The county seat of Stephens County, Georgia, Toccoa is a midsized city located about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta and 90 miles north of Athens. The city has a population of 8,493 as of the 2010 census. Native Americans inhabited this area for at least 1,000 years before European settlement. The city has many historical landmarks, and is known as the "Heart of Northeast Georgia."
Toccoa is home to 78.7% white residents, 11.4% blacks, and 0.6% Asians. The median household income in Toccoa was $33,830 in 2019, and the median household income was $45,624 in 2018. The median age for Toccoa is also a bit higher than the national average. In Toccoa, Georgia, most residents completed high school. However, nearly 50% of residents dropped out of college.
Toccoa has a vibrant music scene. The Toccoa Symphony Orchestra is comprised of volunteer musicians from Toccoa and the surrounding areas. Their mission is to bring quality symphonic music to the entire northeast Georgia region. The group also includes performers from nearby colleges. Throughout northeast Georgia, Toccoa has a rich music scene. A thriving music scene is one reason why Toccoa residents are so happy in this small town.
Early residents of Toccoa City arrived in the 1820s when Georgia conducted a Land Lottery in the area. Despite the Cherokee's reluctance to cede their land to the United States, Scots-Irish migrated there from the backcountry of North Carolina and the coastal areas of Georgia. The Georgia Gold Rush - which began in 1828 - brought many new settlers to the area.