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() is a city in Carroll and Douglas Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 4,134 at the 2000 census. Population estimates for 2007 indicate the population has more than tripled in seven years with 12,716 in the city.
Villa Rica is the birthplace of Thomas A. Dorsey, the father of gospel music - a festival is held in his honor each year. The following important figures were also born in Villa Rica: Coca-cola business tycoon and former mayor of Atlanta Asa Griggs Candler, former Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and tenth president of Emory University Warren Akin Candler, former baseball star Fred "Dixie" Walker, former University of Georgia offensive tackle Ken Shackleford, and former NFL punter Herman "Thunderfoot" Weaver. Current residents include Musician Sean Deegan and former POW and reality show contestant Ron Young.
Villa Rica has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) according to the Köppen classification system, with hot, humid summers and mild to chilly winters by the standards of the United States. On average, the warmest month is July. The highest recorded temperature was in 1980. On average, the coolest month is January. The lowest recorded temperature was in 1985. The most precipitation on average occurs in March. Despite its significant physical distance from the Gulf of Mexico (250 miles) and the Atlantic Ocean (260 miles), on rare occasion Villa Rica is impacted by hurricanes, sometimes severely. Tornadoes are a more common occurrence in the area although not usually as severe as the those that occur in the midwest United States.