Cataula, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Cataula · Harris County, Georgia
Population 1,898 (est. 2026: ~900)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -19.81% annual growth projection

Cataula, Georgia

Harris County, Georgia · Population 1,433

Cataula sits in the red-clay foothills of west-central Georgia, roughly halfway between Columbus and the Alabama state line. It's a census-designated place rather than an incorporated municipality — no city hall, no mayor — just a close-knit residential community that has quietly become one of the more affluent enclaves in Harris County. The terrain is wooded and rolling, the lots are generous, and the atmosphere reads suburban without the density. Residents drive to Columbus for jobs, hospitals, and most retail. What Cataula offers in return is space, income stability, and a household-focused community where families with children are the dominant household type.

People & Demographics

The ACS 2022 estimate places Cataula's population at 1,829 — somewhat higher than the commonly cited CDP figure of 1,433, reflecting different geographic or vintage boundaries. The median age is 36.8, roughly consistent with a community in active family formation. Children under 18 account for 519 residents, a substantial share of the total population and a strong indicator of where households are in their lifecycle.

Racially and ethnically, the community is 1,238 white, 242 Black, and 336 Hispanic or Latino. The Asian population recorded zero in the ACS 2022 data. All 479 households in the dataset are classified as family households — a striking figure that underscores Cataula's character as a place built around families rather than singles or retirees. The average household size is 3.82, well above Georgia's statewide average and Harris County's county-wide figure. Harris County as a whole has 34,668 residents; Cataula represents a meaningful slice of that population at a notably higher income tier.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Cataula is $123,534 — a figure that stands out sharply against Georgia's statewide median, which hovers around $61,000–$65,000 depending on vintage. Per capita income is $36,516. The ACS 2022 data records zero residents below the poverty line and zero unemployed among the 953 labor force participants — figures that, while likely reflecting a small-sample margin, are consistent with a high-income bedroom community whose working-age adults are stably employed. Cataula is not an employment center; it is where professionals who work elsewhere choose to live. Columbus, less than 20 miles southwest, is the dominant employment hub, anchored by Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning), Aflac, and healthcare and logistics sectors.

Housing

Cataula's 584 total housing units break down into 479 occupied and 105 vacant — a vacancy rate of roughly 18%, which may reflect seasonal or investment properties alongside some transitional vacancies. The homeownership picture is overwhelmingly owner-dominated: 454 of 479 occupied units are owner-occupied, leaving just 25 renter-occupied households. The median home value is $314,400, reflecting the desirability of the community's large-lot, family-oriented housing stock. Median rent data was not available in a usable form for this community, consistent with the near-absence of rental inventory.

Schools

Cataula-area students attend schools within the Harris County School District.

Both schools serve the broader county and are consistent with the family-heavy demographics of the CDP. Middle and high school options feed into the Harris County school system's upper campuses outside the CDP boundaries.

Getting Around

Cataula is car-dependent by design. Of 932 total workers, 765 drive alone to work, and 105 carpool. Public transit records zero users, and there is no fixed-route transit serving the area. Twenty workers walk to work — a figure that may reflect home-based or nearby agricultural situations. Forty-two residents work from home. Aggregate commute time totals 31,270 minutes, putting the average one-way trip in the range of 33–34 minutes, consistent with a Columbus commute from the eastern suburbs.

Healthcare

No hospitals or clinics are located within Cataula itself. Columbus, Georgia, anchors the region's healthcare infrastructure and is accessible within 20–25 minutes. Piedmont Columbus Regional and St. Francis–Emory Healthcare are the primary hospital systems serving Harris County residents. For a current list of licensed providers with a Cataula address, the CMS NPI Registry can be queried directly: NPI Provider Search — Cataula, GA.

Library

The Harris County Public Library serves Cataula residents and is located approximately 5.5 miles away. Phone: (706) 628-4685. The library is part of the public library system serving all of Harris County, with collections and programming oriented toward families and general adult services.

Parks & Recreation

Harris County and its surroundings have more public land and history than the modest CDP boundaries suggest.

Two National Park Service sites lie within roughly 50 miles, across the Alabama state line:

Both sites are manageable day trips from Cataula and represent some of the most significant African American history in the southeastern United States. Locally, Harris County's Pine Mountain corridor — including Callaway Gardens and F.D. Roosevelt State Park — offers outdoor recreation within the county itself.

Natural Hazards

Harris County has a documented history of federal disaster declarations spanning five decades. The record since 1977:

Declaration Event Date
EM-3044 Drought July 1977
DR-857 Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding February 1990
DR-1071 Hurricane Opal October 1995
DR-1554 Hurricane Ivan September 2004
DR-1560 Tropical Storm Frances September 2004
EM-3218 Hurricane Katrina Evacuation September 2005
DR-1973 Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds & Flooding April 2011
DR-4259 Severe Storms and Flooding February 2016
EM-3387 Hurricane Irma September 2017
DR-4338 Hurricane Irma September 2017
EM-3464 COVID-19 March 2020
DR-4501 COVID-19 Pandemic March 2020
EM-3616 Hurricane Helene September 2024
EM-3642 Severe Winter Storm January 2026

The pattern is clear: Harris County faces recurring threats from tropical systems tracking inland from the Gulf, severe spring storm outbreaks with tornado risk, and periodic flooding. Hurricane Irma (2017) and Hurricane Helene (2024) both reached declaration level, a reminder that Georgia's interior is not insulated from hurricane impacts. Winter weather events, while rarer, have also triggered emergency declarations.

Government & Municipal Code

Cataula is a census-designated place and has no incorporated municipal government. The municipal code is published through Municode and is accessible at library.municode.com/ga/cataula-cdp-georgia. The published code does not include a local building code. Land use and building standards default to Harris County's jurisdiction.

Weather

Current forecasts and alerts for the Cataula area are available through the National Weather Service:

The nearest weather observation station is CATAULA 3.9 SW, located approximately 3.8 miles from the community center.

References

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