Rome, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Rome · Floyd County, Georgia
Population 37,754 (est. 2026: ~39,200)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 1.15% annual growth projection

Rome, Georgia

Floyd County, Georgia · Population 37,713

Rome sits at the confluence of the Etowah and Oostanaula rivers, which join to form the Coosa River right in the heart of the city. That geography is not incidental — it shaped Rome's founding in 1834, its industrial past, and its present identity as the largest city in northwest Georgia. About 65 miles northwest of Atlanta and 75 miles south of Chattanooga, Rome serves as the economic and medical hub for a multi-county region that includes Polk, Chattooga, and Gordon counties. It is a city of genuine scale for this part of Georgia, with two hospitals, multiple higher education institutions, a historic downtown along Broad Street, and a school system large enough to run three high schools. Floyd County's 98,584 residents largely orbit Rome for employment, healthcare, and services.

People & Demographics

Rome's population of 37,621 is diverse by northwest Georgia standards. White residents make up 21,200; Black residents, 9,335; and the Hispanic and Latino community has grown substantially to 7,902 — a demographic shift visible in the city's restaurants, churches, and school enrollment figures. Asian residents number 827. The median age of 36.9 reflects a working-age population with a significant number of children: 9,318 residents are under 18. There are 14,501 occupied households, split almost evenly between families (8,631) and non-family arrangements, with an average household size of 2.49.

Economy & Employment

Rome's median household income of $48,512 and per capita income of $29,996 both run below Georgia state medians, which reflect Atlanta's outsized pull on statewide averages. Of 16,501 residents in the labor force, 750 are unemployed — a labor market that functions but remains constrained by the income ceiling of the region's dominant industries. Healthcare is the backbone of the local economy, anchored by two major hospital systems. Manufacturing, education, and retail fill out the employment base. Poverty affects 8,051 residents, a number that corresponds to roughly 21% of the population and underscores the economic gap between Rome and the state's metro corridors.

Housing

Rome's 16,258 total housing units include 14,501 occupied and 1,757 vacant. The split between owners and renters is nearly even: 7,379 owner-occupied units against 7,122 renter-occupied. That near-parity is unusual and suggests a rental market with real demand, not just transient or student housing. The median home value of $192,700 makes Rome genuinely affordable by Georgia standards — Atlanta-area suburbs routinely run three to four times that figure. Median rent of $851 per month is low enough that wage earners at Rome's median income are not severely cost-burdened, though poverty-level households face a different calculus entirely.

Schools

Rome City Schools and Floyd County Schools both operate within the city limits, producing a school landscape larger than most towns this size. Rome High School is the largest building in the district at 2,095 students in grades 9–12. West End Elementary serves 983 students in pre-K through grade 6. Rome Middle School enrolls 966 students in grades 7–8. Model High (912 students, grades 8–12), Coosa High School (846 students, grades 8–12), and Armuchee High School (809 students, grades 7–12) round out the secondary options. Elementary schools include Elm Street (569), West Central (561), East Central (546), Garden Lakes (517), Johnson (498), Model Elementary (489), and Armuchee Primary (489 students, grades pre-K through 2). Coosa Middle (537, grades 5–7) and Model Middle (519, grades 5–7) serve the intermediate grades.

Higher education is well-represented. Georgia Highlands College (706-802-2406) is a two-year institution with deep roots in the community. Shorter University (706-291-2121) is a four-year Baptist-affiliated university. Georgia Northwestern Technical College (706-295-6963) provides workforce training in technical fields.

Educational attainment among the 24,529 residents aged 25 and older: 5,442 hold a high school diploma as their highest credential; 3,520 hold a bachelor's degree; 1,841 a master's degree; and 394 a doctorate.

Getting Around

Rome is a car-dependent city. Of 15,307 workers, 11,058 drive alone and 2,187 carpool. Public transit accounts for just 48 commuters — effectively negligible. Walking, however, is more viable than in many comparably sized Georgia cities: 730 residents walk to work, a figure likely tied to downtown employment and the walkable core near Broad Street. Another 983 work from home. Average commute time works out to roughly 21.7 minutes per worker based on the aggregate travel time of 332,215 minutes.

Healthcare

Rome is unusually well-served for a city its size. Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center and AdventHealth Redmond both operate full-service hospitals within the city, giving residents two competing health systems and emergency departments without driving to Atlanta. This dual-hospital presence is a major quality-of-life factor for the entire region. For a full directory of individual healthcare providers in Rome, the CMS NPI Registry can be searched directly at npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov.

Library

The Rome-Floyd County Library serves the city and county jointly — a common arrangement for a county seat of Rome's scale. The library can be reached at 706-236-4630.

Parks & Recreation

The Coosa and Etowah rivers within the city offer paddling, and the broader region has significant outdoor assets. Little River Canyon National Preserve is approximately 27 miles away and managed by the National Park Service. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, about 40 miles southeast, anchors Civil War history for the region. Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park — one of the oldest and largest military parks in the country — sits roughly 46 miles to the north near Chattanooga. Visitor centers for both Kennesaw Mountain (40.2 mi) and Chickamauga Battlefield (45.6 mi) are accessible as day trips.

Natural Hazards

Floyd County has a long and serious FEMA declaration history. Tornado events struck in 1994, 2008, and 2011. Hurricane Opal produced damage in 1995. Severe winter storms hit in 1993, 2000, 2014, and again in January 2026. Hurricane Irma's remnants reached the county in September 2017. Hurricane Helene triggered an emergency declaration in September 2024. Flooding appears repeatedly across multiple declarations. The pattern is clear: this county faces recurring threats from severe storms, ice storms, and hurricane remnants tracking inland. Residents should maintain emergency plans for both winter weather and severe thunderstorm/tornado seasons.

Government & Municipal Code

Rome's municipal code is published by Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/rome. No local building code is recorded in the municipal code database, which may mean Rome relies on state-level building standards — worth confirming directly with city planning for any construction or renovation project.

Weather

The National Weather Service forecast for Rome is available at forecast.weather.gov. Active weather alerts can be monitored at alerts.weather.gov. The nearest official weather observation station is ROME 4.2 WNW, located 2.7 miles from the city center.

References

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