Leesburg, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Leesburg · Lee County, Georgia
Population 3,509 (est. 2026: ~3,600)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 0.94% annual growth projection

Leesburg, Georgia

Lee County, Georgia · Population 3,480

Leesburg sits at the center of Lee County in southwest Georgia, about 20 miles north of Albany along U.S. 19. It functions as the county seat of one of Georgia's faster-growing rural counties — Lee County's 33,163 residents represent a suburban ring that has expanded steadily as Albany's metro area pushed outward. Leesburg itself is small enough that most residents know the county institutions better than the city ones: the schools are Lee County schools, the emergencies are Lee County emergencies, and the nearest serious hospital is in Albany. What makes Leesburg distinct is that combination — a genuine small-town core with a county population large enough to support real infrastructure, sitting in the agricultural flatlands of the Flint River basin, within an hour's drive of Jimmy Carter's hometown and the Civil War's most notorious prison camp.

People & Demographics

Leesburg's population of 3,465 skews young. The median age is 34.1, meaningfully lower than Georgia's statewide median, consistent with a community where 981 children under 18 represent more than a quarter of all residents. The town is roughly split by race: 1,723 residents identify as white and 1,636 as Black, making the community nearly even in its racial composition. Hispanic and Latino residents number 12, and the Asian population is 14. Of 1,308 total households, 1,033 are family households. The average household size of 2.60 reflects that family-centered character.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Leesburg is $55,417. For context, Georgia's statewide median household income runs notably higher, placing Leesburg in the lower-middle tier of the state's income distribution. Per capita income sits at $27,847. Of 1,806 residents in the labor force, 306 are unemployed — an unemployment rate of roughly 17%, which is high by any standard and reflects the persistent economic challenges common to rural southwest Georgia. Poverty affects 867 residents, a significant share of the population. The local employment base leans on government, education, agriculture, and the service economy that supports Lee County's broader population. For professional employment, Albany functions as the regional hub.

Housing

Leesburg has 1,419 total housing units, of which 1,308 are occupied and 111 sit vacant — a vacancy rate of about 7.8%. The renter-owner split is nearly even: 645 units are owner-occupied and 663 are renter-occupied, meaning renters hold a slight majority. The median home value of $165,900 keeps homeownership attainable by Georgia standards, though median rent of $1,145 per month is notable for a small rural town. That rent figure, relative to the median household income, represents a meaningful cost burden for lower-income households. The housing stock is modest and functional — this is not a market with significant new development pressure, but prices have not collapsed the way they have in more distressed rural Georgia counties.

Schools

All public schools serve the Lee County system rather than a separate Leesburg city district. The county operates multiple campuses, several of which are physically located in or near Leesburg:

The system runs a split-campus model at multiple grade levels, distributing enrollment across parallel schools. Total enrollment across all campuses exceeds 6,300 students, a substantial system for a county of this size.

Getting Around

Leesburg is a car-dependent community without exception. Of 1,500 workers, 1,125 drive alone and 285 carpool. Zero workers commute by public transit, and zero walk to work. Ninety residents work from home. The aggregate commute time across all workers is 40,540 minutes, which works out to an average one-way trip of roughly 27 minutes — consistent with regular commutes into Albany or to worksites elsewhere in Lee County. There is no local transit infrastructure, and none is planned. A personal vehicle is not optional here.

Healthcare

Albany serves as the healthcare hub for Leesburg and Lee County. Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, one of southwest Georgia's major regional medical centers, operates roughly 20 miles south in Albany. For local provider listings in Leesburg, the CMS National Provider Identifier registry can be searched directly: NPI Registry — Leesburg, GA.

Library

The Oakland Library serves the Leesburg area and can be reached at (229) 889-0300. The library is part of the regional library system that supports Lee County residents.

Parks & Recreation

Two significant National Park Service sites are accessible within roughly an hour of Leesburg:

Both sites draw visitors from across the region and offer substantial historical depth for residents and newcomers alike.

Natural Hazards

Lee County carries a long and serious disaster history. FEMA records go back to 1966, and the pattern is consistent: this part of southwest Georgia sits in the path of Atlantic hurricanes tracking inland, is prone to severe convective storms, and has experienced significant flooding events tied to both tropical systems and local weather.

Declared events include Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Michael (2018), Hurricane Irma (2017), the COVID-19 pandemic (2020), severe storms and tornadoes in 2009, the Hurricane Katrina evacuation (2005), severe storms and flooding in 1998, flooding and torrential rain from Tropical Storm Alberto (1994), severe storms and flooding in 1990, flooding in 1966, and a drought emergency in 1977. Fourteen separate federal disaster or emergency declarations in roughly six decades is a high frequency. Anyone buying property or establishing a business here should assess flood zone status carefully and maintain hurricane preparedness through the full Atlantic season.

Government & Municipal Code

Leesburg's municipal code is published through Municode and accessible at library.municode.com/ga/leesburg. The municipal code does not include a local building code, meaning construction and development standards default to state and county requirements.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for the Leesburg area are available through the National Weather Service: NWS Forecast for Leesburg, GA. Active weather alerts can be monitored at NWS Alerts. The nearest official weather observation station is Leesburg 2, located 2.9 miles from town.

Southwest Georgia summers are long, hot, and humid, with heat indices regularly exceeding 100°F. Winters are mild but not frost-free. The hurricane season risk documented in the FEMA record above is real and recurring.

References

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