Lamar County
Community
Profile
160th in order of
county creation
November 2, 1920
Prepared for Lamar County Cooperative Extension
by the Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development
The University of Georgia • Athens, GA
Total Population
Lamar County
17,847
17,723
16,410
15,912
2010 Trend CAED
2010 Proj. OPB
2004 Est.
2000
13,038
12,215
10,688
10,240
10,242
1990
1980
1970
1960
1950
10,091
9,745
1940
1930
0
4,000
8,000
12,000
16,000
Primary data sources: U.S. Census Bureau, decennial censuses & estimate; CAED (Center for
Agribusiness & Economic Development); OPB (State Office of Planning & Budget).
20,000
Population Composition by Age
Lamar County
100%
65 +
45-64
20-44
5-19
<5
6.4
7.9
15.6
16.7
36.1
31.6
0%
33.7
9.1
10.2
19.4
20.1
28.6
29.1
31.8
28.3
32.7
12.6
12.4
13.4
20.3
19.9
23.6
36.2
34.6
31.7
28.3
23.6
23.1
10.3
12.7
11.1
8.7
7.3
6.9
6.1
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2004 Estimated Median Age
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau
Lamar Co. = 36.3 yrs.
Change in
proportion
1990-2000
-0.85
+3.7
-1.53
-0.51
-0.81
GA = 33.8 yrs.
2004 County Population Comparisons
Total
Total
Rank
Density
per sq.mi. land
area
% Chg.
2000-04
Rank of
% Chg.
LAMAR
16,410
97
88.8
3.1
88
BUTTS
22,362
78
119.8
14.7
21
MONROE
23,428
73
59.2
7.6
51
PIKE
15,750
102
72.1
15.1
20
SPALDING
60,886
34
307.6
4.2
75
UPSON
28,105
57
86.3
1.8
106
County
Primary data source: U. S. Census Bureau
Population Change: 1930-2000
30
Percentage Change
25
20
15
10
5
0
1930-40
1940-50
1950-60
U.S.
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau
1960-70
Georgia
1970-80
1980-90
1990-2000
Lamar Co.
Components of Population Change: 2000-2004
Natural Increase & Net Migration*
Numerical
Change
# Natural
Increase
(BirthsDeaths)
Rate of
Natural
Increase
# Net
Migration
Rate of
Net Migration
LAMAR
BUTTS
MONROE
PIKE
SPALDING
UPSON
498
2,873
1,654
2,062
2,469
508
198
477
335
301
1,445
-4
2.9
5.4
3.5
4.8
5.7
0.0
306
2,403
1,328
1,772
1,045
526
4.5
27.0
13.8
28.3
4.1
4.4
Avg. GA Co.
4,041
1,878
4.8
2,156
8.4
GEORGIA
642,567
298,562
8.3
342,818
9.5
Primary data source:
U. S. Census Bureau
* Numerical change includes “residual” not represented in either NI or NM.
Average annual estimates of annual rates per 1,000 population
Area
Population Change: 2000-2004
LOSS
0 – 4.3%
4.3 – 7.8%
7.8 – 15.7%
15.7 – 34%
GA = 7.8%
US = 4.3%
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau
Selected Vital Statistics
2004 Rates
12.6
Total births per 1,000 pop
15.7
46.9
Unwed per 100 total births
39.2
38.7
Teen pregnancy per 1,000
females age 10-19
Deaths per 1,000 pop
Induced terminations per
1,000 females age 15-44
Low birth weight per 100
births
Infant deaths per 1,000 births
10-yr. rates 1995-2004
34.7
11.4
7.4
9.2
16.2
9.7
8.8
9.8
Lamar Co.
Georgia
8.7
2004 Lamar Co. Natality Data
207 total births, 97 unwed births
27 induced terminations
48 teen pregnancies
21 low birth weight babies
2004 Lamar Co. Mortality Data
187 total deaths
3 infant deaths
Primary data source: GA Dept. Public Health
Highest Level of Educational Attainment: 2000
4.5
Grad or Prof Degree
8.3
6.7
Bachelor's degree
16.0
4.3
5.2
Associate degree
18.7
20.4
Some college, no degree
37.0
HS Grad
28.7
19.4
9th-12th no diploma
13.8
Lamar Co.
Georgia
9.3
< 9th grade
7.6
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Percent of Persons Age 25+
Lamar Co.
Not completing HS = 28.7%
With a bachelor’s + degree = 11.3%
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau
Selected Public School Statistics
School Year 2003-04
44.4
Teachers w/adv degrees
51.8
62.8
College prep certif
55.5
Class '04 Grad Rate
2.9
Gifted
Free/Reduc lunch
46.4
2.4
3.9
Absent >15 days
9.5
0
10
Primary data source:
Governor’s Office of Student Achievement
20
57.8
Lamar Co.
Georgia
14.7
4.3
5.1
HS Dropout rate
65.4
8.2
10.5
12.1
Special Ed
Retained in grade
73.4
30
40
50
Percentage
60
70
80
Lamar Co.
K12 enrollment = 2,492
HS dropouts = 34
General Fund expenditures per pupil = $5,671
Per Capita Income: 1998-2003
$35,000
$30,000
$25,000
$20,000
$15,000
$10,000
$5,000
$0
1998
1999
2000
Lamar Co.
2003 PCI
Lamar Co. = $23,004
Primary data source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
2001
2002
Georgia
Georgia = $29,000
U.S. = $31,472
2003
U.S.
Per Capita Income: 1998-2003
Percentage Change
8
Percentage
6
4
2
0
1998-99
1999-2000
Lamar Co.
Primary data source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
2000-01
2001-02
Georgia
2002-03
U.S.
Per Capita Income: 2003
PCI
Rank of
PCI
% PCI of
GA Total
% Change
in PCI
1998-2003
LAMAR
$23,004
63
79.3
19.2
BUTTS
$21,898
87
75.5
13.1
MONROE
$25,207
29
86.9
11.4
PIKE
$23,561
53
81.2
13.9
SPALDING
$24,058
43
83.0
14.5
UPSON
$19,920
125
68.7
4.2
GA Avg. Co.
$22,879
--
78.9
15.5
County
Primary data source: U. S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Median Household Income
2003 Model-Based Estimates
$43,318
US
$42,421
GEORGIA
GA Avg. Co.
$34,859
$36,261
LAMAR
$39,047
BUTTS
$43,044
MONROE
$46,278
PIKE
$35,239
SPALDING
$29,917
UPSON
$0
$10,000
Primary data source: U. S. Census Bureau
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
Transfer Receipts: 2003
Lamar Co. Total = $76,622,000
38.3
35.8
Retirement/Disab
18.6
19.2
17.8
18.9
Medicare
Pub Med Assist
2.1
2.7
0.4
0.6
2.3
2.5
Supp Sec Inc
Family Assist
Food Stamps
Other Inc Maint
Veteran Benefit
All Other
Georgia
Lamar Co.
$4,694 per capita
transfer receipts
5.2
5.6
2.2
3.2
3.1
3.4
Unemp
Lamar Co.
20.4% of total personal income
2.1% change in total 2002-2003
10.0
8.2
0
5
10
15
20
25
Percentage
Primary data source: Bureau of Economic Analysis
30
35
40
45
50
Persons Living Below Poverty Level
2003 Model-Based Estimates
County
# of
Persons
% of all
Persons
Rank
of %
2,124
2,550
2,640
1,617
9,811
4,541
7,246
13.4
12.5
11.6
10.5
16.3
16.4
16.0
50
41
28
19
76
77
--
LAMAR
BUTTS
MONROE
PIKE
SPALDING
UPSON
GA Avg. Co.
Primary data source: U. S. Census Bureau
Persons Living Below the Poverty Level
2003 Model-Based Estimates
5.2 – 9.4%
9.4 – 13.4%
13.4 – 17.0%
17.0 – 20.1%
20.1 – 24.7%
Weighted
average poverty
threshold for a
family of 4
persons in 2003
= $18,810
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau
Georgia
1,152,089
persons
13.3%
------------US = 12.5%
Unemployment Rates
Rate per 100 in Labor Forc
8
Lamar Co.
Georgia
U. S.
6
4
2
0
1995
1996
1997
2004 Rates
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Labor
1998
1999
2000
Lamar Co. = 5.5
2001
2002
GA = 4.6
2003
2004
US = 5.5
Business Establishments, Employment and Wages
Lamar County 2004 Annual Averages, % of Total
Estab
Emp
Wages
Agriculture
Whlsle trade
Information
Admin-waste svc
All other svc
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Labor
Construction
Retail trade
Finance/Insur
Health svc
Govt
Manufacturing
Transp-warehous
Prof-Sci-Tech Svc
Accom/Food Svc
All Other
Employment Comparisons by Industry: 2004
Total GOODS
Producing
Agriculture
Construction
1.7
0.7
4.2
5.2
Manufacturing
Total SERVICE
Producing
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
Finance-Ins
Transp-warehous
Information
Prof-Sci-Tech
Adm-Waste svc
Health-Soc Svcs
Accomo-Food svc
All other svcs
Total
GOVERNMENT
23.2
11.7
1.6
5.4
29.3
17.7
42.1
10.2
11.6
1.3
3.9
0.9
3.1
3.2
4.1
1.2
5.0
1.0
6.9
6.3
8.8
10.4
8.4
6.1
8.2
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Labor
Lamar Co.
Georgia
16.5
28.4
65.4
Farm Gate Value by Commodity Group: 2004
Lamar Co. Total Value = $38,794,172
Poultry-Egg
46.2%
Other
1.7%
Fruits-Nuts
0.8%
Ornamental
Horticulture
15.5%
Veges
0.6%
Row-Forage crops
8.4%
Forestry
2.8%
Livestock
24.1%
Primary data source: Center for Agribusiness & Economic Development, UGA
Components of Gross Property Tax Digest: 2004
Lamar Co. Gross Digest (40% Value) = $443,858,393
40.6
Residential
Ag/Pref/Environ
6.3
8.6
Commercial
20.7
20.7
13.1
22.6
9.1
7.7
7.1
Industrial
Utility
48.5
3.7
5.7
3.9
Motor Vehicle
8.4
8.9
7.4
0.5
1.5
Mobile Home
0.5
0.4
Timber
1.1
0.2
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Revenue
Lamar Co.
GA Avg. Co.
GA Total
52
County Property Tax Digest Comparisons: 2004
County
% Resi- % Agri- % Com- % In- % Motor
%
dential cultural mercial dustrial Vehicle Other
LAMAR
48.5
20.7
8.6
9.1
8.4
4.6
BUTTS
47.8
20.2
11.4
3.3
10.8
6.6
MONROE
20.7
8.0
4.3
0.1
3.8
63.1
PIKE
51.7
28.7
4.6
1.9
10.4
2.6
SPALDING
41.6
15.3
17.8
14.5
8.6
2.3
UPSON
39.2
19.5
18.5
9.0
9.1
4.7
Avg. GA Co.
40.6
20.8
13.2
7.9
9.0
8.4
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Revenue
Millage Rates, Taxes Levied, & Sales Tax
’05 Countywide
Millage*
’05
School
Millage*
’04 Taxes
Levied*
($000)
Sales
Tax Rate
LOST
Type*
LAMAR
23.472
14.482
$9,445
7
LSE
BUTTS
31.866
16.400
$17,198
7
LSE
MONROE
24.700
13.500
$34,998
7
LSE
PIKE
27.771
13.400
$10,306
6
LE
SPALDING
35.310
18.850
$52,461
6
LE
UPSON
26.770
13.460
$15,049
6
LS
County
as of 10/05 as of 10/05
*All tax districts are assessed an additional .250 state millage. Taxes Levied, but not
necessarily collected. L=Local Option Sales Tax, S=Special Purpose, E=Educational.
Primary data source: GA Dept. of Revenue
Retail Sales Analysis: 2004
Lamar Co. Total Retail Sales = $103,720,000
0.53
Total Retail Sales
1.61
Health-Personal Care
0.54
Bldg Mat-garden equip-supplies
Gas stations
0.60
0.69
Motor Vehicle-parts
Furniture-Home Furn-Appliance
0.09
Clothing & Accessories
0.06
0.11
General Merchandise
0.38
Food Services-Drinking Places
0.77
Food-Beverage Stores
0
1
2
Sales Activity Index-Wealth Factor
A “pull factor” of 1.0 means that the county’s sales are what would be expected
based upon the number of residents and their relative wealth.
Primary data sources: “2005 Georgia Outshopping Report,” SBDC, Applied Research, The University of Georgia.
Commuting to Work: 2000
Percentage of:
Residents working in
county
35.5
Residents working
out of county
64.5
Workers coming into
county
43.2
Residents driving to
work alone
78.5
Residents carpooling
Residents working at
home
16.9
1.4
Lamar County
Mean travel time to work = 28.1 min.
Ratio of IN to OUT = 0.42
Resident workers 16+ = 7,026
Residents working in county = 2,493
Residents working out of county = 4,533
Total working in county = 4,392
Workers commuting into county = 1,899
Primary data source: U.S. Census Bureau
This study was developed
to assist community leadership
with their future planning
and decision making.
Special County Area Report
# 06 -09
February, 2006
Prepared for Lamar County Cooperative Extension
by Susan R. Boatright and Emily Olliff
Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia • Athens, GA
Georgia Cooperative Extension
706-542-0760 • 706-542-8938
www.caed.uga.edu AND www.georgiastats.uga.edu