Southwest Georgia

Geography

Located in the Deep South, Southwest Georgia borders the U.S. states of Alabama and Florida to its west and south. According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Southwest Georgia consists of the following counties: Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth. The region is home to the Kolomoki Mounds and Seminole State Park.

Demographics

According to the 2020 U.S. census, the counties forming the region's population numbered 352,426. In a separate study by the American Community Survey, the counties forming the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission had a collective population of 347,714 in 2022. Having a predominantly Black and African American population, six of Southwest Georgia's counties form part of the Black Belt in the American South—areas with more than 50% of its racial and ethnic composition identifying as Black and African American.

In terms of religious belief and observance, Southwest Georgia is a part of the largely evangelical Protestant Bible Belt. In common with Southeast Georgia and other regions of the state, Baptists formed the largest Christian constituency as of 2020, with 102,909 adherents spread throughout 7 denominations: the Southern Baptist Convention, National Missionary Baptist Convention, National Baptist Convention, USA, the National Association of Free Will Baptists, Primitive Baptists, the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, and American Baptist Association. Following, nondenominational Protestants numbered 21,710, according to the Association of Religion Data Archives. Other large groups included Methodists, Catholics, and Pentecostals.

Non-Christian religions and spiritual traditions were a minority in the region, with Hinduism being Southwest Georgia's second-largest religion, followed by Islam and the Baha'i Faith. There is one Hindu temple and 2 mosques throughout the entire region, with its Hindu community making up part of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha denomination.

In 2022, the American Community Survey estimated the west-central area's median household income was $47,542; north-central's $48,340; and east area's $51,257. Throughout each subdivision of Southwest Georgia, an estimated 24.5% to 25% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.

Economy

According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Southwest Georgia's largest industry is the food industry.

Politics

Southwest Georgia is part of Georgia's 2nd congressional district, which is represented in U.S. Congress by Sanford Bishop (D) and has a CPVI of D+6. GA-02 has long been a Democratic stronghold.

Transportation

Air

• Southwest Georgia Regional Airport

Highways

• U.S. Route 19
• U.S. Route 27
• U.S. Route 82
• U.S. Route 84

References

References

1. "Southwest - Region 10".
2. "Kolomoki Mounds State Park".
3. "Seminole State Park".
4. "Census profile: Southwest Georgia Regional Commission (West & Central) PUMA, GA".
5. "Census profile: Southwest Georgia Regional Commission (North Central)--Dougherty & Lee Counties PUMA, GA".
6. "Census profile: Southwest Georgia Regional Commission (East)--Colquitt, Thomas & Worth Counties PUMA, GA".
7. "Congregational Membership Reports".
8. "BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Albany, GA".
9. (2022-11-08). "Georgia Second Congressional District Election Results". The New York Times.