Russell, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Russell · Barrow County, Georgia
Population 1,335 (est. 2026: ~700)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -18.43% annual growth projection

Russell, Georgia

Barrow County, Georgia · Population 1,322

Russell is a census-designated place tucked into Barrow County in northeast Georgia, roughly 50 miles east of Atlanta. It sits in the corridor between Winder — the Barrow County seat — and the growing bedroom communities pushing outward from the metro fringe. Russell isn't a standalone municipality with its own city hall or downtown square; it's a residential CDP that functions as part of the broader Barrow County fabric. What defines life here is proximity: proximity to jobs in Athens, Gainesville, and Atlanta; proximity to county schools serving thousands of students; and the kind of close-knit, working-family character that shows up in the numbers.

People & Demographics

Russell's population sits at 1,322, a small slice of Barrow County's 83,505 residents. The ACS 2022 estimates put the CDP population at 1,402, with a median age of 33.9 — a notably young community. There are 442 households, averaging 3.17 people per household, which is well above typical Georgia averages and reflects the strong family composition here: 326 of those 442 households are family households.

Children under 18 number 359, representing roughly a quarter of the population. The racial breakdown shows 708 white residents, 162 Black residents, and 179 Hispanic or Latino residents. No Asian population was recorded in the 2022 survey data.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Russell is $53,750, and per capita income runs at $19,842. For context, Georgia's statewide median household income hovers around $65,000, placing Russell noticeably below the state figure. Of 1,402 residents, 697 are in the labor force, with 41 counted as unemployed — an unemployment rate of roughly 5.9%.

Poverty touches a meaningful share of residents: 217 people fall below the poverty line, representing about 15.5% of the population. That's a real number for a community of this size, and it shapes the economic reality for a significant minority of households.

The local economy draws from the broader Barrow County base — manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and service jobs in Winder and along the U.S. 29 and SR 316 corridors — as well as longer commutes into Athens and metro Atlanta.

Housing

Russell's housing market is fully occupied — all 442 housing units are occupied, with zero vacant units recorded in the 2022 data. That's an unusual figure that reflects tight demand in the corridor. Owner-occupied units number 239; renters occupy 203, nearly a 54/46 split.

The median home value is $102,400, which is strikingly affordable compared to metro Atlanta's soaring prices and even relative to much of the Georgia suburban landscape. Median gross rent runs $1,193 per month. For buyers, the low home value creates entry points that have largely disappeared elsewhere in the Atlanta commuter zone.

Schools

Russell falls within the Barrow County School System. The schools serving the county — and by extension CDP residents — are substantial in enrollment:

Elementary (PreK–5) - Kennedy Elementary School — 928 students - Yargo Elementary School — 896 students - Bethlehem Elementary School — 850 students - Holsenbeck Elementary School — 823 students - Statham Elementary School — 804 students - Auburn Elementary School — 766 students - Mulberry Elementary School — 710 students - Bramlett Elementary School — 679 students

Middle (6–8) - Russell Middle School — 931 students - Haymon-Morris Middle School — 809 students - Westside Middle School — 736 students - Bear Creek Middle School — 673 students

High School (9–12) - Apalachee High School — 1,894 students - Winder-Barrow High School — 1,787 students - Barrow Arts and Sciences Academy (Grades 8–12) — 1,064 students

The county runs a large, distributed school system. Barrow Arts and Sciences Academy offers a specialized academic track for students in grades 8 through 12.

Getting Around

Russell is car country. Of 656 workers, 541 drove alone to work and 95 carpooled. Public transit use, walking, and working from home all recorded zero in the 2022 data. The aggregate commute time for the community totals 18,755 minutes — averaging roughly 28.6 minutes per worker each way. That aligns with a population that largely commutes to Winder, Athens, or out toward the Atlanta metro. There is no local transit option.

Healthcare

NGMC Barrow, LLC serves as the nearest hospital facility in the county. For a broader search of licensed healthcare providers in the area, the CMS NPI Registry lists providers by city: Search Russell, GA providers on NPI Registry.

Library

The Auburn Public Library is the nearest branch, located 1.9 miles from Russell. Phone: (770) 513-2925. Auburn Public Library is part of the Piedmont Regional Library System, which serves Barrow and surrounding counties.

Parks & Recreation

Several National Park Service sites are accessible within a day trip or less:

Natural Hazards

Barrow County has accumulated a significant FEMA declaration history, covering a range of hazard types:

Winter weather is a recurring vulnerability for this part of Georgia — the 2014 and 2015 ice events paralyzed much of the state, and Barrow County was included in both. Tropical systems weaken substantially by the time they reach northeast Georgia, but rainfall and wind impacts still trigger federal responses, as Helene demonstrated in 2024.

Government & Municipal Code

Russell is a CDP, not an incorporated municipality with full home-rule powers, but a municipal code is published and available through Municode: Russell CDP, Georgia — Municode Library

No local building code is on file.

Weather

Current forecasts and alerts from the National Weather Service: - NWS Forecast for Russell (34.0381°N, 83.8091°W) - Active weather alerts for this location

The nearest weather observation station is Auburn 1.6 E, approximately 1.8 miles away.

References

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)