Economic Development

Area Profile

Recently named home to one of the 'Top 50 Small Cities to Raise Children' Heard County is a small and close knit community.  Heard County, population 11,834, is located near the Georgia-Alabama line in the west central section of Georgia.

The county seat of Franklin is located at the intersection of three major thorough fares: U.S. 27, Georgia 34 and Georgia 100.  It is almost centrally located between Carrollton, Newnan, LaGrange, Hogansville and Roanoke, Alabama.

There is scenic beauty throughout the county including the Chattahoochee River in Franklin and hillside views atop Blackjack Mountain near Ephesus, numerous streams, panoramic views from hilltops and vast granite rock outcroppings.

Residents have available to them an excellent school system, two public libraries, a county health department, emergency services, fire protection, a nursing home and nearby hospitals.  A 16-room motel and six restaurants are in Franklin.  A water system serves many residents in both the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county.

Educational institutions offer graduate, undergraduate and vocational education. State University of West Georgia is located in nearby Carrollton. LaGrange College is only 19 miles from Franklin. West Central Technical College and West GeorgiaTechnical College are also about 20 miles from the city with West Georgia Technical College offering a satellite program in Franklin Industrial Park.

In addition to recreational opportunities offered by the school, residents enjoy the 25,900 acre West Point Lake.  The Heard County Recreation Department is located near the banks of the Chattahoochee River.  Baseball and softball fields, tennis courts, a gymnasium with basketball court, and a walking trail invite residents to enjoy recreational activities year round.  Currently, the county is working on a new state of the art recreational facility, an arena, and a skate park for its' residents.

Annually, the Heard County Chamber of Commerce hosts A Chattahoochee Christmas in December and A Chattahoochee Independence Day in July.  Residents and visitors from around the West Georgia and East Alabama area account for the 8,000-10,000 people visiting each event and enjoying Franklin's small town hospitality.  Residents may also choose The Lodges at Banning Mills, CallawayGardens, Highland Marina Resort, Pine Mountain Wild Animal Park, John Tanner State Park, Chattahoochee Bend State Park or McIntosh Reserve as quick-trip get-a-ways.

Numerous churches dot the rural landscape in Heard County.  The Rock Ridge Baptist Assembly is a few miles north of Franklin, a Christian camp serving hundreds of adults and young people annually.

Officials at the Three Rivers Regional Commission, with offices being located in Franklin, say Heard County's population will likely increase in the coming years. 

Heard County is a small county that is truly preparing for such growth, with new amenities being built everyday.  State of the art fire stations, new schools with updated technology and recreational offerings, including a newly built three-story high school, and a recreational facility that is second to none being built along with a new arena are just some of the ways this community is ready and looking toward growth.