Appling County, Georgia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Appling County is located in Georgia with a total population of 18,493. It is the 97th most populous county out of 159 in Georgia. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Appling County is 39.6 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 37.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Appling County is $46,651. This is 40% lower than the state median of $77,353. It is also 42% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 22.5%. This is 68% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.4%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 3.1%. This is 39% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $76,700. Housing costs are 75% lower than the state median of $303,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.6x, Appling County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 65.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Appling County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 67.5% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 18.1%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 4.5%.

Education

11.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 68% lower than the state rate of 34.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 84.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Appling County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Georgia and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.