Profile of the County

Area & Population

Lumpkin County, resting in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is 283 square miles in area, 44% of which is located within the Chattahoochee National Forest. The population of our county has grown by 43% over the last ten years with the current estimated population to be over 30,000 people. The median household income in Lumpkin County is $43,704, up from $24,365 in 1989.

Tourism

Our county is a vibrant, growing center of tourism. We attract individuals from all walks of life, many of which decide to make our community their home. Over 85% of Lumpkin County’s change in population in the last ten years is a result of people moving into our community. The many factors leading to our phenomenal growth - the local presence of a state university, the appealing character of our surroundings, our thriving tourist industry, and our community’s adaptability to commuter living - have created in Lumpkin County a diverse population, well suited to the variety of features our landscape offers within the surrounding hills and meadows.

Festivals and fairs such as Gold Rush Days, The Mountain Flower Art Festival, and The Bear on the Square Festival bring thousands of people to our town yearly to enjoy the good hospitality and beautiful surroundings. The close proximity of Lumpkin County to the “hub of the south” has made our community a favorite weekend getaway for residents of Atlanta and the highly developed metro areas.

Industry

While tourism remains the center of our economy, agriculture retains a prominent position among our industries. Still, farming is becoming less of an occupation and more of a hobby of those living in our rural areas today. Over 76% of those living in our rural areas are classified as “non-farm occupants.” Many of these individuals, almost 43%, travel out of the county to work. Our county is quickly changing.

We are northern neighbors of two of the fastest growing counties in the nation, Forsyth and Dawson, and are experiencing similar trends in growth and economic expansion and development. Citizens are becoming more informed and participating to a higher degree in the planning and decision making process of their government. We want to encourage industrial and commercial expansion while maintaining the character of our small town and the integrity of our natural beauty. Our quality of life must be preserved.

Come Visit Us

Our county is in the unique position of having the best of what the Blue Ridge Mountains offers - clear rivers and streams, scenic mountain peaks and valleys, peaceful groves and meadows - and advantageous location and access to highly developed thoroughfares of commerce, connecting us to the economic center of the south. Whether for our many natural attractions, our numerous local special events, our shops and markets, or just plain old rest and relaxation in one of our bed a breakfast inns, come to Lumpkin County and see what all the fuss is about…