Cusseta-Chattahoochee County unified government, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Cusseta-Chattahoochee County unified government · Chattahoochee County, Georgia
Population 9,181 (est. 2026: ~8,200)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -3.2% annual growth projection

Cusseta-Chattahoochee County Unified Government, Georgia

Chattahoochee County, Georgia · Population 9,565

Cusseta sits at the southwestern edge of Georgia, pressed against the Chattahoochee River and the Alabama state line, with Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) defining almost everything about daily life here. Chattahoochee County is one of the smallest counties in Georgia by land area and one of the most demographically unusual — a young, transient, heavily military population in a rural setting. The county and its seat merged into a single unified government, making Cusseta-Chattahoochee County essentially one administrative entity. The nearest substantial city is Columbus, Georgia, roughly 20 miles north, which handles most of the region's commercial, medical, and educational infrastructure. This is not a bedroom suburb — it is an active-duty military community with a civilian footprint built around it.

People & Demographics

The population of 9,402 skews dramatically young. The median age of 23.9 years is a stark contrast to Georgia's statewide median, reflecting the continuous rotation of active-duty soldiers and their families through Fort Moore. Of 9,402 residents counted, 5,700 identify as white, 1,582 as Black, 335 as Asian, and 1,654 as Hispanic or Latino — a diversity profile shaped by the Army's national recruiting reach rather than regional migration patterns.

There are 2,031 occupied households, with 1,669 of them family households. Average household size runs 2.66 people. Children under 18 number 2,072, representing a substantial share of the total population — again, a signature of military family demographics.

Economy & Employment

The median household income is $52,943. Per capita income sits at $23,574. Both figures reflect the reality that a large portion of the workforce is active-duty military — stable government employment, but not high-earning at the junior enlisted levels that dominate a post like Fort Moore.

Of 5,976 people in the labor force, 137 are unemployed — a low unemployment rate reflecting the built-in employment structure of a military installation. Poverty touches 908 residents, a figure that, while not extreme, matters in a county where off-post civilian employment options are limited and spouses of deployed soldiers often face underemployment.

Columbus, Georgia handles the majority of civilian employment for residents who work off-post. The county itself has minimal commercial or industrial employment independent of the military mission.

Housing

Total housing units number 2,971, but 940 of those are vacant — a vacancy rate of roughly 32 percent, which reflects the rhythms of military deployment cycles and the transience inherent to an Army post community. Of 2,031 occupied units, renters outnumber owners nearly 2-to-1: 1,397 renter-occupied versus 634 owner-occupied.

The median home value of $129,300 is well below Georgia's statewide median, and on-post housing options through the Army suppress demand for civilian purchase. The median gross rent of $1,260, however, is not especially low — landlords in the area price to the BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) rates that soldiers receive, which pulls rents upward relative to local incomes.

Schools

Chattahoochee County School District serves the county. Given the small and transient population, the district operates on a limited scale. Schools here are accustomed to high student turnover as military families rotate through assignments. Columbus, Georgia's Muscogee County School District is the nearest large district for families who choose to live off-post but closer to the city.

Getting Around

Of 5,719 workers, 3,168 drove alone to work — the dominant mode. Carpooling accounts for 552 commuters. Notably, 1,329 people walked to work, an unusually high number explained entirely by on-post personnel walking to their duty stations. Public transit accounts for 237 commuters, and 360 worked from home.

Aggregate travel time across all workers totals 53,355 minutes. For those commuting off-post to Columbus or beyond, driving is the only realistic option — there is no regional rail or meaningful intercity transit.

Healthcare

Martin Army Community Hospital (ACH) at Fort Moore provides primary care for active-duty personnel and many of their dependents. Civilian residents and retirees with community care eligibility may access Martin ACH, but off-post residents without military affiliation rely on Columbus for hospital-level care. Columbus is home to Piedmont Columbus Regional and St. Francis-Emory Healthcare, both within roughly 20 miles.

For a directory of individual healthcare providers registered with CMS in this area, the NPI Registry can be searched directly: NPI Registry — Local Providers

Government & Municipal Code

Cusseta-Chattahoochee County operates as a unified government — the city and county consolidated their functions into a single governing body. The municipal code is published through Municode and covers local ordinances, zoning, and governance:

Cusseta-Chattahoochee County Unified Government Municipal Code

No local building code is in effect for this jurisdiction based on available data. Construction and renovation projects should be verified against applicable state minimums and any base-specific regulations for work on Fort Moore property.

Natural Hazards

Chattahoochee County has accumulated a notable FEMA declaration history given its size. The county has been struck by or affected by multiple significant events:

The pattern shows sustained vulnerability to Gulf-origin hurricanes — Irma, Michael, and Helene all hit this county — as well as flooding events. Residents should maintain emergency plans and supplies consistent with hurricane season risk from June through November.

Weather

National Weather Service forecasts for Cusseta and Chattahoochee County are served through the NWS Tallahassee office, which covers southwest Georgia. Current forecasts are available at weather.gov. The climate is humid subtropical — hot, humid summers with temperatures regularly exceeding 90°F, mild winters, and a real but manageable severe weather season.

References

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