Gray, Georgia

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement  |official_name = Gray, Georgia |other_name = |native_name =  |nickname = |settlement_type = City |motto = Home of the annual Daylily Festival  |image_skyline = Gray,_GA_Water_Tower.png |image_caption = |image_flag = Flag of Gray, Georgia.png |flag_size = |image_seal = Seal of Gray, Georgia.png |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |image_map = Jones_County_Georgia_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Gray_Highlighted.svg |mapsize = 250px |map_caption = Location in Jones County and the state of Georgia |pushpin_map =  |pushpin_label_position =  |pushpin_map_caption = |pushpin_mapsize =  |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = United States |subdivision_type1 = State |subdivision_name1 = Georgia |subdivision_type2 = County |subdivision_name2 = Jones |subdivision_type3 = |subdivision_name3 = |subdivision_type4 = |subdivision_name4 =  |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |leader_title1 =  |leader_name1 = |leader_title2 = |leader_name2 = |leader_title3 = |leader_name3 = |leader_title4 = |leader_name4 = |established_title = August 22, 1911 |established_date = |established_title2 =  |established_date2 = |established_title3 =  |established_date3 =  |area_magnitude = |unit_pref = Imperial |area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_13.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref> |area_total_km2 = 10.22 |area_land_km2 = 10.20 |area_water_km2 = 0.02 |area_total_sq_mi = 3.95 |area_land_sq_mi = 3.94 |area_water_sq_mi = 0.01  |population_as_of = 2020 |population_footnotes = |population_note = |population_total = 3436 |population_density_km2 = 336.93 |population_density_sq_mi = 872.75 |timezone = Eastern (EST) |utc_offset = -5 |timezone_DST = EDT |utc_offset_DST = -4 | coordinates = {{coord|format=dms|display=inline,title}} |elevation_footnotes =  |elevation_m = 183 |elevation_ft = 603  |postal_code_type = ZIP code |postal_code = 31032 |area_code = 478 |blank_name = FIPS code |blank_info = 13-34512<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> |blank1_name = GNIS feature ID |blank1_info = 0327996<ref name="GR3-u">{{cite gnis|327996|Gray|2026-02-24}}</ref> |website = {{URL|grayga.us}} |footnotes = |pop_est_as_of = |pop_est_footnotes = |population_est = }} '''Gray''' is a city in Jones County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,436 at the 2020 census,<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1334512| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Gray city, Georgia| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=May 8, 2018| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213111258/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1334512| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> up from 3,276 at the 2010 census. In 2025, its population was estimated at 3,555. The city is the county seat of Jones County.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }}</ref> It is part of the Macon metropolitan area.

==History== Gray was founded in 1851 and named for local wealthy cotton planter and landowner James M. Gray.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REtEXQNWq6MC&pg=PA231 | title=Historical Gazetteer of the United States | publisher=Routledge | date=May 13, 2013 | access-date=30 November 2013 | author=Hellmann, Paul T. | pages=231| isbn=978-1135948597 }}</ref> In 1905, the seat of Jones County was transferred to Gray and in 1911 it was incorporated as a town.<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/g.pdf | title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=97 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref>

==Geography== Gray is located in central Jones County. U.S. Route 129 passes through the center of town.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Gray has a total area of {{convert|10.1|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.03|km2|order=flip|2}}, or 0.34%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010"/> Gray is drained to the west by tributaries of Walnut Creek, flowing to the Ocmulgee River, and to the east by tributaries of Commissioner Creek, flowing to the Oconee River.

==Demographics== {{US Census population |1920= 559 |1930= 653 |1940= 698 |1950= 866 |1960= 1320 |1970= 2014 |1980= 2145 |1990= 2189 |2000= 1811 |2010= 3276 |2020= 3436 |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref> | align = right | align-fn = center }}

===2020 census=== As of the 2020 census, Gray had a population of 3,436. The median age was 37.5 years. 26.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 86.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 80.0 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0133P,DP1_0137P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=place%3A34512&in=state%3A13|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 28, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=place%3A34512&in=state%3A13|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 28, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=place%3A34512&in=state%3A13|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=April 28, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 1,327 households in Gray, of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.1% were married-couple households, 13.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 39.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 798 families residing in the city.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 1,420 housing units, of which 6.5% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.4%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

{| class="wikitable" |+Gray racial composition as of 2020<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US1334512&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-18|website=data.census.gov}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL"/> !Race !Num. !Perc. |- |White (non-Hispanic) |2,300 |66.94% |- |Black or African American (non-Hispanic) |927 |26.98% |- |Native American |8 |0.23% |- |Asian |18 |0.52% |- |Pacific Islander |1 |0.03% |- |Other/Mixed |114 |3.32% |- |Hispanic or Latino |68 |1.98% |} ==Education==

===Jones County School District=== The Jones County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of four elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school.<ref>[http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=111&PID=62&PTID=69&CountyId=684&T=0&FY=2009 Georgia Board of Education]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Retrieved June 22, 2010.</ref> As of 2025, the district had approximately 350 full-time teachers and over 4,994 students.<ref>[http://www.school-stats.com/GA/JONES/JONES_COUNTY.html School Stats], Retrieved June 22, 2010.</ref> *Dames Ferry Elementary School *Turnerwoods Elementary School *Gray Elementary School *Mattie Wells Elementary School *Gray Station Middle School *Clifton Ridge Middle School *Jones County High School

==References== <references />

==External links== * [http://grayga.us/ City of Gray official website]

Category:Cities in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Cities in Jones County, Georgia Category:County seats in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Macon metropolitan area, Georgia Category:Populated places established in the 1850s Category:1850s establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)