1st Advantage MortgageStewart County households have a median income of $33,250 and median rent of $607 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Stewart County at a glance
- Rent, home values and ownership in Stewart County
- What Stewart County households earn
- Jobs and commutes in Stewart County
- The communities that make up Stewart County
- Stewart County and the counties next door
- Stewart County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Borrowing situations common in Stewart County
- Budget math at the Stewart County median
- Checking a lender's license in Georgia
- Checklist for Stewart County applicants
- More guides for Stewart County
- Frequently asked questions
Stewart County at a glance
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Stewart County's population at 4,869; only 150 of Georgia's 159 county-level areas are larger. Land area is 459 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 11 per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Columbus, GA-AL metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. Of the 2 Census places inside Stewart County, Richland leads by population with about 1,595; 2 of the 2 are incorporated. With so few households sampled, Stewart County estimates can move a lot between releases.
Rent, home values and ownership in Stewart County
Renters in Stewart County pay a median of $607 a month, 56% below the Georgia figure of $1,393. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 66% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $65,100, about 2.0 times the median household income. 59% of Stewart County households own their home and 41% rent. Median construction year: 1987.
| Cost | Stewart County | Georgia figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $607/mo | $1,393/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $65,100 | $303,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 59% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 66% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 28% | 26% | 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 Stewart County households earn
The median household income in Stewart County is $33,250; statewide it is $77,353, so Stewart County runs 57% below Georgia as a whole.
| Households earning | Stewart County | +/- vs Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 53.4% | +31.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 28.6% | -10.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 13.8% | -12.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.3% | -7.6 pts |
Some 53% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 18% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 26.4% of Stewart County residents in poverty, against 13.4% across Georgia. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.549 here. None of these numbers decides a Stewart County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Jobs and commutes in Stewart County
The biggest employer of Stewart County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 23% of workers, followed by transportation, warehousing and utilities (18%). Compared with Georgia, the county leans toward transportation, warehousing and utilities (18% against 7%). Averaged over the five survey years, 5.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are common here: 26% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 18.4% of the total (5.9% statewide).
| Where residents work | Stewart County | Difference from Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.1% | +2.1 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 17.5% | +10.2 pts |
| Construction | 11.8% | +4.8 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.0% | +1.0 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 8.0% | +1.6 pts |
| Public administration | 6.1% | +1.3 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
The communities that make up Stewart County
Here are the 2 most populous of the county's 2 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 53% of Stewart County residents live in one of the 2. None of the 2 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richland | city | 1,595 | $25,100 | $611 | 10 mi |
| Lumpkin | city | 1,000 | $47,500 | n/a | 3 mi |
Stewart County and the counties next door
Six nearby counties, 17 to 27 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $28,380 in Randolph County to $61,042 in Chattahoochee County; 5 of these neighbors top Stewart County's median. Some neighbors are in Alabama. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Stewart County resident follows Georgia rules.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stewart County | - | $33,250 | $607/mo | 59% |
| Webster County, GA | 17 mi | $46,792 | $658/mo | 77% |
| Quitman County, GA | 18 mi | $40,179 | $918/mo | 84% |
| Chattahoochee County, GA | 19 mi | $61,042 | $1,348/mo | 39% |
| Randolph County, GA | 22 mi | $28,380 | $606/mo | 52% |
| Russell County, AL | 25 mi | $51,197 | $939/mo | 61% |
| Marion County, GA | 27 mi | $51,667 | $710/mo | 79% |
Stewart County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 13% of the adult population. 22.6% of residents have no health coverage.
| People and households | Stewart County | Georgia | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 37.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 12.7% | 34.9% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 20.0% | 10.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 22.6% | 12.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 18.4% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 0.6% | 15.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 26.4% | 13.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.5% | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 33.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 20.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 20.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 15.6% |
| 60+ min | 10.2% |
Borrowing situations common in Stewart County
Where the Stewart County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Hospital bills in Stewart County. For the 23% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- Keeping the car running. At 26% with long commutes, repairs are a frequent Stewart County emergency; first decide if the car is worth fixing.
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 31% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- Lower-cost alternatives. In a county with 26% in poverty, nonprofit credit counseling may beat a loan (options).
Budget math at the Stewart County median
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Stewart County's medians:
- $2,771 a month: gross income for a household at the Stewart County median
- Housing at the median rent of $607 uses 22%
- Under a 36% cap, $998 total minus rent leaves $390
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Checking a lender's license in Georgia
Stewart County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by 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.
Checklist for Stewart County applicants
Quick steps for Stewart County:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Georgia borrowers.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
More guides for Stewart County
For statewide rules and data, see the Georgia guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Stewart County earn?
The median is $33,250; 18% earn $100,000 or more and 53% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Stewart County?
$607 a month at the median, about 22% of median household income.
What are the biggest places in Stewart County?
By population: Richland, Lumpkin. The county has 2 Census places in all.
Are Stewart 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 Stewart 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.