Telfair County, Georgia Demographics 2026

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

Telfair County, Georgia has a population of 11,831, the 116th most populous county in Georgia. The median household income is $50,929 and the median home value is $113,300. The poverty rate is 24.1%.

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

Telfair County Quick Facts

Population 11,831

Median Household Income $50,929

Median Home Value $113,300

Poverty Rate 24.1%

Unemployment Rate 5.3%

Median Age 43.2 years

Homeownership Rate 64.9%

Affordability Ratio 2.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 10.1%

High School Graduation 77.9%

Cities/Places 4

Population 11,831 116th of 159

Median Income $50,929 34% lower than state

Poverty Rate 24.1%

Unemployment 5.3%

How Telfair 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	12,174	11,831	-2.8%
Median household income	$44,948	$50,929	+13.3%
Median home value	$108,200	$113,300	+4.7%

Median Household Income

Telfair

$50,929

$77,353

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Telfair

$113,300

$303,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 33.0%

$25K-$50K 16.1%

$50K-$100K 36.2%

$100K+ 14.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

11.5%

$10K-$15K

4.9%

$15K-$20K

11.1%

$20K-$25K

5.5%

$25K-$30K

2.9%

$30K-$35K

4.7%

$35K-$40K

3.4%

$40K-$45K

1.6%

$45K-$50K

3.5%

$50K-$60K

10.7%

$60K-$75K

15.0%

$75K-$100K

10.5%

$100K-$125K

3.0%

$125K-$150K

3.7%

$150K-$200K

6.1%

$200K+

1.7%

Employment

5.3% Unemployment Rate State: 5.1%|National: 5.2%

35.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 64.9%

Renter 35.1%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $712/mo 16.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

16.1%

18-34

23.2%

35-54

28.7%

55-74

24.3%

75+

7.7%

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 Telfair County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
McRae-Helena	6,030	$43,618	31.5%	$113,500
Lumber City	1,004	$32,841	21.8%	$77,200
Scotland	218	$61,964	6.0%	$102,500
Jacksonville	121	$49,375	11.0%	$33,300

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

Telfair County is located in Georgia with a total population of 11,831. It is the 116th most populous county out of 159 in Georgia. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Telfair County is 43.2 years. This is 15% higher than the state median of 37.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Telfair County is $50,929. 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 24.1%. This is 80% 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 5.3%. This is 2% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $113,300. Housing costs are 63% lower than the state median of $303,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Telfair County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 64.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% lower than the state average of 65.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Telfair County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 48.3% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 35.5%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 4.5%.

Education

10.1% 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 77.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Telfair 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 Telfair County, Georgia?

Telfair County has a population of 11,831, making it the 116th most populous county in Georgia.

What is the median income in Telfair County?

The median household income in Telfair County is $50,929 with a poverty rate of 24.1%.

How many cities are in Telfair County, Georgia?

Telfair County contains 4 Census-designated places.