Camilla, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Camilla · Mitchell County, Georgia
Population 5,158 (est. 2026: ~5,000)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -0.66% annual growth projection

Camilla, Georgia

Mitchell County, Georgia · Population 5,187

Camilla sits at the heart of Mitchell County in southwest Georgia's agricultural flatlands, about 40 miles south of Albany and roughly 50 miles north of Tallahassee, Florida. It serves as the Mitchell County seat — a small city surrounded by peanut fields, pecan groves, and timberland. The broader region is deep South Georgia in the fullest sense: hot summers, a Black Belt demographic legacy, an economy rooted in farming and public-sector employment, and a persistent gap between local incomes and state averages. Camilla is not a bedroom community. It is what it is — a working county seat where most residents live, work, and go to school within Mitchell County.

People & Demographics

Camilla's population of 5,163 sits within a county of 21,755 — meaning roughly one in four Mitchell County residents lives in the city proper. The median age is 40.6 years. The racial makeup is predominantly Black at 3,515 residents (roughly 68%), with 1,006 white residents and a Hispanic and Latino population of 328. Asian residents number 11.

The city holds 2,195 households, of which 1,218 are family households. Average household size is 2.33 people. There are 1,422 children under 18 in the city — a significant share of a population this size, reflecting the presence of extended family networks and multigenerational households.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Camilla is $27,306 — well below Georgia's statewide median, which consistently runs in the mid-to-upper $60,000 range. Per capita income stands at $22,648. Poverty is widespread: 2,385 residents fall below the federal poverty line, representing approximately 46% of the population.

Of the 1,883 residents in the labor force, 212 are unemployed — an unemployment rate of roughly 11%. Agriculture, healthcare, local government, and education are the pillars of the local economy, as is typical for county seats of this size in rural south Georgia. Mitchell County's farming economy — peanuts, cotton, and pecans — generates employment outside the city limits but supports local commerce.

Housing

Camilla's housing stock is modestly sized but accessible by price. Of 2,451 total units, 2,195 are occupied and 256 are vacant — a vacancy rate of about 10.4%. Renters slightly outnumber owners: 1,166 renter-occupied units versus 1,029 owner-occupied, making this a majority-renter city.

Median home value is $82,200 — low even by rural Georgia standards, and a figure that reflects both the income level of the local market and the age of much of the housing stock. Median gross rent is $733 per month, which is affordable in absolute terms but can represent a substantial share of income for households earning near the local median.

Schools

All public schools serve the Mitchell County school district. Camilla is home to the district's core campuses:

For families in Camilla, all grades are served locally. Albany, 40 miles north, offers the nearest four-year university options, including Albany State University.

Getting Around

Camilla is car-dependent. Of 1,636 workers, 1,245 drive alone to work. Another 285 carpool — a notably high share that reflects both the rural character of employment destinations and the economic pressures on households with limited vehicles. No residents reported using public transit or walking to work. Only 23 workers reported working from home.

The aggregate commute travel time across all workers is 43,100 minutes. That works out to a rough average of about 26 minutes per worker — consistent with a small city where some residents commute to Albany or to agricultural employment spread across the county.

Healthcare

Archbold Mitchell hospital serves Camilla and the surrounding county. The facility provides the primary local access point for inpatient and emergency care, reducing the need to travel to Albany or Tallahassee for routine hospitalizations. For a directory of individual providers and clinics registered in Camilla, the NPI Registry maintains a searchable database: NPI Registry — Camilla, GA providers.

Library

The De Soto Trail Regional Library System Headquarters is located in Camilla and serves Mitchell County and surrounding communities. Phone: (229) 336-8372. As a regional headquarters, it provides access to broader library network resources beyond what a branch library would offer — important in a county without major bookstore retail options.

Natural Hazards

Mitchell County has a significant and documented history with natural disasters. Federal declarations on record:

Southwest Georgia sits in a corridor that Atlantic hurricanes reach as they track inland, and the area is also subject to severe storm and tornado events independent of tropical systems. Hurricane Michael in 2018 was particularly destructive to the region. Residents and property owners in Mitchell County should maintain hurricane preparedness plans and maintain awareness of the active tropical season.

Government & Municipal Code

Camilla's municipal code is published through Municode and is publicly accessible at library.municode.com/ga/camilla. No local building code is currently on file with Municode for Camilla, meaning state-level building standards govern construction permitting.

Weather

The nearest National Weather Service station is the Camilla, Georgia station, located 1.8 miles from the city center.

Southwest Georgia summers are long and intensely hot with high humidity. Winters are mild but frost is possible. The region's primary weather hazards are tropical systems and severe thunderstorm activity, as the FEMA record above documents extensively.

References

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