Donalsonville, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Donalsonville · Seminole County, Georgia
Population 2,823 (est. 2026: ~2,800)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 0.28% annual growth projection

Donalsonville, Georgia

Seminole County, Georgia · Population 2,833

Donalsonville sits at the geographic heart of Seminole County in Georgia's extreme southwest corner, roughly 50 miles north of Tallahassee, Florida, and about 40 miles south of Albany. The Chattahoochee River forms the county's western boundary, and Lake Seminole — a major reservoir shared with Florida — lies just to the southwest. This is deep rural Georgia: agricultural land stretches in every direction, the county has fewer than 10,000 people, and Donalsonville, the county seat, accounts for nearly a third of that population. It is a small town built around county government, local agriculture, and a tightly knit community that has weathered significant hardship — economically and meteorologically.

People & Demographics

Donalsonville's population of 2,824 skews younger than many rural Georgia towns, with a median age of 35.8. The racial composition is majority Black at 1,944 residents (roughly 69%), with 727 white residents and 27 Asian residents. The Hispanic and Latino population numbers 96. The town holds 1,040 households, 758 of which are family households, with an average household size of 2.61. Children under 18 number 777 — about 27.5% of the population — a significant share that puts real weight on the local school system.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Donalsonville is $37,433, and per capita income sits at $21,557. For context, Georgia's statewide median household income runs considerably higher — Donalsonville's figure reflects the broader economic reality of rural southwest Georgia, where agriculture, public-sector employment, and small retail form the backbone of local work. Of 1,125 residents in the labor force, 67 are unemployed, an unemployment rate of about 6%. Poverty touches a meaningful portion of the community: 547 residents fall below the poverty line, roughly 19% of the population. The economy is not diverse in the sense of multiple large employers — Seminole County itself, the school system, Donalsonville Hospital, and agricultural operations represent the primary anchors.

Housing

Donalsonville has 1,234 total housing units, of which 1,040 are occupied and 194 sit vacant — a vacancy rate of about 15.7%, which is high by most standards and reflects the broader population pressures facing small rural towns. The split between owners and renters is close: 532 owner-occupied units versus 508 renter-occupied. The median home value is $105,200, making ownership genuinely accessible to households near the median income. Median rent of $860 per month, however, represents a heavier burden relative to local wages. For buyers, this market is among the more affordable in Georgia — the tradeoff is the limited local job base.

Schools

Donalsonville is served by two Seminole County schools, both consolidated under the county system:

Both schools are located in Donalsonville and serve the entire county. Students do not have multiple school options within the county — the system is small and centralized, which means resources are concentrated but choices are limited.

Getting Around

Donalsonville is car country. Of 1,047 workers, 862 drive alone to work and 138 carpool. Zero residents use public transit — there is none. Forty-two residents walk to work, and only 5 work from home. The aggregate travel time across all workers comes to 24,840 minutes, which works out to an average one-way commute of roughly 23–24 minutes. Many residents likely commute to Albany, Bainbridge, or Tallahassee for employment not available locally. A personal vehicle is not optional here.

Healthcare

Donalsonville Hospital Inc. operates within the city, providing local access to inpatient and emergency services for a county that would otherwise face a long drive for acute care. The nearest major hospital systems are in Albany (roughly 40 miles north) and Tallahassee (roughly 50 miles south). For a county of under 10,000 people in a rural corner of the state, having any local hospital is significant. Providers licensed in Donalsonville can be searched through the NPI Registry.

Library

The Seminole County Public Library serves Donalsonville and the surrounding county. It can be reached at (229) 524-2665. Public library access in a county this small carries extra weight — it functions as a community hub, internet access point, and civic resource for residents across a wide geographic area.

Natural Hazards

Seminole County's FEMA disaster declaration history is long and serious. The county has been struck by or affected by:

Hurricane Michael was particularly destructive for this region — agricultural losses were catastrophic and the recovery stretched for years. Residents in this part of Georgia do not treat hurricane season casually, even though the coast is 200 miles away. The combination of hurricane wind damage, inland flooding, and tornado risk makes this one of the more hazard-exposed areas in the state.

Government & Municipal Code

Donalsonville's municipal code is published through Municode and accessible at library.municode.com/ga/donalsonville. The city does not have a locally adopted building code on file in this dataset — residents and contractors should confirm current requirements directly with city or county offices before starting construction or renovation work.

Weather

Current forecasts for Donalsonville are available through the National Weather Service. Active weather alerts can be tracked at alerts.weather.gov. The nearest weather observation station is Donalsonville 1 S, located 0.1 miles from the city center.

Southwest Georgia sees hot, humid summers with afternoon thunderstorm activity from May through September, mild winters with occasional freezes, and meaningful exposure to tropical systems tracking inland from the Gulf and Atlantic.

References

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