Hickox, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Hickox · Brantley County, Georgia
Population 304 (est. 2026: ~1,800)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 71.05% annual growth projection

Hickox, Georgia

Brantley County, Georgia · Census-Designated Place · Population 234

Hickox sits in the pine flatwoods of Brantley County in southeast Georgia, roughly midway between Waycross and the Florida state line. It is a census-designated place — not an incorporated municipality — carved out of a county that itself holds only about 18,000 people. The surrounding landscape is low, wet, and heavily forested, characteristic of the Okefenokee Swamp's eastern fringe. Life here runs on rural rhythms: nearly everyone drives to work, the county seat of Nahunta handles most civic functions, and Jacksonville, Florida — about 90 miles south — serves as the nearest true metro for major medical care, airports, and commerce.

People & Demographics

The ACS 2022 five-year estimates place Hickox's population at 382, with a median age of 39.9. The community is racially homogeneous by the numbers: all 382 residents are identified as white, with no Black, Asian, or Hispanic/Latino population reported. That profile is broadly consistent with Brantley County overall, which is one of Georgia's more rural and less diverse counties.

Households total 135, and 128 of those are family households — a striking share that reflects the tight-knit residential character of the area. The average household size is 2.83, slightly above Georgia's statewide figure. Children under 18 number 127, meaning roughly one in three residents is a minor. That's a young household structure despite the near-40 median age.

Economy & Employment

The per capita income in Hickox is $16,087 — well below Georgia's statewide per capita figure, which typically runs in the $30,000–$35,000 range. The poverty count is notable: 250 of 382 residents fall below the federal poverty line by ACS estimates. In a place of this size, that represents the clear majority of the population, signaling serious economic hardship.

The labor force numbers 72 workers, and reported unemployment is zero — though in small-sample ACS estimates for CDPs, that figure can reflect statistical rounding rather than literal full employment. Every single worker in that labor force drove alone to their job. No carpooling, no transit, no remote work is recorded. The nearest significant employment centers are Nahunta, Waycross, and the Georgia coast corridor.

Housing

All 135 housing units are occupied — vacancy is zero. That full occupancy, combined with poverty rates, suggests housing pressure rather than abundance. Of the 135 occupied units, 58 are owner-occupied and 77 are renter-occupied, giving a renter-majority community uncommon in rural Georgia, where ownership rates tend to run high.

The median home value is $178,700. No median rent figure is available from the ACS data.

Schools

Hickox children attend Brantley County public schools. The county operates a full K–12 system with campuses spread across the area:

Brantley County High is the county's sole high school, drawing from the entire district.

Getting Around

Hickox is car-dependent without qualification. All 72 workers in the ACS sample drove alone to work. Public transit does not serve this area, and no workers walked or worked from home. Waycross, about 30 miles north, is the nearest city with a broader retail and services base. For the coast, Brunswick and the Golden Isles run roughly 60 miles east on US-82.

Healthcare

No hospitals or clinical providers are located within Hickox itself. The nearest hospital-level care is typically accessed in Waycross (Memorial Satilla Health) or, for specialists and major procedures, Jacksonville, Florida. For a full list of providers with active NPI registrations in Hickox, the CMS NPI Registry can be queried directly.

Library

The Brantley County Library serves residents approximately 3.0 miles away and can be reached at (912) 462-5454. It is the primary public library resource for the county.

Parks & Recreation

Two National Park Service units sit within reasonable driving distance:

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, one of the largest intact freshwater systems in North America, lies within an easy drive to the west.

Natural Hazards

Brantley County's FEMA disaster declaration history is extensive and heavily weighted toward tropical weather. Since 2016, the county has been included in federal declarations for:

Hurricanes and tropical storms: Matthew (2016), Irma (2017), Michael (2018), Dorian (2019), Idalia (2023), Debby (2024), and Helene (2024). Helene alone generated both an emergency declaration (September 26, 2024) and a major disaster declaration (September 30, 2024). Debby similarly produced two declarations in 2024.

Other events: A severe storms/tornadoes/flooding declaration in January 2017, the COVID-19 pandemic declarations in 2020, and the Racepond Wildfire in June 2011.

That's fifteen separate FEMA actions over roughly 13 years. For residents, this is not hypothetical risk — it is recurring reality. Flood insurance, hurricane shutters, and evacuation planning are practical necessities, not precautions.

Government & Municipal Code

Hickox is a census-designated place and does not function as an incorporated municipality with its own governing body. A municipal code is published via Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/hickox-cdp-georgia. No local building code is in effect.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions are available from the National Weather Service:

The nearest weather observation station is NAHUNTA 3 S, approximately 3.9 miles away.

References

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