Harrison, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Harrison · Washington County, Georgia
Population 444 (est. 2026: ~500)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 3.15% annual growth projection

Harrison, Georgia

Washington County, Georgia · Population 339

Harrison sits in the heart of Washington County in central Georgia, roughly midway between Sandersville — the county seat — and the Oconee River. It is a small, quiet town by any measure: fewer than 350 residents, a median age north of 46, and a community shaped more by its rural surroundings than by any commercial center of its own. The nearest significant urban pull is Macon, about 50 miles to the west. Harrison is not a suburb of anywhere. It is a place where people live close to the land, close to their neighbors, and largely off the radar of anyone who hasn't had a reason to stop.

People & Demographics

Harrison's population of 345 skews older, with a median age of 46.2 — noticeably above what most Georgia communities report. The racial composition breaks down as 242 Black residents, 71 white, and 22 Asian, with 7 residents identifying as Hispanic or Latino. The town holds 150 households at an average size of 2.30 people. Of those households, 66 are family households. There are 69 children under 18 in town — a relatively small share for a community this size, consistent with the older median age.

Washington County as a whole has just under 20,000 residents. Harrison accounts for less than 2% of that total.

Economy & Employment

The economic picture here is challenging. Median household income sits at $32,569 and per capita income at $15,253 — both substantially below Georgia's statewide medians. Of the 345 residents, 135 fall below the federal poverty line, a poverty rate approaching 40%.

The labor force is small: 116 residents are counted as participating, with 4 unemployed. That yields a low headline unemployment rate, but the labor force participation itself reflects a town where many residents are outside working age or otherwise not in the count.

For career and workforce training, Oconee Fall Line Technical College serves the region and can be reached at (478) 553-2050.

Housing

Harrison has 186 total housing units, of which 150 are occupied — leaving 36 vacant, a vacancy rate near 19%. Of occupied units, 87 are owner-occupied and 63 are renter-occupied, a roughly 58/42 split.

Median home value is $79,200 — a fraction of Georgia's statewide median, making Harrison one of the more affordable places in the state to own property outright. Median rent runs $795 per month, which is moderate given the income levels here. For renters paying that figure on a $32,569 household income, housing costs consume a significant share of the budget.

Schools

Harrison students feed into Washington County's public school system. The local schools by level:

All four schools are county-wide operations, not neighborhood schools exclusive to Harrison. Enrollment figures reflect the full county draw.

Among Harrison adults 25 and older (264 total), 118 hold a high school diploma. No bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees were recorded in the ACS estimates for this population.

Getting Around

Harrison is car country, full stop. Of 112 workers, 110 drove alone to work. The remaining 2 carpooled. Zero workers used public transit, walked, or worked from home. There is no meaningful alternative to a personal vehicle here.

Aggregate commute time for those 112 workers totals 3,165 minutes, putting average one-way travel around 28 minutes — consistent with workers commuting to Sandersville or other nearby county-level employment centers.

Healthcare

Washington County Regional Medical Center serves as the primary hospital for the region. The nearest weather station and surrounding infrastructure place Sandersville as the functional service hub for Harrison residents.

For provider-level lookup, the NPI Registry can be searched for Harrison-area clinicians: NPI Registry — Harrison, GA.

Library

The Rosa M. Tarbutton Memorial Library is the nearest public library, located 1.4 miles from Harrison. Phone: (478) 552-7466. It serves as Washington County's primary branch and provides the closest access to public computing, collections, and programming for Harrison residents.

Parks & Recreation

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, managed by the National Park Service, is the most significant natural and cultural site in the broader region. The park's visitor center is approximately 47.6 miles from Harrison, near Macon. The site preserves one of the most important Indigenous earthwork complexes in the Eastern United States, with mounds dating back over a thousand years. It's a full-day destination rather than a neighborhood park, but it anchors the regional identity in real ways.

Natural Hazards

Washington County has a long federal disaster declaration record. The county has been hit by or affected by:

The pattern is consistent with inland Georgia's exposure: hurricane remnants tracking through from the Gulf and Atlantic, combined with periodic severe winter weather. Helene's 2024 impact was significant across central Georgia.

Government & Municipal Code

Harrison's municipal code is published through Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/harrison-town-georgia. Note that Harrison does not have a local building code on file with Municode.

Weather

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

The nearest weather observation station is Sandersville, approximately 1.0 mile away.

References

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