Dougherty County, Georgia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Dougherty County is located in Georgia with a total population of 83,091. It is the 32nd most populous county out of 159 in Georgia. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dougherty County is 36.6 years. This is 3% lower than the state median of 37.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dougherty County is $49,044. This is 37% lower than the state median of $77,353. It is also 39% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 25.0%. This is 87% 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 10.2%. This is 99% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $134,400. Housing costs are 56% lower than the state median of $303,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Dougherty County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 45.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 31% lower than the state average of 65.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Dougherty County is Black or African American, making up 70.2% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 22.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (22.8%) is well below the state average of 49.1%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (70.2% vs 30.7%). The Hispanic or Latino population (3.3%) is well below the state average of 11.0%. The Asian population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 4.5%.

Education

22.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 35% 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 86.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Dougherty 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.