Early County, Georgia Demographics 2026

Name: Early County, Georgia Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Early County, Georgia has a population of 10,603, the 123rd most populous county in Georgia. The median household income is $54,083 and the median home value is $131,300. The poverty rate is 23.6%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Early County Quick Facts

Population 10,603

Median Household Income $54,083

Median Home Value $131,300

Poverty Rate 23.6%

Unemployment Rate 6.7%

Median Age 41.1 years

Homeownership Rate 66.6%

Affordability Ratio 2.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 14.8%

High School Graduation 83.2%

Cities/Places 4

Population 10,603 123rd of 159

Median Income $54,083 30% lower than state

Poverty Rate 23.6%

Unemployment 6.7%

How Early County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	10,683	10,603	-0.7%
Median household income	$53,750	$54,083	+0.6%
Median home value	$130,100	$131,300	+0.9%

Median Household Income

Early

$54,083

$77,353

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Early

$131,300

$303,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 28.1%

$25K-$50K 20.4%

$50K-$100K 28.5%

$100K+ 23.0%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.7%

$10K-$15K

9.4%

$15K-$20K

6.5%

$20K-$25K

6.5%

$25K-$30K

5.6%

$30K-$35K

2.8%

$35K-$40K

3.4%

$40K-$45K

4.6%

$45K-$50K

4.1%

$50K-$60K

5.1%

$60K-$75K

10.6%

$75K-$100K

12.8%

$100K-$125K

8.1%

$125K-$150K

7.4%

$150K-$200K

4.2%

$200K+

3.3%

Employment

6.7% Unemployment Rate State: 5.1%|National: 5.2%

53.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 66.6%

Renter 33.4%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $791/mo 17.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

24.4%

18-34

17.4%

35-54

24.9%

55-74

24.3%

75+

9.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 65 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Early County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Blakely	5,238	$49,821	26.8%	$152,500
Arlington	1,014	$48,125	22.6%	$150,500
Damascus	272	$58,125	13.6%	$165,600
Jakin	155	$39,583	25.2%	$201,700

Explore Georgia Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Early County is located in Georgia with a total population of 10,603. It is the 123rd most populous county out of 159 in Georgia. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Early County is 41.1 years. This is 9% higher than the state median of 37.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Early County is $54,083. This is 30% lower than the state median of $77,353. It is also 33% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 23.6%. This is 76% 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 6.7%. This is 31% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $131,300. Housing costs are 57% lower than the state median of $303,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Early County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 66.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% higher than the state average of 65.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Early County is Black or African American, making up 53.2% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 41.1%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (53.2% vs 30.7%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 11.0%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 4.5%.

Education

14.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 58% 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 83.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Early 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Early County, Georgia?

Early County has a population of 10,603, making it the 123rd most populous county in Georgia.

What is the median income in Early County?

The median household income in Early County is $54,083 with a poverty rate of 23.6%.

How many cities are in Early County, Georgia?

Early County contains 4 Census-designated places.