Atkinson County, Georgia

Atkinson County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°17′N 82°52′W / 31.29°N 82.87°W / 31.29; -82.87
Country United States
State Georgia
FoundedAugust 15, 1917 (1917)
Named afterWilliam Yates Atkinson
SeatPearson
Largest cityPearson
Area
  Total
345 sq mi (890 km2)
  Land339 sq mi (880 km2)
  Water5.2 sq mi (13 km2)  1.5%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
8,286
  Estimate 
(2023)
8,293
  Density24/sq mi (9.3/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district8th
Websiteatkinsoncounty.org

Atkinson County is a county located in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 8,286. The county seat is Pearson. The county was formed in 1917 from parts of Coffee and Clinch counties. It is named for William Yates Atkinson, Democratic governor of Georgia from 1894 to 1898. In 2003, it had the highest illiteracy rate of any U.S. county at 36%.