1st Advantage MortgageThe median Early County household earns $54,083, and 24% of residents live below the poverty line. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Georgia before sharing details.
On this page
- Who lives in Early County
- Rent, home values and ownership in Early County
- What Early County households earn
- The Early County job picture
- Places inside Early County
- Early County and the counties next door
- People and households in Early County
- Local borrowing considerations for Early County
- What a median Early County budget can carry
- Four steps for Early County borrowers
- Checking a lender's license in Georgia
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Early County
Early County is home to about 10,603 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 123rd most populous of 159 county-level areas in Georgia. Land area is 513 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 21 per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 4 Census places inside Early County, Blakely leads by population with about 5,238; 3 of the 4 are incorporated.
Rent, home values and ownership in Early County
A typical Early County rental runs $791 a month including utilities, which is 43% below Georgia. By the Census definition, 53% of Early County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $131,300, about 2.4 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 67%.
| Housing | Early County | Georgia statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $791/mo | $1,393/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $131,300 | $303,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 67% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 53% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 26% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 27.5% | 7.8% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 17% | 10% | n/a |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
What Early County households earn
Early County households have a median income of $54,083 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 98th of 159 in Georgia.
| Households earning | Early County | +/- vs Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 36.4% | +14.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.6% | +1.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 19.7% | -6.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.3% | -8.6 pts |
Some 36% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 23% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 23.6%, 10 points higher than the state's 13.4%. If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Early County median.
The Early County job picture
By the Census industry count, 28% of employed Early County residents work in education and health care and 13% in manufacturing. Compared with Georgia, the county leans toward education and health care (28% against 21%). Averaged over the five survey years, 6.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 11% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 9.1% of households have no vehicle.
| Sector | Early County | Compared with Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.1% | +7.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 12.8% | +2.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.5% | -0.8 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.6% | +1.3 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.1% | -0.4 pts |
| Construction | 6.7% | -0.3 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Places inside Early County
The table lists the 4 largest of 4 Census places in Early County, by population. Together all 4 hold about 5,665 people, so roughly 47% of residents live outside any named place. No Early County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 4.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blakely | city | 5,238 | $49,821 | $765 | 4 mi |
| Damascus | city | 272 | $58,125 | $900 | 11 mi |
| Jakin | city | 155 | $39,583 | $888 | 17 mi |
| Cedar Springs | CDP | 0 | n/a | n/a | 12 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Early County and the counties next door
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (15 to 27 miles). 2 of the six report a higher median household income than Early County; Henry County is highest at $59,931 and Baker County lowest at $46,012. The list crosses into Alabama, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early County | - | $54,083 | $791/mo | 67% |
| Miller County, GA | 15 mi | $51,425 | $810/mo | 70% |
| Clay County, GA | 21 mi | $49,147 | $536/mo | 78% |
| Calhoun County, GA | 21 mi | $46,940 | $546/mo | 59% |
| Henry County, AL | 24 mi | $59,931 | $769/mo | 79% |
| Houston County, AL | 26 mi | $58,626 | $945/mo | 64% |
| Baker County, GA | 27 mi | $46,012 | $631/mo | 77% |
People and households in Early County
College graduates make up 15% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 13.7%, against 12.4% for Georgia.
| People and households | Early County | Georgia | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 | 37.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 14.7% | 34.9% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 16.8% | 10.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 13.7% | 12.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 9.1% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 3.0% | 15.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 23.6% | 13.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.7% | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Early County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 46.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 28.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 14.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.0% |
| 60+ min | 7.8% |
Local borrowing considerations for Early County
A few patterns in the Early County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Hospital bills in Early County. For the 14% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- 28% mobile homes. Many are not titled as real estate, so home-equity options may not apply; an unsecured loan is the usual route.
- 24% below poverty. Emergency aid, payment plans and counseling (list) come first.
- Rent squeeze. 53% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
What a median Early County budget can carry
Early County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $54,083 a year is $4,507 of gross monthly income
- Median rent: $791, or 18 cents of every gross dollar
- $831: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,147 left for all other debt payments
Two-income households and single earners in Early County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Four steps for Early County borrowers
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Price the Early County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Early County-area credit union.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Georgia.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Checking a lender's license in Georgia
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Early County, check the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Georgia state guide for the statewide picture.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Georgia guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Early County earn?
The median is $54,083; 23% earn $100,000 or more and 36% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
Is Early County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $791 against $1,393 statewide, and 53% of renter households are cost-burdened.
What are the biggest places in Early County?
By population: Blakely, Damascus, Jakin, Cedar Springs. The county has 4 Census places in all.
Are Early County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Who regulates personal lenders for Early County residents?
The Georgia Department of Banking and Finance licenses consumer lenders in Georgia; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.