Gough, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Gough · Burke County, Georgia
Population 140 (est. 2026: ~100)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -0.71% annual growth projection

Gough, Georgia

Burke County, Georgia · Population 137

Gough is a small census-designated place in Burke County, tucked into the rural landscape of east-central Georgia between Augusta and Waynesboro. It sits roughly midway between Waynesboro — the Burke County seat — and the Savannah River basin, in a part of Georgia where pine forests, agriculture, and small tight-knit communities define the character of daily life. With 137 residents, Gough is not a place most people pass through. It is a place where people live, and where the numbers that describe that life tell a striking story.

People & Demographics

The 2022 ACS estimates 115 residents in Gough, within a county of 24,596 people. The median age is 77.1 — an unusually high figure that signals this is overwhelmingly a community of older adults. Only 8 residents are children under 18. The racial composition is predominantly Black, with 109 of 115 residents identifying as Black and 6 as White.

There are 96 households in Gough, but only 17 of those are family households. The average household size is 1.20, consistent with a population composed largely of elderly individuals living alone. This demographic profile — elderly, predominantly Black, rural — reflects broader patterns of population aging and out-migration that have shaped many small Burke County communities over decades.

Economy & Employment

Only 26 residents are in the labor force, and the reported unemployment rate is zero. All 26 employed workers drive alone to work — no carpooling, no transit, no remote work.

The economic picture is stark. The median household income in Gough is $14,091 and per capita income is $13,847. By comparison, Georgia's statewide median household income is roughly three times that figure. Of the 115 residents counted, 97 fall below the federal poverty line — that is approximately 84% of the population. These are among the most concentrated poverty numbers found in any community of this size in the state.

Housing

Gough has 147 total housing units, of which 96 are occupied and 51 are vacant — a vacancy rate of roughly 35%. Of the 96 occupied units, 61 are renter-occupied and 35 are owner-occupied. Renters make up nearly two-thirds of occupied households, an unusually high renter share for a rural community of this size. Median home value and median rent data were not available from the 2022 ACS for Gough.

Schools

Gough students are served by Burke County public schools, all operated at the county level out of Waynesboro. The district includes:

Given the extremely small number of children in Gough (8 under 18), the local contribution to district enrollment is minimal, but the schools serve the broader county population.

Among the 107 Gough residents aged 25 and older, 46 hold a high school diploma. No residents are recorded with a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in the 2022 ACS data.

Getting Around

All 26 workers in Gough drive alone to their jobs. There is no public transit, no carpooling, and no record of anyone walking or working from home. Aggregate travel time data was not available. Like most of rural Burke County, a personal vehicle is essential for getting anywhere — whether to work, medical care, or groceries.

Healthcare

The nearest hospital is Burke Medical Center, located in Waynesboro. Burke Medical Center serves as the primary acute care facility for the county. Provider-level information for Gough can be searched through the CMS NPI Registry.

Library

The Burke County Public Library is located approximately 0.5 miles from Gough and can be reached at (706) 554-3277. For a community with limited internet infrastructure and an older population, proximity to a public library carries real practical weight.

Natural Hazards

Burke County has been hit repeatedly by named storms and severe weather, and the FEMA declaration record reflects that exposure clearly. Since 2014, the county has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations:

The pattern is consistent: Burke County sits in a corridor that catches tropical systems moving inland from the Gulf and Atlantic, and also experiences ice and snow events that overwhelm infrastructure designed for a warmer baseline. For a community with an elderly population and high poverty concentration, these events carry disproportionate risk.

Government & Municipal Code

Gough's municipal code is published through Municode and is available at library.municode.com/ga/gough-cdp-georgia. The community does not have a local building code on file.

Weather

Current forecasts for Gough are available through the National Weather Service. Active weather alerts for the area can be checked at alerts.weather.gov. The nearest official weather observation station is Waynesboro 2 S, approximately 1.0 mile away.

References

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