Dearing, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Dearing · McDuffie County, Georgia
Population 640 (est. 2026: ~1,100)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 18.75% annual growth projection

Dearing, Georgia

McDuffie County, Georgia · Population 529

Dearing sits in the western edge of McDuffie County, roughly midway between Thomson — the county seat — and the Augusta metro to the east. It is a small, quiet town of fewer than 700 people that functions largely as a residential community within commuting range of Augusta's employment centers. The town has its own elementary school, a modest housing stock that remains genuinely affordable, and a demographic profile that skews young — the median age of 33.9 years reflects a community with a significant share of families and children.

People & Demographics

The ACS 2022 estimates put Dearing's population at 662, with 268 households and an average household size of 2.47. The town is majority white (559 residents), with smaller Black (19) and Hispanic/Latino (18) populations. With 160 children under 18 — nearly a quarter of the total population — Dearing reads as a family-oriented place rather than a retirement destination. That median age of 33.9 is noticeably younger than Georgia's statewide median, which typically runs in the mid-to-upper 30s. McDuffie County overall holds about 21,632 residents, meaning Dearing accounts for a small but stable slice of the county's population.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Dearing is $53,958, and per capita income sits at $24,303. Both figures are modest — Georgia's statewide median household income runs considerably higher — but they reflect the economic reality of a small rural town adjacent to a larger metro rather than embedded within one. Of the 315 residents in the labor force, only 10 are recorded as unemployed, a low number. Eighty-six residents fall below the poverty line, which works out to roughly 13% of the population by ACS estimates. The local economy is not self-contained; most working residents earn their income elsewhere, primarily in the Augusta metro corridor.

Housing

Dearing's housing market is one of the most accessible in the region. The median home value is $92,000 — well below Georgia's statewide median and a fraction of what comparable properties cost in the Augusta suburbs. Of 291 total housing units, 268 are occupied and just 23 sit vacant, a vacancy rate of about 8%. Owner-occupied units dominate at 207, compared to 61 renter-occupied — a 77% homeownership rate that is high by any standard. Median rent runs $864 per month. For buyers willing to live in a genuinely rural setting while remaining drivable to Augusta, the value proposition here is real.

Schools

Dearing Elementary School serves grades PreK–5 with 441 students enrolled (NCES CCD 2022). That enrollment figure is notable for a town of Dearing's size and suggests the school draws from the surrounding rural area well beyond town limits. For middle and high school, students feed into McDuffie County's system in Thomson, the county seat located a short drive to the north.

Getting Around

Dearing is car-dependent without qualification. Of 304 working residents, 293 drove alone to work. Zero residents are recorded using public transit, carpooling, walking, or working from home. Aggregate commute time across all workers totals 7,960 minutes, which works out to an average one-way commute of roughly 26 minutes — consistent with a community whose workers are largely commuting into Thomson or Augusta. There is no local transit infrastructure.

Healthcare

No hospitals or clinical providers with Dearing addresses appear in NPI Registry data for this location. The practical healthcare hub for Dearing residents is Augusta, roughly 30–40 minutes east, where University Hospital, Augusta University Medical Center, and multiple specialty systems are located. For NPI-registered providers in the area, the CMS registry can be searched directly at the NPI Registry.

Library

The nearest public library is the Harlem Library, located approximately 4.2 miles from Dearing. It can be reached at (706) 650-5009. Harlem Library is part of the Augusta-Richmond County Public Library system and provides the primary public library access point for Dearing residents.

Natural Hazards

McDuffie County has a long and varied FEMA disaster declaration history — 15 declarations going back to 1977. The pattern tells the story of a county exposed to Georgia's full range of weather and climate hazards:

Residents should maintain readiness for tropical weather threats from late summer through fall, and winter weather events that Georgia's infrastructure handles poorly.

Government & Municipal Code

Dearing's municipal code is published through Municode and accessible at library.municode.com/ga/dearing-town-georgia. The town does not have a local building code on file. Building and construction activities may be subject to county-level or state minimum standards in the absence of a local code.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Dearing are available through the National Weather Service at forecast.weather.gov. Active weather alerts can be monitored at alerts.weather.gov. The nearest official weather observation station is Dearing 1.1 SSE, approximately 1.6 miles from the town center.

References

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