median income for a family was $46,782. Males had a median income of $32,118 versus $26,926 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,079. About 8.20% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.20% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.
The last quarter-century has seen a remarkable change in the racial diversity of the county's population. In 1980, Clayton county's population was 150,357 with 91% white and 9% minority [2], while in 2006 the population was approximately 271,240 with 20% white and 80% minority [3].
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This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can (March 2008). |
[edit] Crime
Clayton County has recently experienced a rise in crime, ranging from shootings to gang-related activity.[citation needed] Crime in the area might be attributed to the increase in population in the county and the large amount of affordable housing that attracts low-income families.[citation needed] The Bowen Homes housing project, which is one of the most notorious in Atlanta for its rate of violent crime, will be demolished in 2009 and these residents are very likely to move into Clayton County with the housing vouchers they will receive. On March 20, 2007, the county appointed its first black police chief, Jeffrey E. Turner, who has promised to help alleviate crime in the county.[3]
[edit] Cities and towns
[edit] Unincorporated areas
- Rex (unincorporated)
- Conley (unincorporated)
- Ellenwood (unincorporated)
- Irondale (unincorporated)
- Bonanza (unincorporated)
- Lake Spivey
- Clayton Panhandle
- Old Dixie
- Mountain View
- Flintwoods
- Flint River District
- Lake Harbin
- Old South
- Botany Woods
- Valley Hill/North Jonesboro
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Air
[edit] Highways
Interstate 75
Interstate 85
Interstate 285
Interstate 675
U.S. Route 19
U.S. Route 23
U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 41
State Route 3
State Route 54
State Route 85
State Route 138
State Route 351
State Route 401
State Route 407
State Route 413
[edit] Mass transit
[edit] Bus
- Clayton County mass transit is run by C-TRAN, with five fixed bus routes and Paratransit
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- 500 - Airport Loop
- 501 - S.R. 54/Forest Park/Southlake Mall (Atlanta)/Tara Blvd./Justice Center
- 502 - Southlake Pkwy./Jonesboro/Lake City/Courthouse
- 503 - Gardenwalk/Southern Regional Medical Center/Morrow/Mt. Zion Pkwy.
- 504 - Riverdale Rd./Riverdale/S.R. 85/Flint River Rd./Justice Center
- 503 - ShortTurn Southern Regional Hospital
[edit] Rail
- There is commuter rail service in the planning stages along the Norfolk Southern line with proposed stations in Forest Park, Morrow, Jonesboro, and Lovejoy. This line is projected to run to Macon as soon as the line is completed.
- MARTA's Airport Station is located in Clayton County.
[edit] Education
[edit] Primary and secondary schools
The Clayton County School System is the 5th largest in Georgia according to statistics on the school system's web site. [4]
[edit] Higher education
Clayton State University in Morrow is the only four year institution in the county.
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This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can (March 2008). |
[edit] Accreditation
The Clayton County School System is on the brink of losing its accreditation. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) has given the district until September 1, 2008 to meet specified requirements or lose accreditation. If they lose accreditation, it would be only the second system in the nation to do so since 1960. A grand jury is investigating and considering possible criminal indictments against the Clayton County School Board. At issue is whether the school board committed malfeasance in ignoring the short-comings of the school system and violating its own rules concerning the awarding of bids of contracts.
School Board Chairwoman Ericka Davis announced her resignation on April 2, 2008 amidst the allegations. Clayton County Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell has called for the resignations of all Clayton County School Board Members. [5]
Amid controversy and orders for the police to quiet citizens, the Clayton County School Board hired a new temporary superintendent on April 26, 2008. This despite the fact that the new superintendent does not meet the qualifications set forth by SACS. [4]
[edit] References
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Police Administration. Retrieved on 2008-05-04.
- ^ District Statistics - Clayton County Public Schools. Retrieved April 5, 2008.
- ^ Clayton school board chairman steps down - Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved April 5, 2008.
[edit] External links
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