Gay, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Gay · Meriwether County, Georgia
Population 124 (est. 2026: ~100)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -4.03% annual growth projection

Gay, Georgia

Meriwether County, Georgia · Population 110

Gay sits in the rolling farmland of Meriwether County in west-central Georgia, roughly halfway between Columbus and Atlanta. It is one of the smallest incorporated places in the state — 110 residents, a quiet crossroads community where the pace is deliberate and the landscape is defined more by pine woods and pasture than by commercial activity. The nearest city of meaningful size is Warm Springs, about 10 miles southeast, and Manchester serves as the practical county seat hub for most daily needs. Gay is not a destination town. It is a place where people have chosen to live, and the economic profile suggests many of them are doing so quite comfortably.

People & Demographics

Gay's 2022 ACS estimate puts the population at 122, with a median age of 50.5 — well above Georgia's statewide median, which reflects a community of established adults rather than young families. Of 62 total households, 46 are family households, and the average household size is 1.97 persons. Only 15 residents are children under 18.

The racial profile shows 107 residents identifying as White. The Hispanic or Latino population is listed at 37, which is a notable share for a community this size — likely reflecting agricultural or rural labor connections in the broader county area. Meriwether County as a whole carries a population of 20,613, meaning Gay represents a fraction of a percent of county population.

Economy & Employment

The income figures here are striking for a town this small. Median household income in Gay is $86,250, and per capita income is $44,038. Both figures sit above Georgia's statewide median household income, which typically runs in the mid-$60,000 range, suggesting that Gay's residents — however few — are not struggling economically. Only 2 residents fall below the poverty line.

Of 82 people in the labor force, only 1 is unemployed. That near-total employment rate is partly a function of the small sample size, but it aligns with the income picture.

Housing

Gay has 68 total housing units, of which 62 are occupied and 6 are vacant — a vacancy rate of about 8.8%. Owner-occupied units number 45, with 17 renter-occupied. The median home value is $231,300. Median rent data is not available from the ACS for this community.

Homeownership is clearly the dominant tenure here. For a town this size in a rural Georgia county, the $231,300 median home value is notably solid — buyers get a degree of land and quiet that metro prices cannot touch.

Schools

Gay students are served by Meriwether County public schools. The county operates two elementary schools — Mountain View Elementary (grades K–5, 756 students) and Unity Elementary (PK–5, 427 students) — along with Manchester Middle School (grades 6–8, 313 students) and Manchester High School (grades 9–12, 403 students). Greenville also runs its own middle and high schools: Greenville Middle School (grades 6–8, 170 students) and Greenville High School (grades 9–12, 252 students). Good Shepherd Therapeutic Center serves a specialized population of 2 students in grades 9–10.

Which schools Gay students are assigned to depends on their address within the county attendance zone system.

Getting Around

Car ownership is non-negotiable here. Of 81 total workers, 66 drive alone to work. Fifteen people work from home — a meaningful share (about 18.5%) for a rural community. There is no recorded carpooling, no public transit use, and no one walking to work.

The aggregate travel time for all workers is 1,175 minutes. Spread across 81 workers, that works out to roughly 14.5 minutes average one-way, which is modest by any standard and reflects the reality that many jobs are within a 15- to 20-minute drive in Manchester or surrounding towns.

Healthcare

Warm Springs Medical Center is the closest hospital facility, located to the southeast in Warm Springs. Detailed ratings and emergency service designations were not available in current data. For a full list of licensed healthcare providers associated with Gay, the CMS NPI Registry can be searched directly: NPI Registry — Gay, GA.

Library

The Manchester Public Library is the nearest public library, located 0.1 miles from Gay's center — effectively walkable for most residents. Phone: (706) 846-3851.

Natural Hazards

Meriwether County has a substantial FEMA disaster declaration history, covering a wide range of event types over three decades. Declared disasters include:

The pattern is consistent: this part of Georgia is exposed to winter ice events, tropical storm remnants tracking inland, and spring severe weather. Residents should plan accordingly.

Government & Municipal Code

Gay maintains a municipal code published through Municode: Gay Town Municipal Code

Gay does not have a local building code on file through Municode's published records.

Weather

Current forecasts for Gay are available through the National Weather Service: NWS Forecast — Gay, GA

Active weather alerts: NWS Alerts

The nearest official weather observation station is Manchester 3.6 ENE, approximately 3.3 miles away.

References

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