Box Springs, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Box Springs · Talbot County, Georgia
Population 189 (est. 2026: ~400)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 20.63% annual growth projection

Box Springs, Georgia

Talbot County, Georgia · Population 303

Box Springs sits in the rural heart of Talbot County, tucked into west-central Georgia between Columbus and Macon along the Piedmont. It is a census-designated place — no incorporated city limits, no city hall — just a tight-knit community of a few hundred people surrounded by pine forest and red clay farmland. Talbot County as a whole holds only 5,733 residents, making Box Springs a small node in one of Georgia's least-populated counties. The character here is defined by deep community roots, an older population, and a level of economic hardship that shapes daily life in visible ways.

People & Demographics

Box Springs has a population of 303, with the Census ACS 2022 counting 238 people across 128 households. That gap between headline population and survey count is typical for small CDPs where enumeration is difficult. The median age is 59.5 — nearly two decades older than Georgia's statewide median — which tells you something important: this is not a place drawing young families or newcomers. It is a community of long-term residents.

Racially, the community is split closely: 131 residents identify as Black and 102 as white. No Asian or Hispanic residents were counted in the 2022 survey. Average household size is 1.86 people, well below the national average, reflecting both the older age profile and a predominance of smaller family units. There are 39 children under 18 in the entire community.

Family households number 69 out of 128 total — just over half — with the rest being non-family or single-person arrangements.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Box Springs is $23,333, which is less than half of Georgia's statewide median household income. Per capita income runs $23,814. These figures place Box Springs among the most economically distressed communities in the state.

Of 238 surveyed residents, 80 are counted as being in the labor force, and the data shows zero officially unemployed — a figure that likely reflects how the survey captured the population rather than an absence of economic hardship. Poverty is widespread: 132 residents fall below the federal poverty line, meaning more than half of the surveyed population lives in poverty.

Housing

All 128 housing units in Box Springs are occupied — zero vacancies. That full occupancy rate is unusual and may reflect both tight local supply and the stability of a long-settled population that is not turning over. Of those units, 119 are owner-occupied and only 9 are renter-occupied. That 93% homeownership rate is extraordinarily high and points to a community where people have lived in the same homes for decades.

Median home value and median rent data were not available from the 2022 ACS for Box Springs — the community is small enough that the Census suppresses these estimates when sample sizes cannot support reliable figures.

Schools

Box Springs is served by Central Elementary/High School, which spans grades pre-K through 12 and enrolls 408 students — a combined school that serves the entire county rather than Box Springs alone. The school's enrollment substantially exceeds the town's own population, which reflects its role as a countywide institution in a rural district with no separate middle or high school facilities. Data is from NCES CCD 2022.

Getting Around

Of 80 workers, 54 drive alone to work and 4 carpool. Twenty-two residents work from home — a notable 27.5% of the workforce, high for a rural community and likely a mix of remote-work arrangements and home-based self-employment. No residents commute by public transit or on foot. Aggregate travel time data was not available. Practically speaking, a personal vehicle is not optional here: there is no transit infrastructure in Talbot County, and the nearest significant employment centers are in Columbus (roughly 45 miles west) and Macon (roughly 50 miles east).

Healthcare

No hospitals or clinical providers with a Box Springs address appear in national registries for this location. The nearest significant hospital services are accessed through Columbus or Warner Robins. Providers licensed in or near Box Springs can be searched directly through the CMS NPI Registry.

Library

The Talbot County Library is located 0.8 miles from Box Springs and serves as the primary public library resource for the entire county. Phone: (706) 665-3134. For a community with limited internet infrastructure and low incomes, proximity to a public library carries practical weight well beyond book lending.

Parks & Recreation

Two National Park Service sites are within reasonable driving distance of Box Springs. Andersonville National Historic Site — home to the National Prisoner of War Museum — lies 41.8 miles to the south and preserves the site of the Civil War's most notorious Confederate prison camp. Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains is approximately 46 miles away and interprets the life and presidency of Georgia's 39th president. The Plains High School Visitor Center and Museum is also located at that site. Neither requires significant planning to visit for a day trip.

Natural Hazards

Talbot County has a long and serious FEMA disaster history. Since 1990, the county has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations, covering nearly every major threat category that affects the Deep South:

The pattern is clear: this county sits in a corridor that sees tropical moisture from the Gulf, severe storm systems from the west, and occasional winter ice events. Helene's 2024 declaration confirms that vulnerability has not diminished.

Government & Municipal Code

Box Springs is a census-designated place without incorporated municipal government. A municipal code is published through Municode and accessible at library.municode.com/ga/box-springs-cdp-georgia. The community does not have a local building code on file.

Weather

Current forecasts for Box Springs are available through the National Weather Service: NWS Forecast for Box Springs. Active weather alerts can be monitored at the NWS Alerts page. The nearest official weather observation station is at Talbotton, 1.3 miles away.

References

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