McDonough is the county seat of Henry County, Georgia, in the fast-growing south-metro Atlanta region. Located along Interstate 75 about 30 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta, the city pairs a well-preserved 19th-century courthouse square with a rapidly expanding suburban landscape. Its 2020 census population of about 29,000 is only part of the story — Henry County as a whole has grown to roughly 240,000 residents as Atlanta's growth has pushed south along the I-75 corridor. The city's history predates that growth by two centuries. The area was part of the Creek Nation until the 1821 Treaty of Indian Springs, and McDonough was incorporated on December 17, 1823, as the Henry County seat. It was named for Commodore Thomas MacDonough, a naval hero of the War of 1812. The courthouse square that anchors the city reflects that long civic history, and Henry County's courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The square remains the heart of community life, hosting festivals, concerts, and a growing cluster of locally owned restaurants and shops. Today McDonough functions as a residential and commercial center for south-metro Atlanta. The economy includes a strong retail and distribution presence along the Interstate 75 corridor, plus health care and services, with many residents commuting toward Atlanta or to the region's airport and logistics hubs. Henry County Schools, headquartered in McDonough, serves more than 40,000 students and is a central draw for relocating families. Recreation centers on the city's parks, including Alexander Park with its sports fields, amphitheater, and trails, along with Big Springs Park and Heritage Park, while the Chattahoochee River and regional green spaces lie nearby. For homebuyers, McDonough offers historic in-town homes, walkable new construction near the square, and spacious newer subdivisions — all within about half an hour of Atlanta.