Fairburn, Georgia

Fairburn is a city in Fulton County, Georgia, United States, with a population of 16,483, according to the 2020 census. Though it has a rich history of its own, the city is now a closely linked suburb of Atlanta, which lies just 17 miles to the north.

Name

The community is named after Fairburn, in England.

History

Fairburn is located along a railroad line and was the county seat of Campbell County starting in 1871. It was chosen as county seat in a referendum in 1871 that was spurred by the original seat of Campbellton refusing to allow the Atlanta and West Point Railroad line through on account of the anticipated noise in the 1850s. The railroad instead passed through Fairburn. Campbellton then faded away as Fairburn grew. The government of Campbell County went bankrupt in 1931 during the Great Depression and, along with Milton County to the north, was absorbed into Fulton County when 1932 began. Fairburn's population was 305 in 1870, with 208 white and 97 black residents.

Geography

Fairburn is located along Interstate 85, which leads northeast to downtown Atlanta and southwest to Montgomery, Alabama. Georgia State Route 74 also runs through the city, leading south to Peachtree City. Some areas in nearby Fayette County have a Fairburn mailing address.

According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.24%, is water.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Template:Sronly	%±
1860	298		—
1870	305		%
1880	563		%
1890	695		%
1900	761		%
1910	1,395		%
1920	1,600		%
1930	1,372		%
1940	1,502		%
1950	1,889		%
1960	2,470		%
1970	3,143		%
1980	3,466		%
1990	4,013		%
2000	5,464		%
2010	12,950		%
2020	16,483		%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850-1870 1870-1880 1890-1910 1920-1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

2020 census

Fairburn city, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	2,055	1,986	1,540	37.61%	15.34%	9.34%
Black or African American alone (NH)	2,579	8,966	12,601	47.20%	69.24%	76.45%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	12	33	16	0.22%	0.25%	0.10%
Asian alone (NH)	38	212	220	0.70%	1.64%	1.33%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	4	4	0.00%	0.03%	0.02%
Other race alone (NH)	5	35	71	0.09%	0.27%	0.43%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	64	169	383	1.17%	1.31%	2.32%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	711	1,545	1,648	13.01%	11.93%	10.00%
Total	5,464	12,950	16,483	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,483 people, 5,051 households, and 3,442 families residing in the city.

Education

K-12 education

• Fulton County Schools serves Fairburn.
• Arlington Christian School is a private school in Fairburn.
• Landmark Christian School is a private school in Fairburn.

Colleges and universities

• Georgia Military College has a campus located in Fairburn, offering associate degrees.

Public libraries

• Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System operates the Fairburn Branch.

Culture

Fairburn is home to the Georgia Renaissance Festival, in operation during the springtime. The city of Fairburn hosts the popular "Third Friday" concert series annually from April through September. The city also hosts the "Fairburn Fall Festival" each fall, featuring a parade, local food and crafts vendors and musical performances. Both events draw thousands of participants from across the region.