Ranger, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Ranger · Gordon County, Georgia
Population 82 (est. 2026: ~400)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 63.41% annual growth projection

Ranger, Georgia

Gordon County, Georgia · Population 107

Ranger sits in the hill country of Gordon County in northwest Georgia, about halfway between Calhoun and Fairmount along the county's rural interior. With just over 100 residents, it is one of the smallest incorporated places in Georgia — a quiet crossroads community where the pace of life is set by landscape rather than commerce. The nearest city of any size is Calhoun, the Gordon County seat, roughly 10 miles to the southwest and the hub for most services, employment, and retail that Ranger residents rely on daily.

People & Demographics

The Census ACS 2022 survey counted 57 people in Ranger across 34 households, with the full incorporated population sitting at 107. The median age of 49.2 years skews noticeably older than both Gordon County and Georgia as a whole, a common pattern in small rural communities where younger residents leave for employment centers. The average household size of 1.68 reflects that older demographic — many households are one or two people. There are only 8 children under 18 in town. The population is 54 white residents out of 57 counted, with no Black, Asian, or Hispanic/Latino residents recorded in the survey sample.

Fifteen residents fell below the poverty line in the ACS estimates, a meaningful share in a community this small.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Ranger is $29,219 — well below the Georgia statewide median and reflective of the limited local employment base. Per capita income stands at $27,512. Of the 35 residents counted in the labor force, none were recorded as unemployed, though the sample size makes that figure more a snapshot than a trend.

There is no significant commercial or industrial employment within Ranger itself. Most working residents commute to Calhoun or elsewhere in Gordon County, where manufacturing — particularly carpet and flooring production — anchors the regional economy.

Housing

Ranger has 51 total housing units, of which 34 are occupied and 17 sit vacant — a vacancy rate of about 33%, high even by rural Georgia standards. Of occupied units, 31 are owner-occupied and just 3 are renter-occupied, making this an overwhelmingly owner-occupied community. The median home value is $112,500, which is modest by any measure and reflects both the rural location and the age of the housing stock. Median rent data was not available.

For buyers, Ranger represents genuine affordability, though the limited inventory and high vacancy suggest the market is thin in both directions.

Schools

Ranger students are served by Gordon County Schools. The county system operates a full ladder of schools, with high school options including Calhoun High School (grades 9–12, 1,274 students), Sonoraville High School (grades 9–12, 1,142 students), and Gordon Central High School (grades 9–12, 871 students). Middle school options include Red Bud Middle School (grades 6–8, 824 students), Calhoun Middle School (grades 7–8, 623 students), and Ashworth Middle School (grades 6–8, 596 students).

Elementary options across the county include Calhoun Primary School (grades 1–3, 879 students), Calhoun Elementary School (grades 4–6, 878 students), Sonoraville Elementary (618 students), Red Bud Elementary (534 students), Tolbert Elementary (521 students), Belwood Elementary (518 students), Swain Elementary (402 students), and Fairmount Elementary (395 students). Early childhood is served by Calhoun Early Learning Academy (481 students).

Of Ranger's 44 adults 25 and older, 31 hold a high school diploma. No residents held a bachelor's degree in the ACS estimates, and one holds a master's degree.

Getting Around

Ranger is car-dependent without exception. Of 35 workers, 32 drove alone to work and 2 carpooled. One person walked. No one used public transit or worked from home. The aggregate travel time for all workers was 850 minutes, which works out to roughly 24 minutes per commute — consistent with the drive to Calhoun or other county employment centers. There is no local transit service.

Healthcare

The closest hospital is AdventHealth Gordon, located in Calhoun. Emergency services and ratings data were not available in current records. For a searchable list of licensed healthcare providers with a Ranger address, the CMS NPI Registry provides current provider information.

Library

The Calhoun-Gordon County Library is the nearest public library, located 0.3 miles from Ranger. Contact: (706) 624-1456. It serves as the primary library resource for the entire county and is effectively adjacent to Ranger's community.

Parks & Recreation

Gordon County sits within reach of several significant federal lands. Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, one of the largest Civil War battlefield parks in the country, has a visitor center 37.1 miles from Ranger. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, another major Civil War site, has its visitor center 39.7 miles away. Little River Canyon National Preserve in Alabama, managed by NPS, is accessible roughly 42 miles out and offers canyon hiking, waterfalls, and backcountry terrain.

Natural Hazards

Gordon County has a long record of federally declared disasters, and Ranger sits squarely within that exposure zone. The county has been hit by severe winter storms (1993, 2000, 2014, and a 2026 declaration), tornadoes and severe storms (1990, 2011, and 2021), and hurricane-related damage from both Hurricane Opal (1995) and Hurricane Irma (2017). Hurricane Helene triggered an emergency declaration in September 2024. The county also participated in Hurricane Katrina evacuation support in 2005, and received pandemic declarations in March 2020.

The pattern here is clear: northwest Georgia gets winter ice events, spring tornado outbreaks, and occasional tropical remnants. Flooding has accompanied multiple events. Residents should maintain supplies for extended power outages and road closures.

Government & Municipal Code

Ranger is an incorporated town with its own municipal code, published through Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/ranger-town-georgia. The town does not have a local building code on record.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Ranger are available through the National Weather Service. Active weather alerts for the area can be found at alerts.weather.gov. The nearest weather observation station is Calhoun Experiment Station, 1.3 miles from town.

References

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