1st Advantage MortgageThe median Pickens County household earns $78,930, and 12% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Georgia license first.
On this page
- Who lives in Pickens County
- What Pickens County households earn
- Housing costs in Pickens County
- Work, industries and travel time in Pickens County
- The communities that make up Pickens County
- Pickens County and the counties next door
- Pickens County households compared
- Local borrowing considerations for Pickens County
- Room for a loan payment in Pickens County
- Georgia rules that apply in Pickens County
- Four steps for Pickens County borrowers
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Pickens County
Roughly 34,951 residents live in Pickens County, Georgia, 55th by population among the state's 159 counties and county equivalents. Packed into 232 square miles, that is close to 151 residents for every square mile of land. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan area. Of the 3 Census places inside Pickens County, Jasper leads by population with about 4,630; 3 of the 3 are incorporated.
What Pickens County households earn
Pickens County households have a median income of $78,930 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 28th of 159 in Georgia.
| Households earning | Pickens County | +/- vs Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 20.7% | -1.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 38.6% | -0.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 30.5% | +4.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 10.2% | -1.7 pts |
The spread is wide: 41% of Pickens County households make $100,000 or more, and 21% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 12.0%, 1 point lower than the state's 13.4%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.430 (0 is perfect equality). If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Pickens County median.
Housing costs in Pickens County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,136 in Pickens County versus $1,393 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 54% of renter households here. With a median value of $332,700, a typical Pickens County house costs 4.2 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 81%. Half the housing stock was built before 1996.
| Cost | Pickens County | Georgia figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,136/mo | $1,393/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $332,700 | $303,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 81% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 54% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 26% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Pickens County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it. High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Work, industries and travel time in Pickens County
Education and health care employs 22% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 16%. The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 16% locally and 10% for Georgia. Averaged over the five survey years, 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are common here: 29% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 2.8% of households have no vehicle.
| Where residents work | Pickens County | Difference from Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.6% | +0.6 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.5% | +5.5 pts |
| Construction | 11.5% | +4.5 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.5% | -3.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.5% | -1.8 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.7% | +1.3 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
The communities that make up Pickens County
Here are the 3 most populous of the county's 3 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 17% of Pickens County residents live in one of the 3. Live in one of these Pickens County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasper | city | 4,630 | $52,442 | $1,122 | 3 mi |
| Nelson | city | 1,166 | $89,375 | $998 | 9 mi |
| Talking Rock | town | 274 | $250,001 | n/a | 5 mi |
Pickens County and the counties next door
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Pickens County's, from 15 to 26 miles away. Forsyth County leads the group on income ($143,784), Gordon County trails ($63,650), and Pickens County out-earns 2 of the six.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickens County | - | $78,930 | $1,136/mo | 81% |
| Cherokee County, GA | 15 mi | $108,115 | $1,799/mo | 77% |
| Gilmer County, GA | 16 mi | $74,499 | $998/mo | 81% |
| Dawson County, GA | 18 mi | $92,991 | $1,626/mo | 79% |
| Gordon County, GA | 22 mi | $63,650 | $937/mo | 74% |
| Bartow County, GA | 25 mi | $82,243 | $1,268/mo | 73% |
| Forsyth County, GA | 26 mi | $143,784 | $2,090/mo | 84% |
Pickens County households compared
College graduates make up 27% of the adult population. About 12% go without health insurance.
| Residents | Pickens County | Georgia | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.7 | 37.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 26.7% | 34.9% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.1% | 10.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 12.0% | 12.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 2.8% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 16.9% | 15.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 13.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.0% | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Pickens County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 18.9% |
| 15 to 29 min | 29.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 22.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 11.4% |
| 60+ min | 17.9% |
Local borrowing considerations for Pickens County
Where the Pickens County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Uninsured care. 12% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Vehicle repairs. 29% of Pickens County workers commute 45+ minutes, so a breakdown can cost a paycheck. Get two written estimates.
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 14% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- Benefit income. With half of residents older than 47, lenders often see pension and Social Security income, which counts like wages.
Room for a loan payment in Pickens County
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Pickens County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $6,578 a month: gross income for a household at the Pickens County median
- Median rent: $1,136, or 17 cents of every gross dollar
- With a 40% ceiling, about $1,495 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
If your rent is above $1,136, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Georgia rules that apply in Pickens County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Pickens County resident can confirm its license with the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Georgia guide.
Four steps for Pickens County borrowers
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- A Georgia license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Georgia guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Pickens County?
$78,930 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $77,353 for Georgia. It ranks 28th of 159 in the state.
How much is rent in Pickens County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,136 a month; 54% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
What are the biggest places in Pickens County?
By population: Jasper, Nelson, Talking Rock. The county has 3 Census places in all.
Will a Pickens County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Georgia as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Pickens County?
Start with the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.