Allentown Authority

Allentown is a lower-income village of 341 with home prices -0.0× below the Georgia median.

Population 341

Source: Census ACS 2023

Allentown, Georgia

Bleckley County, Georgia · Population 195

Allentown sits in the flat agricultural heart of central Georgia, tucked inside Bleckley County about three miles northeast of Cochran, the county seat. With fewer than 200 residents, it is one of the smallest incorporated places in the state — a tight cluster of homes along rural roads where the median age of 65 tells you more about the town's character than any other single number. This is a place where most people have been around long enough to remember when things were different, where nearly everyone owns their home, and where daily life revolves around the county rather than the town itself. Macon, the nearest significant metro, lies roughly 45 miles to the northwest.

People & Demographics

The 2022 ACS counted 204 residents in 91 households. The median age of 65.0 is strikingly high — well above Georgia's statewide median, which hovers in the mid-thirties — signaling a community that skews heavily toward retirees and long-term residents. The racial composition is roughly 71% white (145 residents) and 28% Black (58 residents), with no recorded Asian or Hispanic/Latino population. Average household size is 2.24. There are 35 children under 18 in the entire town, which underscores the demographic weight toward older residents.

Economy & Employment

Only 64 residents participate in the labor force, and just 2 are unemployed — an unemployment rate under 4%. The median household income is $42,750, and per capita income sits at $25,092. Both figures trail Georgia's statewide medians meaningfully, though cost of living in rural Bleckley County helps offset the gap. Only 2 residents fall below the federal poverty line — an unusually low count, though the small population makes that figure sensitive to even minor changes. Most workers are employed outside Allentown itself, commuting to Cochran or beyond for work in agriculture, healthcare, and county services that define the Bleckley County economy.

Housing

Housing here is affordable by almost any measure. The median home value is $89,600 — a fraction of Georgia's statewide median. Of 105 total housing units, 91 are occupied and 14 sit vacant, a vacancy rate of about 13%. Owner-occupancy dominates: 87 of the 91 occupied units are owner-occupied, with only 4 rentals in the entire town. That 96% ownership rate is exceptionally high and reflects the stable, long-tenured nature of the population. Median rent data was not available for this town.

Schools

Allentown students attend Bleckley County Schools. The district runs four main campuses and one alternative program:

• Bleckley County Primary School — Pre-K through Grade 2, 766 students

• Bleckley County Elementary School — Grades 3–5, 554 students

• Bleckley Middle School — Grades 6–8, 561 students

• Bleckley County High School — Grades 9–12, 671 students

• Bleckley County Success Academy — Grades 6–12 (alternative program), 53 students

All schools are in or near Cochran. Combined enrollment across the district exceeds 2,600 students, serving the entire county rather than any single town.

Getting Around

Of 62 workers with commute data, 46 drive alone and 7 carpool. Three workers walk to work — notable for a town this size. Six work from home. No one uses public transit, and none is available. Total aggregate travel time across all workers is 940 minutes, suggesting an average one-way commute of roughly 15 minutes — consistent with short drives into Cochran or slightly longer hauls toward Macon.

Healthcare

Bleckley Memorial Hospital in Cochran is the local hospital serving Allentown residents. For a broader search of individual healthcare providers registered in Allentown, the CMS NPI Registry lists licensed clinicians and practices. More complex care, specialty services, and trauma care draw residents to Macon, where Medical Center, Navicent Health anchors the regional healthcare system.

Library

The Tessie W. Norris / Cochran-Bleckley Library is the nearest public library, located approximately 1.7 miles away in Cochran. Phone: (478) 934-2904. It serves as the county's primary public library resource for Allentown residents.

Parks & Recreation

Two significant National Park Service sites are within reasonable driving distance:

• Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park — approximately 34 miles northwest, near Macon. One of the most significant Native American archaeological sites in the eastern United States, preserving over 17,000 years of human history along the Ocmulgee River. A visitor center is on site.

• Andersonville National Historic Site — approximately 49 miles southwest. The site of the Civil War's most notorious prisoner-of-war camp, now home to the National Prisoner of War Museum. A visitor center is located there.

Natural Hazards

Bleckley County has a substantial FEMA disaster declaration history. Since 1977, the county has been included in 15 federal emergency or disaster declarations. The pattern is dominated by Atlantic hurricane systems tracking inland across Georgia:

• Hurricane Helene (2024) — two declarations, both emergency and major disaster

• Hurricane Michael (2018) — emergency and major disaster declarations

• Hurricane Irma (2017) — emergency and major disaster declarations

• Tropical Storm Frances (2004) — major disaster declaration

• Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (2005) — emergency declaration for receiving evacuees

Winter storms have also triggered declarations, including severe events in 1993, 2014, and January 2026. A 1998 severe storms and flooding event and a 1977 drought round out the historical record. Central Georgia's position means it is far enough inland to escape direct hurricane landfall but close enough to feel sustained wind, rain, and flooding from major storms that track up from the Gulf or Atlantic coast.

Government & Municipal Code

Allentown's municipal code is published by Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/allentown-city-georgia. The town does not have a locally adopted building code on file.

Weather

Current forecasts for Allentown are available from the National Weather Service: NWS Forecast for Allentown, GA. Active weather alerts for the area can be checked at weather.gov alerts. The nearest weather observation station is Cochran 3 NE, approximately 1.8 miles away.

References

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2022 5-Year Estimates — Tables B01001, B01002, B02001, B03001, B09001, B11001, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25001, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25064, B25077, B08006, B08013

• National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022

• FEMA Disaster Declarations — Bleckley County, GA

• CMS Hospital Compare — Bleckley Memorial Hospital

• Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) — Tessie W. Norris / Cochran-Bleckley Library

• National Park Service — Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park; Andersonville National Historic Site

• CMS NPI Registry — npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov

• NOAA / National Weather Service — Forecast Point 32.400611, -83.32879; Station COCHRAN 3 NE

• Municode — City of Allentown, Georgia Municipal Code

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