Bainbridge, GA

The city of Bainbridge, the county seat of Decatur County, was incorporated on December 22, 1829. Bainbridge was named for Commodore William Bainbridge, commander of the U.S. Constitution, "Old Ironsides".

The historic Decatur County courthouse was constructed in 1902 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Seminole State Park, in Bainbridge, is located on the banks of Lake Seminole. This 37,500-acre lake attracts sport fishing, deer and duck hunting. The park is home to the gopher tortoise, the only native tortoise in Georgia. Other area attractions include Cheney Griffin Park and Willis Park.

The Riverside Artsfest, held annually during the first weekend of May, is the largest arts and crafts show in the city. Bainbridge also hosts the Swine Time Festival and the Decatur Fall Festival and Fair.

Bainbridge is home to Bainbridge College, a unit of the University System of Georgia, with an estimated enrollment of over 2,000 students.

Population (year 2000): 11,722. Estimated population in July 2005: 11,874 (+1.3% change)
Males: 5,360 (45.7%), Females: 6,362 (54.3%)

Decatur County

Zip codes: 31717.

Median resident age: 33.9 years
Median household income: $24,869 (year 2000)
Median house value: $65,200 (year 2000)

Races in Bainbridge:

Ancestries: United States (12.6%), English (7.8%), Irish (5.1%), German (3.5%), Scotch-Irish (1.1%), French (1.1%).

Elevation: 135 feet

Land area: 17.7 square miles

For population 25 years and over in Bainbridge

• High school or higher: 71.5%
• Bachelor's degree or higher: 18.3%
• Graduate or professional degree: 7.7%
• Unemployed: 7.1%
• Mean travel time to work: 18.6 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Bainbridge city

• Never married: 28.8%
• Now married: 43.5%
• Separated: 4.1%
• Widowed: 10.7%
• Divorced: 12.9%

1.7% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: +741 (+6.7%).

Demographic - Economy - Finance