Cohutta, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Cohutta · Whitfield County, Georgia
Population 1,018 (est. 2026: ~800)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -8.64% annual growth projection

Cohutta, Georgia

Whitfield County, Georgia · Population 764

Cohutta sits in the far northwestern corner of Georgia, tucked into the foothills below Cohutta Mountain and a short drive from the Tennessee state line. It is a small, tight residential community — the kind of place where most people leave every morning to work somewhere else and return home in the evening. Dalton, the county seat and industrial hub of Whitfield County, lies a few miles to the south. Chattanooga, Tennessee is the closest major metro, roughly 25 miles north. Cohutta is not a commercial center; it is a place people choose to live, drawn by relatively affordable housing, a quiet pace, and easy highway access to both Dalton and Chattanooga.

People & Demographics

Cohutta's ACS-estimated population of 729 lives at a density that keeps the town feeling rural despite its incorporated status. The median age is 36.9 — a working-age community with real family presence. Children under 18 number 188, roughly a quarter of the population, which explains why the elementary school is the most prominent public institution in town.

The population is predominantly white (664), with Hispanic/Latino residents numbering 53, Asian residents 23, and Black residents 13. Average household size is 3.06 — notably higher than typical Georgia averages — and 187 of 238 total households are family households. This is a community built around households, not single-person apartments.

Whitfield County as a whole holds 102,864 people, making Cohutta a small satellite community within a county that is itself best known for Dalton's carpet and flooring manufacturing economy.

Economy & Employment

The labor force stands at 334 residents, with 17 unemployed — an unemployment rate of roughly 5%. Median household income is $62,500, and per capita income comes in at $29,833. Georgia's statewide median household income runs higher, placing Cohutta slightly below the state average, though the cost of living in this corner of northwest Georgia partially offsets that gap.

Only 22 residents fall below the poverty line, which is a low share relative to the overall population. The local economy offers little in the way of employers within town limits — Cohutta is primarily a bedroom community. The jobs are in Dalton's manufacturing and distribution sector, in Chattanooga's broader economy, and in the service industries spread across Whitfield County.

Housing

Total housing units number 269, with 238 occupied and 31 vacant — a vacancy rate of about 11.5%. Owner-occupied units account for 184 households; 54 households rent. The homeownership rate sits around 77%, well above state and national norms, reinforcing Cohutta's character as an owner-occupied residential community.

Median home value is $170,700 — considerably below Georgia's statewide median, making Cohutta one of the more affordable incorporated places in the region. Median gross rent is $850 per month. For buyers priced out of Chattanooga's market or looking to avoid Dalton's urban density, Cohutta offers real value.

Schools

Cohutta Elementary School serves grades PreK–5 with 323 students, operating under Whitfield County Schools. For middle and high school, students attend county schools outside Cohutta's boundaries. The elementary enrollment of 323 against a town population of 729 reflects how family-dense this community is.

Getting Around

Cohutta is car-dependent, full stop. Of 308 total workers, 282 drove alone to work. Fourteen carpooled. Zero used public transit. Zero walked. Twelve worked from home. Total aggregate commute time across all workers is 8,760 minutes, suggesting an average one-way commute of roughly 28 minutes — consistent with the drive to Dalton or toward Chattanooga. There is no local transit infrastructure.

Healthcare

The nearest hospital is Hamilton Medical Center, located in Dalton. For emergencies or specialist care beyond Dalton, Chattanooga's hospital network — including Erlanger and CHI Memorial — is accessible within 30 to 40 minutes.

Local healthcare providers registered in Cohutta can be searched through the CMS NPI Registry: NPI Provider Search for Cohutta, GA

Library

The nearest public library branch located in the data is the Collegedale Public Library, approximately 9.8 miles away, reachable at (423) 396-9300. Residents also have access to the Dalton–Whitfield County Public Library system, which serves the county seat a few miles south.

Parks & Recreation

Two National Park Service sites sit within reasonable driving distance of Cohutta:

The Cohutta Wilderness Area in the Chattahoochee National Forest, immediately to the east, adds backcountry hiking, trout streams, and dispersed camping for residents willing to drive 20 to 30 minutes into the mountains.

Natural Hazards

Whitfield County has accumulated a long record of FEMA disaster declarations, and the pattern tells a clear story about what this part of northwest Georgia actually faces:

Winter storms have triggered declarations in 1993, 2014 (twice), and 2026 — the Southern Appalachian foothills get ice and snow events that can shut down roads and power in ways that catch flat-state transplants off guard.

Severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding appear in 1974, 1990, and 1994. The terrain funnels storm systems in ways that produce localized flooding and tornado risk despite the hilly landscape.

Hurricanes — specifically Opal (1995), Irma (2017, declared twice), and Helene (2024) — have reached this far inland with enough wind and rain to warrant federal declarations. Helene's 2024 declaration is a reminder that even far-inland northwest Georgia is not immune to tropical system impacts.

COVID-19 produced two federal declarations in March 2020. A drought declaration reaching back to 1977 and a Hurricane Katrina evacuation declaration in 2005 round out the county's history.

Residents should take winter storm preparedness seriously and understand that flooding risk is real, particularly for properties near creeks and low-lying roads.

Government & Municipal Code

Cohutta operates under a city government with its municipal code published through Municode: Cohutta City Municipal Code

The city does not have a locally adopted building code on record. Residents undertaking construction or renovation should verify applicable county and state building requirements directly with Whitfield County.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Cohutta are available through the National Weather Service: - NWS Forecast for Cohutta (34.9612°N, 84.9488°W) - Active Weather Alerts

The nearest weather observation station is Tunnel Hill 4.8 N, located 6.1 miles away.

References

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