Hancock County, Georgia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Hancock County is located in Georgia with a total population of 8,650. It is the 136th most populous county out of 159 in Georgia. The county encompasses 1 Census-designated place.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hancock County is 47.3 years. This is 26% higher than the state median of 37.6 years. Only 13.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Hancock County is $40,082. This is 48% lower than the state median of $77,353. It is also 50% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 30.6%. This is 129% 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 6.3%. This is 23% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $88,600. Housing costs are 71% lower than the state median of $303,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Hancock County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 79.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% higher than the state average of 65.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Hancock County is Black or African American, making up 69.7% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 27.3%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (69.7% vs 30.7%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 11.0%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 4.5%.

Education

10.3% 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 71% 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 76.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Hancock 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.