Colbert, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Colbert · Madison County, Georgia
Population 667 (est. 2026: ~1,300)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 20.84% annual growth projection

Colbert, Georgia

Madison County, Georgia · Population 630

Colbert sits in the rolling piedmont of Madison County, roughly halfway between Athens and the South Carolina line on U.S. 72. It is a small, tight-knit community — 630 people, a single elementary school, and a median age of 39.8 — that functions more like an extended neighborhood than an incorporated municipality. The surrounding county landscape is agricultural and lightly wooded, and the nearest city of any size is Athens, about 25 miles southwest. Residents here are close enough to Athens to commute, but far enough that daily life operates on its own quiet rhythm.

People & Demographics

The ACS 2022 estimate puts Colbert's population at 601, with 217 households averaging 2.66 people each. The town is predominantly white (454 residents), with a notable Hispanic and Latino community of 130 — the second-largest demographic group at roughly 22% of the population. Black residents number 22, and Asian residents 2. There are 172 children under 18, meaning about 29% of the population is school-aged, which is consistent with a working-family community rather than a retirement destination. Madison County as a whole holds 30,120 people, so Colbert accounts for a small but steady slice of the county's small-town character.

Economy & Employment

Median household income in Colbert is $53,917, and per capita income sits at $28,024. For comparison, Georgia's statewide median household income runs higher, which places Colbert in the modest-but-stable range for rural piedmont communities. Of the 253 residents counted in the labor force, only 1 is reported unemployed — an unusually low figure that likely reflects the small sample size rather than a booming local job market. Sixty-eight residents fall below the poverty line, about 11% of the counted population. Most working residents commute out of town, reflecting the reality that Colbert itself has limited commercial and industrial employment. Athens and its surrounding employment base — University of Georgia, health systems, logistics — draw the bulk of local commuters.

Housing

Colbert has 234 total housing units, 217 of which are occupied, leaving 17 vacant — a vacancy rate of about 7.3%. Of occupied units, 145 are owner-occupied and 72 are rented, putting the homeownership rate at roughly 67%. The median home value is $172,800, which is affordable by Georgia metro standards and especially so compared to Athens-Clarke County, where values run significantly higher. Median rent of $1,092 per month is notable for a town this size, reflecting some demand pressure likely driven by Athens-area spillover. The housing stock is modest in scale; this is not a subdivision town, and new construction is limited.

Schools

Colbert Elementary School serves grades kindergarten through fifth, enrolling 447 students — a substantial enrollment relative to the town's population, indicating the school draws from the surrounding rural area well beyond Colbert's city limits. Middle and high school students feed into Madison County's consolidated school system, with Madison County High School located in Danielsville, the county seat about 7 miles north. There are no private or charter schools in Colbert itself.

Getting Around

Colbert is a car-required town. Of 247 total workers, 222 drive alone to work. Eight carpool, six walk, and 11 work from home. Zero residents use public transit — there is none. The aggregate commute time for all workers is 5,245 minutes, which works out to an average one-way commute of just over 21 minutes. That number is consistent with an Athens commute for most residents. There is no passenger rail, no bus service, and no bike infrastructure of note. A personal vehicle is not optional here.

Healthcare

No hospitals or major medical facilities are located within Colbert. Residents rely on resources in Athens, which is home to Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center and a full range of specialist care tied to the University of Georgia health ecosystem. Danielsville has limited primary care options as the county seat. For a searchable list of individual healthcare providers registered in Colbert with the federal NPI system, see the CMS NPI Registry.

Library

The nearest public library branch is the Winterville Branch Library, approximately 5.8 miles from Colbert. It can be reached at (706) 742-7735 and is part of the Athens Regional Library System, which also serves Madison County residents through its broader network.

Natural Hazards

Madison County has a well-documented history of federally declared disasters. Hurricane Helene triggered two separate declarations in September 2024 — both an emergency management declaration and a major disaster designation — making it the most recent significant event. A severe winter storm earned a federal emergency declaration in January 2026. Earlier events include Hurricane Irma (2017, two declarations), back-to-back severe winter storms in 2014 and again in 2015, Hurricane Ivan (2004), and a Hurricane Katrina evacuation emergency in 2005. The county's records extend back to a tornado and flooding disaster in 1973 and a drought declaration in 1977. The pattern is clear: this part of northeast Georgia is vulnerable to ice storms in winter, remnant tropical systems in late summer and fall, and periodic severe flooding. Residents should maintain emergency supplies and monitor NWS weather alerts for Madison County.

Government & Municipal Code

Colbert operates under a standard Georgia municipal structure. Its municipal code is published through Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/colbert. No local building code is on file — construction and building standards default to state and county requirements.

Weather

The NWS forecast for Colbert covers the area at coordinates 34.0392°N, 83.2281°W. The nearest weather observation station is Danielsville 2.8 SSE, located approximately 3.4 miles away. Madison County's climate follows the classic Georgia piedmont pattern: hot, humid summers with afternoon thunderstorms, mild to cool winters punctuated by occasional ice events, and a compressed but pleasant spring and fall. The FEMA record confirms that winter storms here can be severe enough to warrant federal emergency declarations.

References

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