Tattnall County, Georgia

Tattnall County is a county located in the southeast portion of the U.S. state of Georgia, located within the Magnolia Midlands, a part of the Historic South region. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,842.^[1] The county seat is Reidsville.^[2] Tattnall County was created on December 5, 1801, from part of Montgomery County, Georgia by the Georgia General Assembly.^[3]

The county is named after Josiah Tattnall (1762–1803), a planter, soldier and politician.^[4]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 488 square miles (1,260 km²), of which 479 square miles (1,240 km²) is land and 8.9 square miles (23 km²) (1.8%) is water.^[5]

Most of the western portion of Tattnall County, defined by a line running from Cobbtown south to Collins, then east to a point halfway to Bellville, and then south and southwest to the middle of the county's southern border, is located in the Ohoopee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The northeastern portion of the county, from Cobbtown to east of Reidsville, is located in the Canoochee River sub-basin of the Ogeechee River basin. The southeastern and southwestern parts of Tattnall County are located in the Altamaha River sub-basin of the larger river basin by the same name.^[6]

• Cobbtown
• Collins
• Glennville (largest city)
• Manassas
• Reidsville (county seat)

• Mendes

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 22,842, 7,829 households, and 5,875 families residing in the county.^[18]

The median age was 38.4 years. 22.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 119.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 124.9 males age 18 and over. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.^[19]

The racial makeup of the county was 62.5% White, 26.3% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.6% from some other race, and 4.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 10.1% of the population.^[20]

Of the 7,829 households in the county, 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 30.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[18]

There were 9,298 housing units, of which 15.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 64.3% were owner-occupied and 35.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.5%.^[18]

The Georgia Department of Corrections operates the Rogers State Prison, and formerly the Georgia State Prison in unincorporated Tattnall County,^[21] near Reidsville.^[22] As of 2020, according to the Georgia State Prison Fact Sheet, the facility occupies 9,800 acres of land inside Tattnall County and provides 162 staff housing units on the reservation. The prison cemetery has 971 burials which are inmates who died while serving time from 1937 to present.

Another large government parcel of land is the 10,000 acre Big Hammock Wildlife Management Preserve in the southwest section of the county. The entrance is 12 miles south of Glennville on Hwy 144 at the Ohoopee River Bridge. This is controlled by the GA Department of Natural Resources under the Wildlife Resources Division. It has a shooting range and 2 boat ramps along the river which are north of the merger with the Altamaha River which forms the southern border of the county. Permits are issued for seasonal hunting of deer, turkey, and small game. Updates are posted at www.GoHuntGeorgia.com

Another large government land parcel is on the eastern side of Tattnall County along the border with Evans, Liberty, and Long Counties. This 6000+ acres forms the western side of the Fort Stewart Army Reservation which is based in Hinesville, GA. Originally this was farmland purchased by the Army during and after World War II. It has since been turned into forest land with no development. The current Ft. Stewart Land Use Development plan excludes any of this property in their 25-year future planning approved by the Department of Defense. This land mass can be viewed on Google Maps with additional info from the website for the Ft. Stewart Joint Land Use Study. (www.mrrpc.com/Misc_pdfs/Fort_Stewart_JLUS_Final_Report.pdf)

As of the 2020s, Tattnall County is a Republican stronghold, voting 76% for Donald Trump in 2024. For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Tattnall County is part of Georgia's 12th congressional district, currently represented by Rick Allen. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Tattnall County is part of District 19.^[23] For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Tattnall County is divided between districts 156 and 157.^[24]

Tattnall County School District serves as the designated K-12 school district, except parts in Fort Stewart. Fort Stewart has the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) as its local school district,^[26] for the elementary level.^[27] Students at the secondary level on Fort Stewart attend public schools operated by county school districts.^[28]

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Tattnall County, Georgia
• List of counties in Georgia

32°02′N 82°04′W / 32.04°N 82.06°W / 32.04; -82.06