Homerville, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Homerville · Clinch County, Georgia
Population 2,243 (est. 2026: ~2,900)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 8.43% annual growth projection

Homerville, Georgia

Clinch County, Georgia · Population 2,344

Homerville sits in the flatwoods of far south Georgia, about 60 miles north of the Florida state line and roughly 90 miles west of Waycross. It is the county seat of Clinch County, one of the smallest counties in the state by population. The Alapaha River runs through this part of Georgia, and the Okefenokee Swamp begins not far to the east. This is timber and agricultural country — quiet, isolated, and shaped by the rhythms of rural Deep South life. With just over 2,300 residents, Homerville functions as the commercial and governmental hub for a county of fewer than 6,800 people total, which means nearly everything in Clinch County runs through this one small city.

People & Demographics

The ACS 2022 estimate puts Homerville's population at 2,049, spread across 746 households. The median age is 37.4 years. The city is majority white (1,204 residents), with a substantial Black population of 704. Hispanic or Latino residents number 49, and Asian residents 11. Average household size is 2.62 people, and 506 of the 746 households are family households. There are 638 children under 18 in the city — a meaningful share of the total population that reflects the importance of the local school system to daily life here.

Economy & Employment

Homerville's economy tells the honest story of rural south Georgia. Median household income is $29,815 — well below Georgia's statewide median, which typically runs above $60,000. Per capita income is $14,906. Of the 2,049 residents counted, 913 fall below the poverty line. That is a poverty rate approaching 45%, which is severe by any measure and reflects the structural economic challenges common to small county seats in this part of the state.

The labor force stands at 493, with only 10 counted as unemployed — a low unemployment number that reflects the small size of the formal labor market rather than widespread prosperity. Local employment leans on government services, healthcare, timber-related industries, and retail serving the county. Residents looking for larger employers or professional opportunities generally travel toward Valdosta, about 45 miles to the west, which is the nearest city of significant size.

Housing

Housing in Homerville is affordable in raw dollar terms, though that affordability is inseparable from the income constraints of the local economy. Median home value is $82,600. Median gross rent is $564 per month. Of 1,084 total housing units, 746 are occupied — leaving 338 vacant, a vacancy rate of about 31%. That is a high vacancy figure and reflects the outmigration and economic stagnation common to small rural Georgia towns. Owner-occupied units number 399; renter-occupied units number 347. The split is close to even, which is somewhat unusual for a town this size and suggests a transient or economically constrained renter population rather than a strong homeownership culture.

Schools

All public schools serving Homerville children fall under the Clinch County school system. There are three campuses:

Total K-12 enrollment across the county system is approximately 1,251 students. With only one high school in the county, students from across Clinch County converge on a single campus. There are no private school alternatives listed in local data.

Getting Around

Homerville is a car-required town. Of 483 workers counted in the commute data, 394 drove alone and 50 carpooled. Public transit usage is zero. Walking to work is zero. Twenty workers reported working from home. Aggregate travel time for all workers is 11,330 minutes, which works out to an average one-way commute of roughly 23 minutes — modest, but consistent with a town where many residents drive to Valdosta or other surrounding areas for work. There is no intercity bus or rail service.

Healthcare

Clinch Memorial Hospital is the local hospital, located in Homerville. It is a small rural facility, typical of critical access hospitals in this region. For specialized care, residents travel to Valdosta. A full directory of licensed healthcare providers registered in Homerville can be searched through the NPI Registry.

Library

The Clinch County Public Library serves Homerville and the surrounding county. Contact: (912) 487-3200. It is part of the broader network of public libraries serving rural south Georgia and provides the primary public access point for internet, research, and community programming in the county.

Natural Hazards

Clinch County has been struck repeatedly by major weather events, and the FEMA declaration record reflects that clearly. Since 2004, the county has received 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations:

The frequency here is notable. Clinch County sits in a corridor that catches the remnants of Gulf and Atlantic storms as they push inland, and the proximity of the Okefenokee makes wildfire a real seasonal hazard as well. Anyone living or buying property here should take flood risk, wind exposure, and wildfire proximity seriously.

Government & Municipal Code

Homerville operates under a city government whose ordinances are published through Municode. The full municipal code is available at library.municode.com/ga/homerville-city-georgia. The city does not have a local building code on file with Municode — construction and building standards default to state or county-level rules.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Homerville are available through the National Weather Service: NWS Forecast for Homerville. Active weather alerts can be checked at NWS Alerts. The nearest weather observation station is Homerville 0.1 SSE, approximately 1.0 mile from the city center.

References

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