Locust Grove, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Locust Grove · Henry County, Georgia
Population 9,931 (est. 2026: ~12,100)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 6.05% annual growth projection

Locust Grove, Georgia

Henry County, Georgia · Population 8,947

Locust Grove sits at the southern end of Henry County, about 35 miles south of downtown Atlanta along I-75. It is not a suburb in the polished, master-planned sense — it is a fast-growing small city that has absorbed significant residential development while maintaining a distinct community identity separate from nearby McDonough, the county seat. The population has pushed past 9,000, the median age is just 33.1, and the average household holds more than three people. Locust Grove is a place where families plant roots, not where people pass through.

People & Demographics

The city's 9,367 residents form a genuinely diverse community. White residents number 4,702 and Black residents 4,022 — a nearly even split that distinguishes Locust Grove from many of its exurban Georgia peers. Hispanic and Latino residents account for 838 people, and Asian residents number 104. About 2,593 residents are children under 18, reflecting the city's strong family orientation. Average household size of 3.18 is notably higher than typical Georgia suburban figures, and 2,284 of 2,950 total households are family households. Henry County as a whole holds 240,712 people — Locust Grove represents a meaningful but still small slice of that population, concentrated in the county's southern tier.

Economy & Employment

Median household income sits at $67,143, and per capita income is $27,454. Neither figure is exceptional by metro Atlanta standards, but they are workable given the area's housing costs relative to closer-in suburbs. Of 4,916 people in the labor force, 420 are unemployed — an unemployment rate of roughly 8.5%, which runs above typical metro Atlanta figures and reflects the economic profile of a city where many residents commute out to find work. About 1,560 residents fall below the poverty line, representing roughly 16.6% of the population — a share that warrants attention against the backdrop of ongoing residential growth.

Housing

Locust Grove's 3,233 total housing units are mostly occupied — 2,950 are in use, leaving 283 vacant. Owner-occupancy is strong: 2,339 of occupied units are owner-occupied against 611 renter-occupied, a roughly 79/21 split that reinforces the city's character as a family ownership market. Median home value of $193,800 remains accessible compared to the broader Atlanta metro, where values have climbed far higher. Median rent of $1,252 is moderate by metro standards. These numbers reflect the trade-off Locust Grove represents for families priced out of closer suburbs — more space and a lower purchase price in exchange for a long commute north.

Schools

Locust Grove is served by Henry County Schools. The schools physically located in or associated with the city span every grade level and carry substantial enrollment numbers:

Locust Grove High alone enrolls 1,637 students — a large campus serving a district that has grown rapidly alongside residential development throughout southern Henry County.

Getting Around

Locust Grove is a car-required community, full stop. Of 4,467 workers, 3,881 drove alone to work. Another 192 carpooled. Zero workers reported using public transit and zero walked. Working from home accounted for 349 workers — about 7.8% of the workforce. The aggregate commute data tells the real story: 139,900 total minutes of travel time across the workforce, averaging out to roughly 31 minutes per worker. For most residents, that commute runs north toward Atlanta, McDonough, or other employment centers along the I-75 corridor.

Healthcare

Piedmont Henry Hospital is the primary hospital serving this area, located in Milner Road, Stockbridge — the closest full-service hospital to Locust Grove residents. For local providers and specialists, the CMS NPI Registry lists providers practicing in Locust Grove: search NPI Registry for Locust Grove, GA.

Library

The Locust Grove Public Library serves the community and can be reached at (678) 432-5353. It is part of the Henry County library system, offering residents local access to collections, programs, and digital resources without driving to McDonough.

Parks & Recreation

Three National Park Service sites fall within reasonable driving distance:

For residents willing to drive, these three parks cover civil rights history, river recreation, and pre-Columbian Indigenous history respectively — a varied range of natural and cultural destinations within day-trip range.

Natural Hazards

Henry County has accumulated a long FEMA disaster declaration record, and Locust Grove sits fully within that risk profile. The county has been touched by hurricanes (Irma in 2017, Helene in 2024), tornadoes and severe straight-line winds (2023), repeated severe winter storms (1993, 2000, 2014, 2026), and flooding events going back to Tropical Storm Alberto in 1994. The county also processed a Hurricane Katrina evacuation emergency in 2005 and carried federal COVID-19 declarations in 2020. Winter weather is not a minor concern here — Georgia ice storms reliably cause significant disruption, and the 2014 and 2026 declarations confirm this is a recurring pattern, not a historical footnote. Tornadoes are a genuine risk in spring storm season.

Government & Municipal Code

Locust Grove's municipal code is published through Municode and accessible at library.municode.com/ga/locust_grove. The city does not have a locally adopted building code on record in this dataset — residents and contractors should confirm current building requirements directly with city offices.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Locust Grove are available through the National Weather Service: NWS Forecast for Locust Grove. Active weather alerts can be checked at NWS Alerts. The nearest weather observation station is Jenkinsburg 1.0 WNW, located 3.5 miles from town.

References

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