Swainsboro is a city in Emanuel County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 7,425. The city is the county seat of Emanuel County.

History

In 1822, the Georgia state legislature established "Swainsborough" as the seat of Emanuel County. The town was named in recognition of Stephen Swain, the state senator who introduced the bill for the county's creation in 1812. The town's name was changed to "Paris" at its incorporation on February 18, 1854, but three years later reverted to its current name, Swainsboro.

Transportation

Early in its corporate life, much like other rural Georgia towns, Swainsboro depended on railroads for transportation. However, in the 1930s, many of the town's streets and sidewalks were paved, and Swainsboro found itself at the intersection of two major national highways, U.S. 1 and U.S. 80, thus earning its city motto: "Crossroads of the Great South". U.S. 1 was the principal highway from Maine to Key West, and U.S. 80, at that time, ran from Tybee Island, Georgia, to San Diego.

Geography

Swainsboro is located near the center of Emanuel County at 32°35'37" North, 82°19'56" West (32.593743, -82.332146). U.S. Route 80 passes through the center of the city, and U.S. Route 1 bypasses it to the west. US 80 leads east 36 mi to Statesboro and west 36 mi to Dublin, while US 1 leads north 62 mi to Augusta and south 106 mi to Waycross. Interstate 16 is 14 mi south of Swainsboro via US 1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 33.5 km2, of which 32.6 km2 is land and 0.9 km2, or 2.81%, is water.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 7,425 people, 2,697 households, and 1,783 families residing in the city.

Education

Emanuel County School District

The Emanuel County School District, run by the Emanuel County Board of Education, holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of three elementary schools, a middle school, a high school, and two academies. The district has 293 full-time teachers and over 4,664 students.

Higher education

Notable people