Riddleville, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Riddleville · Washington County, Georgia
Population 85 (est. 2026: ~200)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 29.41% annual growth projection

Riddleville, Georgia

Washington County, Georgia · Population 80

Riddleville sits in the heart of Washington County, roughly midway between Sandersville (the county seat, about a mile away by weather station) and the rural pine flatlands of Middle Georgia. With 80 residents spread across a handful of blocks, it is one of the smallest incorporated towns in the state — a genuine crossroads community where nearly everyone knows everyone else. The nearest significant city is Augusta to the northeast, and Macon anchors the region to the southwest. Riddleville is not a suburb of either. It is its own place: quiet, owner-occupied, and demographically distinct from what you might expect in rural Georgia.

People & Demographics

The Census ACS 2022 estimates put Riddleville's population at 110 across 42 households. That's a small enough number that individual survey responses can move percentages significantly, so treat these figures as approximations. The median age is 42.3 years. Of the 110 residents counted, 42 identify as white, 25 as Black, and 43 as Hispanic or Latino — making Riddleville notably more Latino than Washington County as a whole, which draws the bulk of its 19,988 residents from a predominantly Black and white population. Average household size is 2.62 people. Only 8 residents are children under 18, which suggests a community skewing toward working-age adults and retirees rather than young families.

Economy & Employment

Riddleville's median household income of $78,269 sits well above what most rural Washington County households report — the county overall is lower-income by Georgia standards, with poverty rates that reflect decades of agricultural and industrial decline. Per capita income in Riddleville lands at $34,738. Notably, the ACS estimates zero residents below the poverty line, an unusual figure that likely reflects both the small sample size and the specific households present at the time of measurement.

Of 75 residents in the labor force, 9 are unemployed. Most workers commute out — there is no local employment base to speak of. The county economy is anchored by healthcare, agriculture, kaolin mining, and public-sector work in Sandersville.

Housing

Riddleville has 46 total housing units. Forty-two are occupied and 4 are vacant — a vacancy rate of roughly 8.7%, modest by rural Georgia standards. Owner-occupancy dominates: 36 of 42 occupied units are owner-occupied, with only 6 rentals. That 86% homeownership rate is exceptionally high. Median home value is $176,700. The median rent figure in the source data is not usable. For a town this size, the rental market is essentially nonexistent — if someone is moving to Riddleville, they are almost certainly buying.

Schools

Riddleville students attend Washington County Schools. No school sits inside town limits, but the county system is the educational infrastructure for this entire area:

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

Getting Around

Car ownership is essentially mandatory here. Of 66 workers counted, 32 drive alone and 29 carpool — meaning nearly half the workforce shares rides, an unusually high carpooling rate that likely reflects both economics and the tight-knit nature of the community. Five residents walk to work. No one uses public transit, and no one works from home. Aggregate travel time for all workers is 1,820 minutes, putting average one-way commute time around 27–28 minutes — consistent with driving to Sandersville or beyond for work.

Healthcare

The county hospital is Washington County Regional Medical Center in Sandersville. For a community this small, Sandersville functions as the service hub for everything from groceries to medical care. Providers practicing in Riddleville or the immediate area can be searched through the NPI Registry.

Library

The Rosa M. Tarbutton Memorial Library is 1.4 miles from Riddleville and reachable at (478) 552-7466. It is the Washington County public library and the closest full-service library for residents.

Parks & Recreation

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park — a National Park Service site preserving one of the most significant Native American ceremonial complexes in the Southeast — is located approximately 47.6 miles from Riddleville near Macon. The visitor center there provides interpretive programming and access to earthworks spanning more than 10,000 years of human history in Middle Georgia.

Natural Hazards

Washington County has a long federal disaster declaration record. The hazards are real and recurring:

Hurricanes and tropical systems have hit hardest. Hurricane Helene triggered two declarations in September 2024 (EM-3616 and DR-4830). Hurricane Michael generated declarations in October 2018. Hurricane Irma hit in September 2017. Tropical Storm Frances struck in September 2004. These storms typically bring wind damage, flooding, and extended power outages to this part of Middle Georgia, even well inland.

Severe winter storms have produced federal emergencies in January 2026, February–March 2014, and March 1993. Ice accumulation rather than snowfall is the primary threat.

COVID-19 generated emergency and disaster declarations in March 2020.

The county also served as an evacuation destination during Hurricane Katrina in September 2005, and a drought declaration goes back to July 1977. The pattern here is clear: anyone living in Riddleville should have a hurricane preparedness plan and take winter storm watches seriously.

Government & Municipal Code

Riddleville's municipal code is published through Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/riddleville-town-georgia. The town does not have its own building code on file, which is worth knowing for anyone planning construction or renovation — county and state codes would govern.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Riddleville are available through the National Weather Service. Active weather alerts can be checked at the NWS alerts page. The nearest weather observation station is in Sandersville, 1.0 mile away.

References

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