[4] The county is mostly located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Northern parts of the county have the highest elevations, being in the mountains themselves.

This 3,143-foot (958 m) peak, located between Helen and Cleveland, is rimmed by sheer cliffs and is the highest point on Georgia's Piedmont Plateau.

[5] As of the 2010 United States census, there were 27,144 people, 10,646 households, and 7,750 families living in the county.

[17] In terms of ancestry, 16.0% were English, 14.9% were American, 14.5% were Irish, and 10.8% were German.

[20] As of the census[21] of 2000, there were 19,944 people, 7,731 households, and 5,782 families living in the county.

21.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 28,003 people, 11,695 households, and 8,581 families residing in the county.