Incomes are rising rapidly in the United States. According to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, the national median household income was nearly $75,000 in 2022, up from about $69,700 in 2021. The 7.2% increase was the largest recorded year-over-year since at least the mid-1990s.
While the typical American household is earning more than ever before, incomes have not been rising fast enough to offset inflation. Throughout 2022, the average rate of inflation hit a 40-year high of 8%, four times the Federal Reserve’s 2% target rate. Accounting for the rising cost of living, real incomes in the U.S. fell by nearly 5% between 2019 and 2022.
While no one has been spared from surging prices, Americans on the low end of the income spectrum have bore the brunt. During inflationary periods, higher-income Americans can cut back on spending and reduce the impact of rising costs. Meanwhile, lower earning Americans, who spend a larger share of their income on necessities such as food, housing, and gas, cannot.
Georgia has a median household income of $71,355. But in many parts of the state, the typical household earns far less than the statewide median.
Using five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 35 poorest counties in Georgia. Counties in the state are ranked on median household income. Population, poverty, and unemployment data are also five-year estimates from the 2022 ACS.
Among the counties on this list, median household incomes are anywhere from about $25,400 to $46,700 below the statewide median. In many of these counties, levels of financial hardship are underscored by widespread poverty. In every county on this list, the share of residents living below the poverty line exceeds the 13.5% statewide poverty rate.
These are the poorest counties in Georgia.
35. Mitchell County
- Median household income: $45,966
- Poverty rate: 28.7%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.5%
- Population: 21,634
34. Taliaferro County
Source: minijoegreen / Flickr
- Median household income: $45,881
- Poverty rate: 18.9%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.0%
- Population: 1,635
33. Charlton County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $45,770
- Poverty rate: 20.5%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.3%
- Population: 12,547
32. Dougherty County
Source: Roberto Galan / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Median household income: $45,640
- Poverty rate: 26.4%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.9%
- Population: 85,038
31. Candler County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $45,519
- Poverty rate: 18.3%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.9%
- Population: 10,946
30. Baker County
Source: Michael Rivera / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $45,417
- Poverty rate: 23.1%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 12.2%
- Population: 2,878
29. Warren County
Source: Upstateherd / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $45,091
- Poverty rate: 22.9%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.0%
- Population: 5,197
28. Ware County
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $44,138
- Poverty rate: 23.7%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.3%
- Population: 35,917
27. Bacon County
Source: Bubba73 / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $43,938
- Poverty rate: 21.6%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.2%
- Population: 11,138
26. Washington County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $43,810
- Poverty rate: 16.8%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.4%
- Population: 19,975
25. Chattooga County
Source: Thomson M / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $43,556
- Poverty rate: 19.9%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.7%
- Population: 24,902
24. Terrell County
Source: Michael Rivera / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $43,507
- Poverty rate: 29.8%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.5%
- Population: 9,004
23. Appling County
Source: Bubba73 (Jud McCranie) / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $43,268
- Poverty rate: 25.3%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.3%
- Population: 18,441
22. Clay County
Source: Robbie Honerkamp / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $43,264
- Poverty rate: 25.7%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.5%
- Population: 2,855
21. Stewart County
Source: Jacqueline Nix / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Median household income: $43,094
- Poverty rate: 21.9%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.0%
- Population: 5,121
20. Pulaski County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $42,545
- Poverty rate: 18.9%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.9%
- Population: 9,887
19. Brooks County
Source: miroslav_1 / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Median household income: $42,263
- Poverty rate: 26.5%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.9%
- Population: 16,275
18. Telfair County
Source: JERRYE and ROY KLOTZ MD / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $41,801
- Poverty rate: 31.3%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.1%
- Population: 12,619
17. Jeff Davis County
- Median household income: $41,780
- Poverty rate: 22.6%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.0%
- Population: 14,791
16. Wilkinson County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $40,757
- Poverty rate: 21.8%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.8%
- Population: 8,852
15. Taylor County
- Median household income: $40,727
- Poverty rate: 29.0%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.6%
- Population: 7,799
14. Brantley County
- Median household income: $40,166
- Poverty rate: 16.3%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.3%
- Population: 18,105
13. Lanier County
Source: Judson McCranie / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $39,971
- Poverty rate: 32.1%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.1%
- Population: 9,964
12. Turner County
Source: georgiapeanuts / Flickr
- Median household income: $39,666
- Poverty rate: 22.4%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.0%
- Population: 8,894
11. Sumter County
- Median household income: $38,899
- Poverty rate: 24.2%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.4%
- Population: 29,378
10. Quitman County
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $38,889
- Poverty rate: 15.3%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 23.5%
- Population: 2,180
9. Treutlen County
Source: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $38,641
- Poverty rate: 28.1%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 10.9%
- Population: 6,411
8. Ben Hill County
Source: Roberto Galan / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Median household income: $38,255
- Poverty rate: 26.5%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.9%
- Population: 17,169
7. Atkinson County
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock / Getty Images Plus
- Median household income: $38,007
- Poverty rate: 27.5%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.6%
- Population: 8,265
6. Wheeler County
Source: Calvin Beale / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $36,354
- Poverty rate: 26.7%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.4%
- Population: 7,550
5. Webster County
Source: Rivers Langley; SaveRivers / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $35,000
- Poverty rate: 27.9%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.9%
- Population: 2,354
4. Macon County
- Median household income: $33,960
- Poverty rate: 26.2%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.2%
- Population: 12,099
3. Hancock County
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $31,767
- Poverty rate: 27.5%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.2%
- Population: 8,588
2. Jenkins County
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $31,463
- Poverty rate: 27.9%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.9%
- Population: 8,704
1. Randolph County
Source: Rivers Langley; SaveRivers / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $24,638
- Poverty rate: 28.1%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.5%
- Population: 6,365
| Rank | County | Median household income ($) | Poverty rate (%) | 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randolph, Georgia | 24,638 | 28.1 | 7.5 |
| 2 | Jenkins, Georgia | 31,463 | 27.9 | 4.9 |
| 3 | Hancock, Georgia | 31,767 | 27.5 | 6.2 |
| 4 | Macon, Georgia | 33,960 | 26.2 | 9.2 |
| 5 | Webster, Georgia | 35,000 | 27.9 | 8.9 |
| 6 | Wheeler, Georgia | 36,354 | 26.7 | 6.4 |
| 7 | Atkinson, Georgia | 38,007 | 27.5 | 4.6 |
| 8 | Ben Hill, Georgia | 38,255 | 26.5 | 4.9 |
| 9 | Treutlen, Georgia | 38,641 | 28.1 | 10.9 |
| 10 | Quitman, Georgia | 38,889 | 15.3 | 23.5 |
| 11 | Sumter, Georgia | 38,899 | 24.2 | 6.4 |
| 12 | Turner, Georgia | 39,666 | 22.4 | 7.0 |
| 13 | Lanier, Georgia | 39,971 | 32.1 | 2.1 |
| 14 | Brantley, Georgia | 40,166 | 16.3 | 3.3 |
| 15 | Taylor, Georgia | 40,727 | 29.0 | 6.6 |
| 16 | Wilkinson, Georgia | 40,757 | 21.8 | 5.8 |
| 17 | Jeff Davis, Georgia | 41,780 | 22.6 | 4.0 |
| 18 | Telfair, Georgia | 41,801 | 31.3 | 2.1 |
| 19 | Brooks, Georgia | 42,263 | 26.5 | 4.9 |
| 20 | Pulaski, Georgia | 42,545 | 18.9 | 3.9 |
| 21 | Stewart, Georgia | 43,094 | 21.9 | 5.0 |
| 22 | Clay, Georgia | 43,264 | 25.7 | 3.5 |
| 23 | Appling, Georgia | 43,268 | 25.3 | 3.3 |
| 24 | Terrell, Georgia | 43,507 | 29.8 | 8.5 |
| 25 | Chattooga, Georgia | 43,556 | 19.9 | 4.7 |
| 26 | Washington, Georgia | 43,810 | 16.8 | 4.4 |
| 27 | Bacon, Georgia | 43,938 | 21.6 | 4.2 |
| 28 | Ware, Georgia | 44,138 | 23.7 | 4.3 |
| 29 | Warren, Georgia | 45,091 | 22.9 | 9.0 |
| 30 | Baker, Georgia | 45,417 | 23.1 | 12.2 |
| 31 | Candler, Georgia | 45,519 | 18.3 | 3.9 |
| 32 | Dougherty, Georgia | 45,640 | 26.4 | 9.9 |
| 33 | Charlton, Georgia | 45,770 | 20.5 | 8.3 |
| 34 | Taliaferro, Georgia | 45,881 | 18.9 | 4.0 |
| 35 | Mitchell, Georgia | 45,966 | 28.7 | 9.5 |
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