Leary, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Leary · Calhoun County, Georgia
Population 321 (est. 2026: ~200)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -17.76% annual growth projection

Leary, Georgia

Calhoun County, Georgia · Population 524

Leary sits in the flat, pine-edged farmland of southwest Georgia, about 35 miles southwest of Albany and roughly 25 miles east of Blakely. It is a small town in a small county — Calhoun County holds just 5,573 people total — and Leary carries the characteristics common to this corner of the state: deep rural roots, an older and predominantly Black population, low incomes, and housing stock that reflects decades of economic pressure. What sets Leary apart, in a quiet way, is its proximity to the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains, about 38 miles to the northeast, placing it within the orbit of one of Georgia's most historically significant sites. This is not a bedroom community. It is a place where people have lived for generations, and where the numbers tell a story of resilience alongside hardship.

People & Demographics

The ACS 2022 estimates put Leary's counted population at 373, with the headline figure of 524 reflecting a slightly broader count. The median age is 64.6 — strikingly high, and well above Georgia's statewide median, which sits in the mid-30s. That number signals a community where younger residents have largely left and an older generation remains. Of 373 residents counted, 334 identify as Black and 35 as white. There are 198 total households, with 115 of those family households. The average household size of 1.88 is low, consistent with an aging population living in smaller configurations. Children under 18 number just 38.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Leary is $35,385, and per capita income sits at $25,110. Both figures fall well below Georgia's statewide medians. Of 373 residents, 57 are counted below the poverty line. The labor force numbers 142 people, and reported unemployment is zero — a figure worth interpreting carefully in a community this small, where labor force participation itself may be limited by age and circumstance. The local economy reflects the agricultural and service-sector character of rural southwest Georgia, with many workers likely commuting to Albany or other nearby towns for employment.

Housing

Leary has 283 total housing units, of which 198 are occupied and 85 sit vacant — a vacancy rate of roughly 30 percent, which is high by any standard and reflects both population decline and aging infrastructure. Of occupied units, 146 are owner-occupied and 52 are renter-occupied. The median home value is $50,000, making Leary one of the more affordable places to own property in Georgia, though that affordability comes with the context of limited economic opportunity. Median rent is $755 per month.

Schools

Students in Leary are served by Calhoun County schools and by a charter option:

Pataula Charter Academy, with its full K–12 structure and the largest enrollment in the county, serves as a significant alternative to the traditional district pathway. All schools serve a county-wide population given Calhoun County's small overall size.

Getting Around

Of 142 workers, 113 drive alone to work. Eleven carpool, 7 use public transit, 2 walk, and 9 work from home. Aggregate commute time across all workers totals 3,295 minutes, suggesting an average one-way commute of roughly 23 minutes — reasonable for rural southwest Georgia, where Albany is the nearest city of significant size. A car is effectively required for most daily needs.

Healthcare

No hospitals or clinics are located within Leary itself. Residents rely on facilities in Albany (Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital) and surrounding towns. Local and regional healthcare providers can be searched through the CMS NPI Registry for Leary, GA.

Library

The Calhoun County Library serves Leary residents and is located 0.7 miles away. Contact: (229) 835-2012.

Parks & Recreation

The Jimmy Carter National Historical Park — a unit of the National Park Service — is located approximately 38 miles northeast in Plains, Georgia. The Plains High School Visitor Center and Museum, part of that park complex, is 38 miles away and offers a direct connection to one of Georgia's most significant presidential and civil rights history sites.

Natural Hazards

Calhoun County has a substantial FEMA disaster declaration history, underscoring the vulnerability of this region to both tropical weather systems and severe storms:

Fourteen federal disaster declarations in 30 years is a significant record. Southwest Georgia sits in the path of tropical systems that track inland from the Gulf of Mexico, and the region is also susceptible to tornado outbreaks from severe storm systems. Residents should maintain hurricane and severe weather preparedness.

Government & Municipal Code

Leary's municipal code is published through Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/leary-city-georgia. The city does not have a locally adopted building code on record.

Weather

Current forecasts and alerts for Leary are available through the National Weather Service:

The nearest weather observation station is Edison, located 0.7 miles away.

References

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