Yatesville, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Yatesville · Upson County, Georgia
Population 402 (est. 2026: ~500)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 8.21% annual growth projection

Yatesville, Georgia

Upson County, Georgia · Population 394

Yatesville sits in Upson County in west-central Georgia, roughly halfway between Macon and Columbus along the old agricultural corridors of the Georgia Piedmont. With fewer than 400 residents, it functions as a quiet residential outpost within Upson County rather than an economic center of its own. The county seat, Thomaston, lies just a few miles to the southeast and handles most of the commercial and institutional life for the area. Yatesville's identity is shaped by its small-town permanence — a place where longtime residents have deep roots, housing is genuinely affordable, and daily life runs through Thomaston rather than through any downtown of its own.

People & Demographics

The ACS 2022 count places Yatesville's population at 358 across 161 households, with an average household size of 2.22. The median age of 52.8 skews noticeably older than Georgia's statewide median, reflecting a community that has not attracted large numbers of younger families. Of 161 total households, 117 are family households. Children under 18 number just 50.

Racially, the town is predominantly white (340 residents), with 18 Black residents and no recorded Asian or Hispanic/Latino population in the 2022 survey. Upson County as a whole carries a population of roughly 27,700, making Yatesville one of its smaller incorporated places.

Economy & Employment

The labor force stands at 190 residents, with only 2 reported as unemployed — a strikingly low unemployment figure. Median household income is $62,019, which compares reasonably well against many rural Georgia communities, though 31 residents fall below the federal poverty line. Per capita income comes in at $29,561.

Most employment is likely concentrated in Thomaston and the broader Upson County economy, which has historically relied on manufacturing, healthcare, and retail. Yatesville itself does not function as an employment center.

Housing

Yatesville has 201 total housing units. Of those, 161 are occupied and 40 sit vacant — a vacancy rate of nearly 20%, elevated compared to most suburban Georgia markets but typical for small rural towns experiencing slow population change.

Owner-occupied units dominate at 132, against just 29 renter-occupied units. The median home value of $116,700 is well below the Georgia statewide median, making ownership genuinely accessible for households with modest incomes. Median gross rent runs $758 per month.

Schools

Yatesville students attend Upson County Schools. The district consolidates its enrollment countywide under the Upson-Lee campus system:

All four schools serve the full county, so Yatesville children share their schools with students from Thomaston and surrounding communities.

Getting Around

Of 188 total workers, 170 drive alone to work. Three carpool, three walk, and seven work from home. Public transit carries zero commuters. The aggregate commute time across all workers totals 3,980 minutes, averaging roughly 21 minutes per worker — consistent with a short drive to Thomaston rather than a long-haul commute to a metro area.

A car is an absolute requirement here. There is no local transit infrastructure.

Healthcare

Upson Regional Medical Center in Thomaston is the county's primary hospital, serving Yatesville residents along with the broader Upson County population. For a full list of individual healthcare providers registered in Yatesville with the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System, the NPI Registry maintains current records.

Library

The Yatesville Public Library serves the town and can be reached at (706) 472-3048. Its presence in a community of under 400 people is notable — small-town Georgia libraries often function as community anchors well beyond their book collections.

Parks & Recreation

Two significant National Park Service sites sit within day-trip range:

The Ocmulgee Mounds Visitor Center is 40.6 miles from Yatesville; the National Prisoner of War Museum visitor center is 49.2 miles out.

Natural Hazards

Upson County carries a long FEMA declaration history, and Yatesville sits squarely within that risk profile. Declared disasters affecting the county since 2004:

The pattern is clear: inland Georgia does not escape hurricanes or tropical systems — their remnants regularly bring destructive winds and flooding this far north. Winter storms, tornadoes, and straight-line winds add to a multi-hazard environment that residents navigate with regularity.

Government & Municipal Code

Yatesville operates under a municipal code published through Municode, accessible at library.municode.com/ga/yatesville-town-georgia. The town does not have a locally adopted building code on file with that publisher.

Weather

Current forecasts and alerts for Yatesville are available through the National Weather Service:

The nearest weather observation station is Thomaston 4SE, located 3.1 miles from town.

References

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