Population 12,913 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Towns County
Household size in Towns County
| Period | Towns County | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.01 | 2.70 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.22 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.05 | 2.73 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Towns County are small: just 2.05 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.01, even as the national average fell. Towns County has the smallest households of any Georgia county.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Towns County
| Period | Towns County | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.7 | 36.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 50.2 | 36.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 52.5 | 38.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 54.7 | 38.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Towns County skews older: half of its residents are older than 54.7, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 49.7, mirroring the country. Of Georgia's 159 counties, only two are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Towns County
| Period | Towns County | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 13.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 13.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Towns County: 8.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.4 points, even as the national share fell. Few Georgia counties have a lower share of single-parent households: only ten of 159.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Towns County
Renters in Towns County
| Period | Towns County | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 32.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.7% | 35.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.7% | 36.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.7% | 34.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Towns County is largely a place of homeowners: only 17.7% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 50.9% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 4.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Towns County
| Period | Towns County | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.8% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 43.0% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 38.8% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.4% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 30.4% of the housing in Towns County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 5.5 points, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Towns County
| Period | Towns County | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1986 | 1985 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1992 | 1987 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1992 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1996 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +6 | +6 |
Towns County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1996, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1986 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Towns County has newer homes than the great majority of Georgia counties.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Towns County
| Period | Towns County | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $643 | $910 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $748 | $977 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $766 | $1,112 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $883 | $1,520 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$241 | +$609 | +$606 |
The median renter in Towns County pays $883 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $241 a month since 2006–10, up 37%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 37.9% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Towns County
Bachelor's degrees in Towns County
| Period | Towns County | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.4% | 28.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.0% | 28.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.3% | 31.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 32.6% | 35.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.2 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Towns County than nationally: 32.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 11.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the northeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Towns County
| Period | Towns County | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.5% | 84.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.0% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.0% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.5% | 89.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Towns County have finished high school (92.5%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 6.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few Georgia counties have a higher share of high school graduates: only 13 of 159.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Towns County
| Period | Towns County | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 10.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.9%, unemployment in Towns County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Towns County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Towns County | 2.05 | 54.7 | 8.0% | 17.7% | 30.4% | 1996 | $883 | 32.6% | 92.5% | 4.9% |
| Clay County | 2.28 | 56.5 | 5.8% | 18.8% | 32.5% | 1989 | $773 | 32.3% | 92.7% | 3.3% |
| Union County | 2.27 | 54.9 | 5.4% | 15.6% | 21.8% | 1995 | $945 | 26.6% | 87.8% | 2.4% |
| Rabun County | 2.24 | 48.6 | 8.5% | 22.9% | 33.4% | 1988 | $1,039 | 30.6% | 89.7% | 1.9% |
| Fannin County | 2.21 | 51.1 | 12.2% | 21.4% | 34.5% | 1993 | $989 | 23.8% | 88.1% | 3.6% |
| Pickens County | 2.48 | 38.8 | 8.8% | 29.1% | 12.1% | 1986 | $1,017 | 33.9% | 89.0% | 4.0% |
| Catoosa County | 2.60 | 41.6 | 13.3% | 25.8% | 8.3% | 1991 | $1,004 | 25.0% | 89.6% | 4.4% |
| Hamilton County | 2.47 | 40.5 | 10.7% | 36.1% | 9.1% | 1981 | $1,317 | 36.9% | 90.8% | 4.7% |
| Greenville County | 2.50 | 39.2 | 10.5% | 31.1% | 8.3% | 1991 | $1,363 | 41.3% | 90.9% | 4.5% |
| Walker County | 2.59 | 42.3 | 10.7% | 22.8% | 11.7% | 1980 | $944 | 21.0% | 87.0% | 3.8% |
| Dade County | 2.51 | 43.4 | 8.1% | 20.0% | 17.1% | 1987 | $877 | 18.0% | 88.2% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Madison County, NC · Marquette County, WI · Marion County, KY · Marion County, AR · Marengo County, AL · Manassas Park City, VA · Mahaska County, IA · Madison County, VA · Madison County, TX · Pemiscot County, MO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Towns County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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