Burke County, Georgia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Burke County is located in Georgia with a total population of 24,470. It is the 78th most populous county out of 159 in Georgia. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Burke County is 38.3 years. This is 2% higher than the state median of 37.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Burke County is $53,014. This is 31% lower than the state median of $77,353. It is also 34% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.3%. This is 37% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.4%. The unemployment rate is 5.0%. This is 3% lower than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $151,600. Housing costs are 50% lower than the state median of $303,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Burke County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 70.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 65.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Burke County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 48.0% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 45.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.6%) is well below the state average of 11.0%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 4.5%.

Education

15.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 56% 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 81.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Burke 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.