Attapulgus, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Attapulgus · Decatur County, Georgia
Population 744 (est. 2026: ~500)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -9.54% annual growth projection

Attapulgus, Georgia

Decatur County, Georgia · Population 454

Attapulgus sits in the extreme southwest corner of Georgia, roughly 25 miles southwest of Bainbridge and about 40 miles east of Dothan, Alabama. The town is named for the attapulgite clay deposits found in the area — a mineral used industrially as an absorbent — which gives the place a distinctly geological footnote in a region otherwise defined by agriculture and pine timber. With a population of 454, Attapulgus is one of the smaller incorporated places in Decatur County, a county of about 29,367 people anchored by Bainbridge. Life here runs at a rural pace. Nearly everything — schools, the hospital, the library, the grocery store — is in Bainbridge.

People & Demographics

The ACS 2022 estimate puts Attapulgus's population at 715, with a median age of 35.3. The racial composition is closely split: 277 residents identify as Black, 228 as white, and 185 as Hispanic or Latino — a demographic mix that reflects the agricultural labor economy of the broader region. There are no Asian residents counted in the sample period.

The 189 households average 3.78 people per household, a notably high figure compared to the Georgia statewide average of around 2.6. This points to multigenerational living arrangements and larger family units. There are 135 children under 18 in the community, meaning roughly one in five residents is school-aged.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Attapulgus is $34,028, and per capita income is $17,573. Both figures sit well below Georgia's statewide median household income of roughly $65,000, reflecting the persistent rural poverty that characterizes much of southwest Georgia.

The poverty picture is stark: 322 out of 715 residents — about 45% — fall below the federal poverty line. Of the 362 residents in the labor force, only 6 are counted as unemployed, suggesting that low income here stems more from underemployment and low-wage work than from outright joblessness. Agriculture, food processing, and service industry jobs in Bainbridge are the likely anchors.

Housing

Attapulgus has 251 total housing units, of which 189 are occupied and 62 are vacant — a vacancy rate of about 25%, which is high and reflects the pressures on small rural towns throughout the region.

Owner-occupied units number 131; renters occupy 58. The median home value is $67,300, which is exceptionally low compared to Georgia's statewide median of roughly $230,000, making ownership technically accessible but reflecting limited property appreciation and investment. Median rent runs $823 per month — modest in dollar terms but potentially burdensome relative to local incomes.

Schools

Attapulgus students attend Decatur County schools, all located in Bainbridge:

No schools are located within Attapulgus itself. The Bainbridge campus cluster is the educational hub for the entire county.

Getting Around

Of 356 workers, 326 drive alone to work and 26 carpool. Zero residents use public transit, walk, or work from home. Attapulgus has no local transit service. A car is not optional — it is the only way to get anywhere. The aggregate commute time for the working population totals 17,195 minutes, which works out to roughly 48 minutes per worker per day. Bainbridge is the primary destination for most commutes.

Healthcare

The nearest hospital is Memorial Hospital and Manor in Bainbridge. There is no hospital or urgent care facility in Attapulgus. Residents needing emergency or specialty care make the trip to Bainbridge, with Dothan, Alabama serving as a regional referral destination for higher-acuity services.

Local provider listings can be checked through the CMS NPI Registry for Attapulgus, GA.

Library

The Decatur County–Gilbert H. Gragg Library serves Attapulgus residents, located approximately 2.9 miles away. Phone: (229) 248-2665. It is the county's public library system and the nearest access point for digital resources, public computers, and physical collections.

Natural Hazards

Decatur County has a serious and well-documented disaster history. FEMA declarations going back to 1998 include:

That is 11 separate disaster events in roughly 26 years. Tropical systems are the dominant threat, but straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding also appear in the record. Residents should maintain emergency plans, insurance appropriate to the risk profile, and awareness of the active Atlantic hurricane season.

Government & Municipal Code

Attapulgus operates as an incorporated city under Georgia law. The municipal code is published through Municode and accessible at library.municode.com/ga/attapulgus-city-georgia.

No local building code is on file for Attapulgus. Residents undertaking construction or renovation projects should contact city hall to confirm which state or county standards apply.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Attapulgus are available through the National Weather Service. Active alerts can be monitored at weather.gov alerts. The nearest official weather observation station is Bainbridge 2.3 ESE, approximately 2.9 miles from town.

Southwest Georgia's climate brings hot, humid summers, mild winters, and a persistent vulnerability to tropical weather systems from June through November.

References

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