Commerce, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Commerce · Jackson County, Georgia
Population 7,684 (est. 2026: ~8,800)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 4.28% annual growth projection

Commerce, Georgia

Jackson County, Georgia · Population 7,387

Commerce sits at the intersection of US-441 and US-129 in Jackson County, roughly 70 miles northeast of Atlanta and about 20 miles east of Gainesville. It's a small city that punches above its weight for a community its size — a genuine downtown, an active manufacturing base, a regional outlet mall that draws shoppers from across northeast Georgia, and two separate school systems serving students within city and county lines. Jackson County has grown fast as Atlanta's exurban sprawl pushes northeast, and Commerce occupies the southern end of that growth corridor. The median age of 34.8 reflects a relatively young population, and with nearly 2,100 children under 18 in a city of 7,387, Commerce is a town with a lot of families in it.

People & Demographics

Commerce's population of 7,391 accounts for roughly 10% of Jackson County's 75,907 residents. The city is majority white (5,565), with a Black population of 1,148 and a Hispanic or Latino population of 788 — the latter reflecting the broader demographic shift that has reshaped much of northeast Georgia over the past two decades. Asian residents number 81. There are 2,451 occupied households, with 1,827 of those being family households. The average household size of 2.92 is meaningfully larger than typical Georgia suburban averages, again pointing to a family-heavy composition.

Economy & Employment

The labor force counts 3,243 residents, with only 6 reported as unemployed — a strikingly low number that likely reflects the tight labor market conditions captured in the 2022 ACS data. Median household income sits at $58,763, and per capita income is $23,269. Both figures are modest relative to Georgia's statewide median household income, which ran above $61,000 in the same period. Some 838 residents fall below the poverty line, representing roughly 11% of the population.

Commerce's economy rests on manufacturing and retail. The Commerce Industrial Park hosts a mix of distribution and production operations. The Tanger Outlets Commerce center draws regional traffic and supports a layer of retail employment. The surrounding county economy leans on distribution, light manufacturing, and the continued build-out of residential and commercial development tied to Jackson County's population growth.

Housing

Commerce has 2,610 total housing units, with 159 vacant — a vacancy rate of about 6%, which is tight for a city this size. Of the 2,451 occupied units, 1,619 are owner-occupied and 832 are renter-occupied, putting the homeownership rate at roughly 66%. The median home value is $219,600, and median gross rent runs $1,107 per month. Both figures represent relative affordability compared to the Atlanta metro core, which is part of what draws families priced out of Gwinnett and Hall counties to Commerce and Jackson County more broadly.

Schools

Commerce operates its own city school system alongside the Jackson County school system, which means students in Commerce may attend either system depending on address.

Commerce City Schools: - Commerce Primary: Grades PK–2, 486 students - Commerce Elementary School: Grades 3–4, 276 students - Commerce Middle School: Grades 5–8, 530 students - Commerce High School: Grades 9–12, 493 students

Jackson County Schools (serving portions of Commerce and the surrounding county): - East Jackson Elementary School: Grades PK–5, 594 students - East Jackson Middle School: Grades 6–7, 544 students - East Jackson Comprehensive High School: Grades 8–12, 1,343 students

East Jackson Comprehensive High is one of the larger high schools in the county system, with 1,343 students across grades 8–12.

Of Commerce's adult population (age 25+, totaling 4,873), 1,875 hold a high school diploma as their highest credential. Bachelor's degrees have been attained by 612 residents, master's degrees by 201, and doctorates by 13.

Getting Around

Commerce is a car-dependent city. Of 3,229 total workers, 2,554 drive alone to work. Another 440 carpool. Public transit accounts for exactly 0 commuters in the ACS data — there is no meaningful transit infrastructure here. Nine people walk to work, and 165 work from home. The aggregate travel time for all commuters is 71,185 minutes, working out to an average one-way commute of roughly 22 minutes. Many residents commute toward Gainesville, Athens (about 25 miles southwest), or points along I-85, which runs just south of the city.

Healthcare

No hospital operates within Commerce city limits. The nearest full-service hospital is Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, approximately 20 miles west, which serves as the regional medical hub for Hall and Jackson counties. For a directory of licensed healthcare providers with a Commerce, GA address, the CMS NPI Registry can be queried directly: NPI Provider Search – Commerce, GA.

Library

The Commerce Public Library serves the city and surrounding area. Phone: (706) 335-5946. It operates as part of the Athens Regional Library System, giving cardholders access to shared resources across northeast Georgia.

Parks & Recreation

The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, administered by the National Park Service, lies to the southwest in the Atlanta metro corridor. While not immediately adjacent to Commerce, it represents the nearest major NPS unit and is accessible as a day trip. Locally, Commerce and Jackson County maintain recreational facilities tied to the school systems and city parks.

Natural Hazards

Jackson County has a notable FEMA disaster declaration history. The county has been included in 14 federal declarations since 1976, covering a wide range of hazard types:

The pattern is clear: winter storms and Atlantic hurricanes weakening inland are the primary recurring threats. The Helene declarations in 2024 are a reminder that major storms can affect northeast Georgia well after making landfall on the coast.

Government & Municipal Code

Commerce operates under a city charter and maintains its municipal code through Municode. The full code is available at library.municode.com/ga/commerce. Note that Commerce does not maintain a locally adopted building code in the Municode database — construction and building standards should be confirmed directly with city or county offices.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Commerce are available through the National Weather Service:

The nearest weather observation station is COMMERCE 1.1 SSW, located approximately 0.3 miles from the city center.

References

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