Locust Grove, Georgia

Locust Grove is a city in Henry County, Georgia, United States. The population was 8,947 in 2020.^[4] Some unincorporated communities such as Luella and many rural areas surround Locust Grove, and those communities have Locust Grove postal addresses.

Locust Grove, Georgia
City
Locust Grove City Hall
Flag Seal
Location in Henry County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 33°20′44″N 84°6′18″W
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Henry
Area [1]
• Total	11.78 sq mi (30.51 km2)
• Land	11.59 sq mi (30.02 km2)
• Water	0.19 sq mi (0.49 km2)
Elevation	837 ft (255 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,947
• Density	771.89/sq mi (298.04/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	30248
Area code	770/678/470
FIPS code	13-47140[2]
GNIS feature ID	0332253[3]
Website	www.locustgrove-ga.gov

Locust Grove has experienced a growth in population and in businesses coming into the area. In 1900 the population of the city was 254 and is now over 5,000.

History

The community was named for a grove of locust trees near the original town site.^[5] Georgia General Assembly incorporated Locust Grove in 1893.^[6]

Geography

Locust Grove, Georgia is located in southern Henry County, Georgia, situated 35 miles southeast of Atlanta along Interstate 75 at Exit 212 (Bill Gardner Parkway).^[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.78 square miles (30.51 km²) of which 11.59 square miles (30.02 km²) is land and 0.19 square miles (0.49 km²) is water. ^[4]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	255		—
1900	254		−0.4%
1910	716		181.9%
1920	529		−26.1%
1930	428		−19.1%
1940	349		−18.5%
1950	405		16.0%
1960	369		−8.9%
1970	642		74.0%
1980	1,479		130.4%
1990	1,681		13.7%
2000	2,322		38.1%
2010	5,402		132.6%
2020	8,947		65.6%
2023 (est.)	11,199	[7]	25.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1850-1870[9] 1870-1880[10] 1890-1910[11] 1920-1930[12] 1940[13] 1950[14] 1960[15] 1970[16] 1980[17] 1990[18] 2000[19] 2010[20]

Locust Grove racial composition as of 2020^[21]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	3,125	34.93%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	4,627	51.72%
Native American	10	0.11%
Asian	140	1.56%
Pacific Islander	4	0.04%
Other/Mixed	431	4.82%
Hispanic or Latino	610	6.82%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 8,947 people, 2,571 households, and 1,837 families residing in the city.

Arts and culture

Locust Grove water tower

Attractions

Tanger Outlet Center opened for business in the fall of 1994. Since that time many new businesses have made Locust Grove their home.

Locust Grove is also home to Noah's Ark, a non-profit preserve and rehabilitation facility home to more than 1,000 animals. A group home sharing the site was previously licensed by the state of Georgia to provide residential care for up to 24 children but has since closed.

Locust Grove has a platform for watching the Norfolk Southern line that runs parallel to State Route 42/US Highway 23. It is equipped with a scanner radio that allows visitors to the platform to listen in to the local railroad frequency, which broadcasts out of the defect detector in nearby Jenkinsburg.

Education

Public

Elementary

• Locust Grove Elementary School
• Unity Grove Elementary School
• Luella Elementary School
• New Hope Elementary School
• Bethlehem Elementary School

Middle

• Locust Grove Middle School
• Luella Middle School
• Ola Middle School

High

• Locust Grove High School
• Luella High School
• Ola High School

Private

• Strong Rock Christian School
• Heritage Baptist Christian School

Infrastructure

Major highways

• Interstate 75
• U.S. Highway 23
• Georgia State Route 42
• Georgia State Route 155
• Georgia State Route 401