Carrollton, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Carrollton · Carroll County, Georgia
Population 27,058 (est. 2026: ~28,200)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 1.23% annual growth projection

Carrollton, Georgia

Carroll County, Georgia · Population 26,738

Carrollton sits roughly 50 miles west of Atlanta along US-27, close enough to draw from metro Atlanta's economy but self-contained enough to have its own distinct identity. The University of West Georgia anchors daily life here in ways that go beyond a typical college town — it shapes the age profile, the rental market, the workforce, and the cultural calendar all at once. Carrollton is the Carroll County seat and, with more than a fifth of the county's 119,148 residents living within city limits, it functions as the region's commercial, medical, and educational hub.

People & Demographics

Carrollton's population of 26,622 skews noticeably young. The median age of 27.5 — well below Georgia's statewide median — reflects the University of West Georgia's enrollment weight on local demographics. That number requires context before drawing conclusions about the broader resident population.

The city is racially diverse relative to much of rural west Georgia. Of the total population, 14,031 identify as white, 9,856 as Black, and 271 as Asian. The Hispanic or Latino community numbers 2,498. Of 9,626 total households, 5,887 are family households. The average household size is 2.46. Children under 18 number 5,215.

Economy & Employment

The labor force stands at 13,477, with 777 people unemployed. Median household income is $46,722 — below Georgia's statewide figure — and per capita income sits at $30,143. With 7,648 residents living below the poverty line, poverty touches a significant share of the community. That figure is shaped in part by the student population, whose incomes register low in census estimates regardless of household circumstances.

Tanner Medical Center, the Carroll County School System, and the University of West Georgia together represent the backbone of local institutional employment. Retail, healthcare support services, and light manufacturing fill out the employment base. Atlanta's metro economy is accessible via I-20 to the south, making commuting a real option for higher-wage positions.

Housing

Carrollton has 10,443 total housing units, of which 9,626 are occupied and 817 are vacant — a vacancy rate of roughly 7.8%. The tenure split reflects the university's influence sharply: 5,937 units are renter-occupied versus 3,689 owner-occupied, meaning renters make up about 62% of occupied housing. That ratio is inverted compared to most similarly-sized Georgia cities.

Median home value is $259,700. Median gross rent is $972 per month. Both figures are modest in comparison to metro Atlanta suburbs, making Carrollton relatively affordable for buyers and renters who work locally, though affordability is tighter for lower-income households given the income levels noted above.

Schools

The Carroll County School System serves Carrollton alongside the separate Carrollton City Schools system. Together they operate a full ladder of schools with substantial enrollments.

Carrollton City Schools: - Carrollton Elementary School (Grades PK–3): 1,783 students - Carrollton Upper Elementary School (Grades 4–6): 1,189 students - Carrollton Jr. High School (Grades 7–8): 883 students - Carrollton High School (Grades 9–12): 1,757 students

Carroll County Schools (serving broader county including Carrollton-area students): - Central Elementary School (Grades PK–5): 972 students - Central Middle School (Grades 6–8): 967 students - Central High School (Grades 9–12): 1,280 students - Sand Hill Elementary School (Grades PK–5): 696 students - Mount Zion Elementary School (Grades PK–5): 695 students - Sharp Creek Elementary School (Grades PK–5): 554 students - Mt. Zion Middle School (Grades 6–8): 336 students - Mt. Zion High School (Grades 9–12): 470 students

Higher education is on-site. The University of West Georgia (678-839-5000) is a four-year public university operating within the city, part of the University System of Georgia.

Getting Around

Of 11,886 total workers, 8,677 drive alone to work and 1,355 carpool. Public transit is essentially absent — only 26 workers use it. Walking is more common than transit, with 674 residents getting to work on foot, which tracks with the university environment. Another 951 work from home. Aggregate commute time across all workers totals 207,680 minutes, pointing to an average one-way trip of roughly 17–18 minutes. Carrollton is a car-required town for most practical purposes, though the compact downtown and university campus create walkable pockets.

Healthcare

Tanner Medical Center – Carrollton is the primary acute care hospital serving the city and the broader region. A second Tanner facility, Tanner Medical Center – Villa Rica, serves communities to the east along the I-20 corridor. Tanner Health System has operated in Carroll County for decades and functions as the regional health anchor for several surrounding counties.

A full directory of licensed healthcare providers with National Provider Identifiers in Carrollton is searchable through the CMS NPI Registry.

Library

The Neva Lomason Memorial Library serves Carrollton as part of the West Georgia Regional Library System. It is the main branch for the system and provides collections, programming, and public computer access for city and county residents. Contact: 770-836-6711.

Parks & Recreation

Three National Park Service sites are accessible within a reasonable drive:

Natural Hazards

Carroll County has a substantial FEMA disaster declaration history. The county has been included in 15 federal emergency or major disaster declarations since 2000:

The pattern is clear: winter ice storms and tropical moisture events are the recurring threats. The January 2026 severe winter storm declaration is the most recent. Residents should treat winter weather preparedness — not just hurricane preparedness — as an annual consideration.

Government & Municipal Code

Carrollton's municipal code is published through Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/carrollton. No local building code data is included in current records; residents and contractors should contact the city directly to confirm applicable construction standards.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Carrollton are available through the National Weather Service. Active alerts can be checked at weather.gov alerts. The nearest official weather observation station is Carrollton 3.2 SW, located 3.7 miles from the city center.

References

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