Macon-Bibb County, Georgia Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Macon-Bibb County is a major urban center located in Georgia, within Bibb County. The total population is 156,578. It ranks as the 4th most populous out of 669 Census-designated places in Georgia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Macon-Bibb County is 36.8 years. This is 2% lower than the state median of 37.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Macon-Bibb County is $51,234. This is 34% lower than the state median of $77,353. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 24.7%. This is 85% 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 8.1%. This is 58% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $174,500. Housing costs are 42% lower than the state median of $303,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.4x. 51.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% lower than the state average of 65.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Macon-Bibb County is Black or African American, making up 54.7% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 34.3%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (54.7% vs 30.7%). The Hispanic or Latino population (4.7%) is well below the state average of 11.0%.

Education

26.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 25% 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 87.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Macon-Bibb County, Georgia is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Georgia state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 669 Census-designated places in Georgia. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.