Metter is a city in and the county seat of Candler County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,130 at the 2010 census. In 2020, its population was 4,004. The city is halfway between Macon and Savannah on Interstate 16.
History Metter was founded in 1889. In 1914, Metter was designated seat of the newly formed Candler County. Metter was incorporated as a town in 1903 and as a city in 1920.
Geography
Metter is located near the center of Candler County at , in eastern Georgia. Interstate 16 touches the southern edge of the city, leading east to Savannah, and west to Macon. A short, tree-lined parkway leads from I-16 to the downtown area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Metter has a total area of , of which is land and , or 2.53%, is water.
Longtime residents use the slogan "Everything's Better in Metter".
Metter may be best known as the home of "The Sower", Michael Guido, who delivered short evangelical PSAs on late-night television nationwide for decades. Dr. Guido's messages were filmed at Guido Gardens, which houses a public botanical garden and a school of ministry. Guido died at the age of 94 on February 22, 2009. His messages were aired on TV stations in the Georgia and South Carolina region.
A prominent event in Metter is Another Bloomin' Festival, an arts and crafts festival held the day before Easter. The festival draws thousands of out-of-town residents, who come to enjoy homemade desserts, barbecue, and crafts. In addition, it serves as a homecoming celebration for former residents who have returned to celebrate the holiday with their families.
Climate
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Metter had a population of 4,004. The median age was 39.9 years. 26.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 87.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 81.8 males age 18 and over.
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 1,522 households in Metter, of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 36.4% were married-couple households, 17.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 40.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, and there were 1,018 families residing in the city.
There were 1,710 housing units, of which 11.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.2%.
+Metter racial composition as of 2020RaceNum.Perc.White (non-Hispanic)1,86546.58%Black or African American (non-Hispanic)1,55338.79%Native American60.15%Asian471.17%Pacific Islander20.05%Other/Mixed1132.82%Hispanic or Latino41810.44% Education
Candler County School District The Candler County School District holds pre-kindergarten to grade twelve, and consists of an elementary school, a middle school and a high school.Georgia Board of Education, Retrieved June 2, 2010. The district has 117 full-time teachers and over 1,930 students.School Stats, Retrieved June 2, 2010.
Elementary schools Metter Elementary School
Middle school Metter Middle School
High school Metter High School
Notable people
LaVon Mercer (born 1959), American-Israeli basketball player
References
External links City of Metter official website