Per Capita income is the amount calculated by dividing the entire population by the total incomes in the County. Some high income folks ($ Millions annually) can distort that number and be misleading. For instance, if a person earning $ 2 to 5 Million……..

AVOC

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January 10, 2009

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Oconee - highest per capita income in Georgia- not richest, wealthiest or most prosperous

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By Wendell Dawson, Editor, AVOC, Inc

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The recent DCA listing of Oconee County as having the highest per capita income in Georgia is a cause for pride.   However, it does not mean Oconee is the richest, wealthiest or most prosperous county in GA.

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PER CAPITA INCOME

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Per Capita income is the amount calculated by dividing the entire population by the total incomes in the county.   Some high income folks ($ Millions annually) can distort that number and be misleading.    For instance, if a person earning $ 2 to 5 Million annually moved into the Town of Bishop, it would become, perhaps, the highest per capita income city in Georgia.

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Oconee has always been fortunate to be near UGA, the State University.   UGA has provided jobs and better salaries for faculty.   The local hospitals also pay well and have many employees living in Oconee County.In addition, some business and professional persons in high income brackets live in Oconee County.   An owner of Zaxby’s, Bensons, area Homebuilders, Insurance Executives and other area business owners live in Oconee County.   A number of successful attorneys, engineers, surgeons etc also make Oconee their home.   Their higher incomes raise the total for the average.

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Oconee does not have near the tax digest or revenues of Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb etc.  With 30,000 people, our resources are not as great as larger counties.   Therefore, we are not the wealthiest county in Georgia.   We do have some wealthy folks.

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LOWER ECONOMIC LEVEL FOLKS IN COUNTY

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Oconee still has people at the lower economic level although the mobile home parks have dwindled.   Folks working at ACTS, deputies serving official papers and keeping the peace, school and lunchroom officials and others can attest to a number of lower income folks.  The “War on Poverty” programs of the 60’s brought a lot of urban renewal and lower income assistance funds to Athens.   In time, many lower income folks in area counties gravitated to Athens and most have remained there.   In the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, folks started moving to Oconee County and the demographics of the two counties changed.

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In those years we heard terms like “white flight” and some coined the phrase “bright flight”.    Being near the University had many advantages: employment for residents; convenience for commuters from Oconee and many of us from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s being able to get a quality college education; and higher paid deans and professors moving here.   All that raised per capita income.

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EFFORTS OF LEADERS OF THE PAST

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Oconee County started gaining in the nineties because of things that happened in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.    Folks like Wilbur Ratterree, John Brannen, Howard Hellums and others helped establish quality zoning and subdivision regulations in Oconee County.   Coleman Whitehead, Lawrence Edwards, Raleigh Lee, Wrights and many other quality builders brought nice homes to Oconee County.

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In the 80’s John Brannen, Mell Wells, A W White, and others helped bring sewer to Watkinsville and it became the hub for Oconee County Sewer.  It allowed for commercial development and schools etc to have sewer service and made it possible to get Home Depot, Lowes, Krogers, Publix, Wal-Mart etc of the late 90’s.  5-10-04 Oconee's "Pot of Gold" Fuels MPDs and Land Rush

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Oconee has long benefited from efforts of dedicated educational leaders of the past, (Superintendents) B C Hogan in the 50’s, Jeff Cain of the 50’s and 60’s, Sammy Sanders of the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s.   We also benefited from School Board Chairmen like Dr. Robert Brown, Jerry Studdard and many good board members of the past.  

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TEACHER CONTRIBUTIONS

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Last but not least, many teachers helped bring Oconee into the urban era:  Ms. Anna Curtis, Kathryn Hargrove, Frances Delapierre, Elizabeth Mitchem, Dorothy Breedlove, A P Henderson, Helen Booth, Marjorie Hale, Clarence Thomas, Kathryn Hellums and many, many more encouraged and prepared Oconee County students for the “University”.   From that resource, we gained a higher educational level than counties without our advantages of location.  We owe our teachers of the past a great debt of gratitude.   FOR MORE INFO, SEE:   http://www.oconeeteachers.com/

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Some current leaders have benefitted from the efforts and vision of the leaders of our past.   Some recent leaders have not always thought ahead and preserved our culture.   Many of us who have lived here a long time are not necessarily happy with our changed demographics.   With the higher incomes, expensive homes, bigger schools, etc, we have lost some of our sense of community.    We do not know each other at the grocery store or other gatherings.   For those of us who grew up in the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, the county we knew has disappeared.   To many it is not necessarily better.   Being able to “sell” Oconee County and its schools is not our most important community need and never has been.

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Oconee of the past had farmers, laborers and lower income folks who were active in community functions: building ball-fields, scout huts, volunteering as firemen.    Basketball, baseball and football were the dominant sports.   Many of us are glad to have soccer, rugby etc.   However, we need to remember our libraries, arts and other community enrichment needs.   After all that is the type culture that has attracted folks to Oconee County over the last 35 years!

12-24-08 Oconee has highest per capita income in Georgia

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The Athens Banner-Herald

http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/122408/new_370607298.shtml

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December 24, 2008

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Oconee richest county, Hancock poorest in new state assessment

Department of Community Affairs report

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By DIONNE WALKER 

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ATLANTA - Oconee County is the most prosperous county in Georgia, according to a new list that also ranks Hancock the state's poorest county.

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Hancock, with a per capita income under $ 18,000, and Oconee, where incomes average nearly $ 37,000, bookended the 2009 job tax credit rankings issued Tuesday by the state Department of Community Affairs.

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Forsyth, Fayette, Cherokee and Harris rounded out the five best performing counties based on unemployment rates, per capita income and residents living below the poverty line,

Calhoun, Macon, Jenkins and Telfair, meanwhile, joined Hancock in the bottom five.

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The department annually assesses all 159 Georgia counties, ranking them from first tier - the least developed - to fourth tier, which is the highest performing.

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Local business in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, processing, telecommunications, tourism, broadcasting or research and development can qualify for tax credits, with the amount determined by their number of new hires and the county's tier ranking.

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Higher-ranked counties are considered economically strong, and businesses there qualify for less of a credit.

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"Areas with the highest unemployment, the lowest per capita income, (and) the highest poverty rate are generally indicated to be the least developed areas in the state" and would get more of a credit, said Brian Williamson, DCA's assistant commissioner for community development.

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The credit is designed to lure businesses and encourage existing companies to expand in some of the most troubled parts of Georgia.

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Oconee swapped places with Forsyth for wealthiest county. It's been in the top five for the better part of a decade, according to Oconee County Commission Chairman Melvin Davis.

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The ranking reflects the bedroom community's proximity to the University of Georgia, a regional economic engine, Davis said, as well as a highly educated populace. Roughly 40 percent of the adult population has a bachelor's degree or higher, according to the 2000 census…………………….