Ideal, Georgia

Ideal is a city in Macon County, Georgia, United States. The population was 499 at the 2010 census.

Ideal, Georgia
City
Location in Macon County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 32°22′23″N 84°11′20″W
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Macon
Area [1]
• Total	1.15 sq mi (2.99 km^2)
• Land	1.14 sq mi (2.96 km^2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km^2)
Elevation	482 ft (147 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	499
• Estimate  (2019)[2]	439
• Density	383.74/sq mi (148.14/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	31041
Area code(s)	478
FIPS code	13-40812[3]
GNIS feature ID	0356328[4]

History

The town was originally named Joetown, but when two railroad executives stopped in the town, one proclaimed it an "ideal" place for a railroad station, and the other declared he'd just named it.[5]

The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Ideal as a town in 1906.[6]

Geography

Ideal is located at 32°22′23″N 84°11′20″W (32.372918, -84.188822).[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all land. It resides at the confluence of Whitewater and Cedar Creeks, two spring fed tributaries of the Flint River.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1910	186		—
1920	304		63.4%
1930	285		−6.2%
1940	238		−16.5%
1950	318		33.6%
1960	432		35.8%
1970	543		25.7%
1980	619		14.0%
1990	554		−10.5%
2000	518		−6.5%
2010	499		−3.7%
Est. 2019	439	[2]	−12.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 518 people, 174 households, and 123 families residing in the city. The population density was 444.4 people per square mile (170.9/km²). There were 217 housing units at an average density of 186.2 per square mile (71.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 32.43% White, 66.22% African American, 0.19% Native American, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.39% of the population.

There were 174 households, out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.2% were married couples living together, 28.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 20.8% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 24.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 63.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 61.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $16,538, and the median income for a family was $21,250. Males had a median income of $28,125 versus $15,714 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,712. About 31.3% of families and 31.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.5% of those under age 18 and 43.0% of those age 65 or over.

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
4. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
5. Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 115. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
6. Georgia (1907). Acts and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia. Clark & Hines, State Printers. p. 730.
7. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
8. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.