| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Georgia |
| County | Grady |
| Mayor | Trey Gainous |
| Unit pref | Imperial |
| Area total | 3.07 km² |
| Area land | 3.04 km² |
| Area water | 0.03 km² |
| Area total | 1.19 sq mi |
| Area land | 1.17 sq mi |
| Area water | 0.01 sq mi |
| Population as of | 2020 |
| Population total | 428 |
| Population density | 140.83 km² |
| Population density | 364.88 sq mi |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| Time zone (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Coordinates | 30°53′3″N 84°19′30″W |
| Elevation | 86 m |
| Elevation | 282 ft |
| ZIP codes | 31797, 39897 |
| Area code | 229 |
| FIPS code | 13-82412[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0333406[2] |
| Website | cityofwhigham.net |
Whigham is a city in Grady County, Georgia, United States. The population was 428 in 2020.
History
The community was named after Robert Whigham, a local merchant.[3] The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Whigham as a town in 1896.[4] It was incorporated again as a city in 1970.[5]
Geography
Whigham is located in western Grady County at 30°53′3″N 84°19′30″W (30.884219, -84.324927).[6] U.S. Route 84 passes through the center of town as Broad Avenue; it leads east 8 miles (13 km) to Cairo, the county seat, and west 15 miles (24 km) to Bainbridge. Valdosta is 67 miles (108 km) to the east, and Dothan, Alabama, is 70 miles (110 km) to the west. Whigham is located halfway between Memphis, Tennessee, and Miami, Florida.[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.2 sq mi (3.1 square kilometres), of which 0.01 sq mi (0.03 square kilometres), or 0.98%, is water.[8]
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 631 people, 179 households, and 134 families residing in the city. In 2020, its population declined to 428.
Education
Grady County School System operates area public schools. Whigham School, a K-12 school, is in Whigham.[9] Cairo High School in Cairo serves Whigham as well.[10]
Notable people
The electric blues guitarist, songwriter, and singer Johnnie Marshall was born in Whigham in 1961.[11]
Ernest Riles, former infielder for the San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Brewers lived here during his time with the Giants.
The Plath family from the TLC show "Welcome to Plathville" grew up on a farm in Whigham.<ref [12]
References
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^
- ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins. Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 251. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
- ^ Georgia (1907). Acts and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia. Clark & Hines, State Printers. p. 970.
- ^ "Whigham". GeorgiaGov. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved 2025-12-01.
- ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Whigham city, Georgia". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 23, 2016.[dead link]
- ^ "Whigham Elementary School." Grady County Schools. Retrieved on April 9, 2009.
- ^ "Schools." Grady County Schools. Retrieved on April 9, 2009.
- ^ Bob L. Eagle & Eric S. LeBlanc (May 2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. ABC-CLIO. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-313-34424-4.
- ^ "Unplanned Podcast interview with Lydia Plath". 8 January 2026. Retrieved 8 January 2026.