Martin, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Martin · Franklin County, Georgia
Population 324 (est. 2026: ~800)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 30.25% annual growth projection

Martin, Georgia

Franklin County, Georgia · Population 336

Martin sits in the northeast Georgia Piedmont, tucked into Franklin County along a stretch of rural highway about 90 miles northeast of Atlanta and roughly 15 miles west of the South Carolina border. It is one of the smallest incorporated towns in the county — 336 people, a cluster of houses, and a community identity shaped more by its neighbors than by its own commercial footprint. Carnesville, the Franklin County seat, is the closest government center. Royston, home to the county's medical and library services, anchors the region to the south. For anything larger — major retail, specialty medical care, airport — residents look toward Gainesville or the Atlanta metro.

People & Demographics

The 2022 ACS puts Martin's population at 359, with a median age of 33.2 — noticeably younger than the typical small rural Georgia town. Franklin County as a whole sits at 23,424 residents, making Martin home to roughly 1.5% of the county's population.

The racial and ethnic breakdown shows 308 white residents, 5 Black residents, and 43 Hispanic or Latino residents — meaning Hispanic residents account for roughly 12% of the town, a share that reflects a broader pattern of Hispanic population growth across northeast Georgia's rural communities.

There are 140 households in town, 81 of them family households. The average household size is 2.56. Children under 18 number 104, which is a substantial 29% of the total population — consistent with that relatively young median age.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Martin is $41,842. Georgia's statewide median household income runs significantly higher, putting Martin well below the state average. Per capita income comes in at $36,630.

Of the 168 residents counted in the labor force, 27 are unemployed — an unemployment rate of roughly 16%, which is high by any measure. Sixty-seven residents fall below the poverty line, representing about 19% of the population. These figures place Martin among the economically challenged communities in Franklin County, which itself runs below Georgia's economic averages.

The data doesn't point to a single dominant employer or industry, which is typical for a town this size. Most working residents commute out.

Housing

Martin has 170 total housing units, 140 occupied and 30 vacant — a vacancy rate of about 18%. Of occupied units, 81 are owner-occupied and 59 are renter-occupied, putting the homeownership rate at 58%.

The median home value is $154,200. That sits well below Georgia statewide medians, making Martin genuinely affordable in absolute terms — though affordability is relative when household incomes are also below average. Median rent is $888 per month.

Schools

The school data in the record lists schools associated with the Columbia County school district, which appears to be a data alignment issue — Stevens Creek Elementary (839 students), Martinez Elementary (750 students), Stallings Island Middle School (690 students), and South Columbia Elementary (456 students) are Columbia County, Georgia institutions, not Franklin County schools.

Martin town students are served by Franklin County Schools. Families considering a move should verify current school assignments directly with Franklin County School District, as the available NCES data for this specific place does not return Franklin County campus records.

Getting Around

Of 140 workers tracked in commuting data, 101 drive alone and 15 carpool. Zero use public transit. Zero walk to work. Twenty-four work from home — about 17% of workers, a notable share for a town this size.

The aggregate commute travel time across all workers is 2,800 minutes, which works out to an average one-way commute of around 20 minutes. That's consistent with driving to Royston, Carnesville, or Lavonia for work. There is no public transit infrastructure serving Martin.

Healthcare

The nearest hospital in the record is Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center in Royston. Rating and emergency service details are not available in the current data. Royston is approximately 10–12 miles south of Martin, making Ty Cobb the practical first option for emergency and inpatient care.

For a full list of individual providers registered in Martin, the CMS NPI Registry can be searched directly: NPI Registry — Martin, GA

Library

The nearest public library is the Royston Branch Library, part of the Franklin County library system, located approximately 7.5 miles from Martin. Phone: (706) 245-6748.

Natural Hazards

Franklin County has a long FEMA disaster declaration history, and the pattern tells the real story of what this region faces.

Tropical and hurricane-related events have hit repeatedly: Hurricane Ivan (2004), Hurricane Katrina evacuation support (2005), Hurricane Irma (2017, both emergency and major disaster declarations), Tropical Storm Zeta (2021), and most recently Hurricane Helene in September 2024 — which generated both an emergency declaration on September 26 and a major disaster declaration on September 30. Helene caused severe damage across northeast Georgia and represents the most significant recent event for this area.

Winter weather is the other persistent threat. Declarations for severe winter storms or snowfall appear in 1993, 2000, 2014, 2015, and again in January 2026. Northeast Georgia's Piedmont terrain is susceptible to ice events that can shut down roads quickly.

The county also carries a drought emergency from 1977 and a COVID-19 pandemic declaration from March 2020.

Residents should maintain preparedness for both tropical moisture events — especially late-season storms that track inland — and winter ice storms.

Government & Municipal Code

Martin is an incorporated town with a municipal code published through Municode: Martin Town Code — Municode Library

The town does not have a local building code on record.

Weather

Current NWS forecast for Martin's coordinates: Weather Forecast — Martin, GA (NWS)

Active weather alerts: Weather Alerts — Martin, GA

The nearest official weather observation station is Carnesville, approximately 1.2 miles away.

References

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