- Metter, Georgia
-
Metter, Georgia, USA — City — 
Location in Candler County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 32°23′47″N 82°3′45″W / 32.39639°N 82.0625°WCoordinates: 32°23′47″N 82°3′45″W / 32.39639°N 82.0625°W Country United States State Georgia County Candler Government - Mayor: Billy Trapnell - Preceded By: Paul Williams Area - Total 7.4 sq mi (7.4 km2) - Land 7.3 sq mi (7.3 km2) - Water 0.1 sq mi (0.1 km2) Elevation 220 ft (67 m) Population (2000) - Total 3,879 - Density 529.8/sq mi (529.8/km2) Time zone EST (UTC-5) - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4) ZIP code 30439 Area code(s) 912 FIPS code 13-51072[1] GNIS feature ID 0318060[2] Metter is a city in Candler County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,879 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Candler County[3].
Contents
Geography
Downtown view of Metter. A tree shaded park is to the left.
Part of the Christmas display at Guido Gardens.
Part of the Christmas display at Guido Gardens looking towards the parking lot from inside the grounds.
A metal work fountain of herons located in the tree shaded park downtown.
A view across the central, downtown parking area.Metter is located at 32°23′47″N 82°03′45″W / 32.396253°N 82.062414°W.[4]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.4 square miles (19 km2), of which, 7.3 square miles (19 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (0.95%) is water.
Longtime residents use the slogan "Everything's Better in Metter." It appears on license plates and bumper stickers, and residents generally seem to agree that it's true; Metter is relatively prosperous as compared to other towns its size in southern Georgia.
Located on I-16 which connects Savannah and Macon, Metter is located about half way between Savannah and Dublin and shares with Dublin the distinction of being one of the few highly developed interchanges on I-16, with numerous restaurants and gas stations. A short, tree-lined parkway leads to the downtown area.
Metter may be best known as the home of "The Sower", Michael Guido, who has delivered short evangelical PSAs on late-night television nationwide for decades. Dr. Guido's messages were filmed at Guido Gardens, which houses a public botanical garden and a school of ministry. Dr. Guido passed away at the age of 94 on February 22, 2009.
A prominent event in Metter is Another Bloomin' Festival, an arts and crafts festival held the day before Easter. The festival draws thousands of out-of-town residents, who come to enjoy homemade desserts, BBQ, and crafts. In addition, it serves as a homecoming celebration for former residents who have returned to celebrate the holiday with their families.
Metter seems to have prospered from the growth of nearby Statesboro, home of Georgia Southern University, 20 miles away, and Savannah, 65 miles away. Easy interstate access makes it a viable option as a bedroom community. Numerous residents work in these cities and take advantage of the affordable housing prices.
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 3,879 people, 1,371 households, and 919 families residing in the city. The population density was 529.8 people per square mile (204.6/km²). There were 1,522 housing units at an average density of 207.9 per square mile (80.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 55.04% White, 40.99% African American, 0.44% Asian, 3.07% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.26% of the population.
There were 1,371 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 19.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,288, and the median income for a family was $28,073. Males had a median income of $24,935 versus $18,311 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,308. About 26.5% of families and 33.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 57.7% of those under age 18 and 28.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Candler County School District
The Candler County School District holds grades pre-kindergarten to grade twelve, that consists of two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school.[5] The district has 117 full-time teachers and over 1,918 students.[6]
Elementary Schools
- Metter Elementary School
- Metter Intermediate School
Middle School
- Metter Middle School
High School
- Metter High School
References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ Georgia Board of Education, Retrieved June 2, 2010.
- ^ School Stats, Retrieved June 2, 2010.
Municipalities and communities of Candler County, Georgia County seat: Metter City Metter
Town Categories:- Cities in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Populated places in Candler County, Georgia
- County seats in Georgia (U.S. state)
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
