Cuthbert, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Cuthbert · Randolph County, Georgia
Population 3,045 (est. 2026: ~2,900)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -1.77% annual growth projection

Cuthbert, Georgia

Randolph County, Georgia · Population 3,143

Cuthbert sits in the southwest corner of Georgia, deep in the Black Belt agricultural flatlands about 35 miles west of Albany and roughly 50 miles east of the Alabama state line. It is the county seat of Randolph County — one of the smallest, most rural, and most economically strained counties in Georgia. The town's history runs long: founded in the early 1800s, it was once a prosperous cotton hub. Today it anchors a county of just 6,425 people and serves as the commercial, governmental, and educational center for the region. Andrew College, a small two-year liberal arts school founded in 1854, sits within the town limits and represents one of Cuthbert's most distinctive institutions. This is a small Southern county seat with deep roots, real economic hardship, and a tight connection to the land and communities around it.

People & Demographics

Cuthbert's population of 3,109 is predominantly Black — 2,707 residents, or roughly 87% of the population. The white population stands at 267, and 124 residents identify as Hispanic or Latino. The median age is 37.6 years. There are 1,426 households, and 799 of those are family households. The average household size of 2.06 is notably small, reflecting a mix of elderly single-person households and smaller family units. Children under 18 number 787 — about a quarter of the population — which puts meaningful pressure on local schools and social services.

Economy & Employment

The economic picture in Cuthbert is difficult. Median household income sits at $21,278 — a fraction of Georgia's statewide median, which runs close to $65,000. Per capita income is $13,626. Of the 3,109 residents counted, 1,054 fall below the federal poverty line — a poverty rate of roughly 34%, placing Cuthbert among the most economically distressed communities in the state.

Of 1,211 residents in the labor force, only 7 are counted as unemployed in the survey data, though low labor force participation overall tells a more complete story. Agriculture, public sector employment (schools, county government), and healthcare-adjacent services are the dominant economic sectors in communities like this. Andrew College provides some local employment as well.

Housing

Housing in Cuthbert is among the most affordable in Georgia, in part because the market is soft. The median home value is $69,700. Median rent is $480 per month. Of 1,653 total housing units, 1,426 are occupied and 227 sit vacant — a vacancy rate of about 14%. Owner-occupied units number just 429, compared to 997 renter-occupied units. That means roughly 70% of occupied housing is renter-occupied, which is unusually high and reflects both economic conditions and the limited wealth-building opportunity available to residents. For someone relocating from a higher-cost Georgia market, the entry cost is very low — but property values are correspondingly constrained.

Schools

Students in Cuthbert are served by Randolph County Schools, a district that draws from across the county and includes shared facilities with neighboring Clay County for the high school.

The combined K–12 enrollment across all three schools is 642 students. The district is small enough that most students, teachers, and families know each other across grade levels. Andrew College (229-732-2171) provides post-secondary access locally, offering associate degrees and a traditional residential liberal arts experience on a historic campus.

Getting Around

Cuthbert is car-dependent. Of 1,162 workers commuting from the area, 663 drove alone and 394 carpooled — together accounting for nearly 90% of all commutes. Just 15 used public transit, and 49 walked. Another 41 worked from home. The aggregate travel time for all workers was 25,240 minutes, working out to an average one-way commute of roughly 22 minutes — modest by Georgia standards, though many residents commute to Albany or other regional employment centers. Without a personal vehicle, getting around Cuthbert and to jobs elsewhere is genuinely difficult.

Healthcare

Cuthbert does not have a major hospital within its limits. Albany, about 35 miles east, is the regional healthcare hub with Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital serving southwest Georgia. For a searchable list of licensed healthcare providers registered in Cuthbert, the CMS NPI Registry provides current listings.

Library

The Randolph County Library serves Cuthbert and the surrounding county and can be reached at 229-732-2566. It is a member of the Southwest Georgia Regional Library System, providing access to broader interlibrary loan resources and digital collections.

Parks & Recreation

Two significant National Park Service sites are accessible within reasonable driving distance of Cuthbert:

Southwest Georgia's flat terrain and rural character also offer hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation typical of the region, though Cuthbert itself does not have a major developed park within town.

Natural Hazards

Randolph County has a substantial FEMA disaster declaration history, reflecting southwest Georgia's repeated exposure to tropical systems and severe weather:

The pattern is consistent: Randolph County gets hit by Atlantic and Gulf tropical systems that track inland, and it has been subject to federal emergency declarations in roughly every major storm event since the mid-1990s. Anyone living here should plan accordingly — storm shutters, backup power, and awareness of evacuation routes toward Albany are practical considerations.

Government & Municipal Code

Cuthbert operates under a municipal code published by Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/cuthbert-city-georgia. The city does not have a local building code on file through the standard published record — matters governed by building codes default to state standards.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Cuthbert are available through the National Weather Service:

The nearest weather observation station is CUTHBERT, located 0.7 miles from the town center. Southwest Georgia summers are long and humid, winters are mild, and the fall hurricane season warrants regular monitoring given the county's disaster history.

References

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