Town · Georgia
Alto, Georgia
Alto, town, mostly in Habersham County (63.8% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Banks County, Georgia. Alto had 1,018 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 970 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,055 (±378). GEOID 1301948.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,018
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 970 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,055 ±378
Median household income
$81,250
±$16,648 (90% margin)
Georgia: $77,353
Median home value
$192,200
±$47,995 (90% margin)
Georgia: $303,300
Median gross rent
$1,051
±$281 (90% margin)
Georgia: $1,393
Where is Alto and what county is it in?
Alto is a town mostly in Habersham County (63.8% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Banks County, Georgia. It covers 1.1 square miles of land, 846 residents per square mile in 2020.
Alto is in the Cornelia, GA micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Habersham County | 619 | 63.8% |
| Banks County | 351 | 36.2% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Alto, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,018 people lived in Alto on July 1, 2025, up 4.4% since 2020, slower than Georgia (+5.5%). The 2020 Census counted 970 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,055 (±378).
| Measure | Alto | Habersham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,055 ±378 | 47,793 | no clear change |
| Households | 304 ±98 | 16,753 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.47 ±0.51 | 2.71 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 402 ±109 | 19,071 | no clear change |
Alto's population since 2000
From 876 in 2000 to 1,018 in 2025: up 16.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Alto as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Alto?
The median resident of Alto is 30.5 years old; 29.1% are under 18 and 8.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 51.3%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 42.1%. 27.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Alto | Habersham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.5 ±4.0 | 39.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 29.1% ±7.6 pts | 21.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 8.3% ±4.3 pts | 19.3% | – |
| Male | 45.4% ±7.5 pts | 47.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 51.3% ±14.1 pts | 16.1% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 42.1% ±14.0 pts | 75.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.4 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.4% ±2.5 pts | 2.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±2.2 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 27.9% ±7.4 pts | 9.4% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 53.6% ±13.5 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.7% ±2.3 pts | 6.0% | – |
| With a disability | 10.6% ±5.5 pts | 16.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 20.5% ±8.5 pts | 14.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 62.9% ±7.8 pts | 82.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.2% ±5.1 pts | 24.6% | +8.3 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.8% ±2.1 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.1% ±4.2 pts | 87.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.2% ±1.6 pts | 2.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Alto earn?
Half of Alto's 304 households earn less than $81,250 a year (±$16,648), against $67,309 in Habersham County and $77,353 in Georgia. In 2015-2019 the median was $52,744 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $28,506 after inflation.
| Measure | Alto | Habersham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $81,250 ±$16,648 | $67,309 | +$28,506 |
| Mean household income | $88,006 ±$19,268 | $88,702 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,091 ±$5,714 | $32,241 | +$7,035 |
| People below the poverty line | 13.2% ±11.0 pts | 14.1% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 19.9% ±21.3 pts | 17.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.8% ±8.2 pts | 13.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.7% ±2.0 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 98.7% ±2.0 pts | 89.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Alto?
Owners occupy 81.9% of Alto's occupied homes and renters 18.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $192,200 by its owner (±$47,995). The median renter pays $1,051 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Alto | Habersham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $192,200 ±$47,995 | $238,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,051 ±$281 | $974 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 32.1% ±27.3 pts | 36.4% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,013 ±$414 | $1,464 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 81.9% ±9.2 pts | 72.8% | +17.6 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 18.1% ±9.2 pts | 27.2% | – |
| Housing units | 402 ±109 | 19,071 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.5% ±5.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 36.8% ±25.3 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 54.5% ±11.6 pts | 70.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 37.1% ±11.3 pts | 20.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±1.6 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.7% ±1.7 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.5% ±2.7 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.3% ±1.9 pts | 4.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Alto building?
Builders took permits for 7 new housing units in Alto in 2025 (7 in single-family houses), 6.9 per 1,000 residents against 5.4 across Georgia.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Alto work and get to work?
87.0% of Alto's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 34.6 minutes.
| Measure | Alto | Habersham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.1% ±7.6 pts | 56.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% ±3.6 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 87.0% ±7.4 pts | 77.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.9% ±7.5 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±9.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±9.0 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.2% ±1.5 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 34.6 min ±15.0 | 27.7 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Alto?
No census tract lies mostly in Alto; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 6.01Habersham County | 6,099 | $54,685 |
| Tract 9701Banks County | 5,132 | $70,313 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Alto) · Census block assignment files
How does Alto compare with other places in Georgia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Alto is the 10,183rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 304th-most populous of 537 in Georgia.
Alto is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 304th | 537 |
Alto's figures with every place in Georgia (CSV)
Every place in Georgia, sortable · Compare Alto with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Alto?
22 of the 57 figures for Alto on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Alto are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Alto.