City · Georgia
Folkston, Georgia
Folkston, city, in Charlton County, Georgia. Folkston had 4,767 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 5.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,464 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,631 (±14). GEOID 1330424.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,767
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,464 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,631 ±14
Median household income
$50,116
±$12,880 (90% margin)
Georgia: $77,353
Median home value
$78,100
±$51,625 (90% margin)
Georgia: $303,300
Median gross rent
$495
±$180 (90% margin)
Georgia: $1,393
Where is Folkston and what county is it in?
Folkston is a city in Charlton County, Georgia. It covers 4.2 square miles of land, 1,066 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Folkston, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,767 people lived in Folkston on July 1, 2025, up 5.9% since 2020, in line with Georgia (+5.5%). The 2020 Census counted 4,464 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,631 (±14).
| Measure | Folkston | Charlton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,631 ±14 | 12,818 | −279 |
| Households | 1,495 ±183 | 4,215 | +413 |
| Average household size | 2.71 ±0.33 | 2.90 | −0.71 |
| Housing units | 1,603 ±184 | 4,755 | +347 |
Folkston's population since 2000
From 2,178 in 2000 to 4,767 in 2025: up 118.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Folkston 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 Folkston?
The median resident of Folkston is 39.2 years old; 15.6% are under 18 and 11.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 48.7%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 40.3%.
| Measure | Folkston | Charlton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 ±3.8 | 37.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 15.6% ±2.9 pts | 19.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 11.4% ±2.7 pts | 14.3% | – |
| Male | 59.0% ±4.9 pts | 58.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.3% ±1.5 pts | 15.4% | −15.0 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 40.3% ±6.4 pts | 54.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 48.7% ±7.1 pts | 24.8% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.9% ±0.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.7% ±4.3 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.4% ±2.0 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.3% ±2.0 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.1% ±1.9 pts | 7.0% | – |
| With a disability | 18.7% ±5.1 pts | 18.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 20.9% ±6.9 pts | 16.2% | −11.4 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 76.5% ±5.8 pts | 81.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 5.5% ±2.6 pts | 12.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.5% ±2.0 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.5% ±5.2 pts | 89.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.2% ±4.4 pts | 3.0% | – |
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 Folkston earn?
Half of Folkston's 1,495 households earn less than $50,116 a year (±$12,880), against $61,276 in Charlton County and $77,353 in Georgia. In 2015-2019 the median was $29,858 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $20,258 after inflation. 28.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Folkston | Charlton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,116 ±$12,880 | $61,276 | +$20,258 |
| Mean household income | $62,643 ±$10,616 | $76,527 | – |
| Per capita income | $22,487 ±$3,808 | $26,867 | +$6,359 |
| People below the poverty line | 28.8% ±10.3 pts | 18.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 49.7% ±21.1 pts | 25.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 43.1% ±11.4 pts | 25.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.8% ±4.8 pts | 93.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.6% ±5.1 pts | 87.3% | – |
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 Folkston?
Owners occupy 66.2% of Folkston's occupied homes and renters 33.8%. The median renter pays $495 a month including utilities, and 34.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Folkston | Charlton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $78,100 ±$51,625 | $142,800 | – |
| Median gross rent | $495 ±$180 | $540 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 34.1% ±21.7 pts | 31.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,256 ±$546 | $1,342 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 66.2% ±9.5 pts | 80.1% | +24.4 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 33.8% ±9.5 pts | 19.9% | – |
| Housing units | 1,603 ±184 | 4,755 | +347 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±4.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.1% ±3.3 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 50.1% ±10.9 pts | 53.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 30.3% ±8.6 pts | 38.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.1% ±1.5 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.1% ±2.2 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.8% ±7.7 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 12.2% ±5.4 pts | 7.0% | – |
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 do people in Folkston work and get to work?
97.8% of Folkston's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 24.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 27.4%.
| Measure | Folkston | Charlton County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.0% ±8.0 pts | 53.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 27.4% ±9.1 pts | 14.0% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 97.8% ±2.8 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 0.6% ±1.1 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.6% ±2.5 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.5 min ±4.7 | 28.7 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 Folkston?
1 census tract lies mostly in Folkston, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 101.02Charlton County | 4,857 | $63,147 |
| Tract 101.01Charlton County | 3,763 | $62,759 |
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 Folkston) · Census block assignment files
How does Folkston compare with other places in Georgia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Folkston is the 5,035th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 158th-most populous of 537 in Georgia.
Folkston ranks 228th of 348 places in Georgia with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 158th | 537 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 113th | 297 |
| Residents per square mile | 136th | 360 |
| Median household income | 228th | 348 |
| Per capita income | 289th | 357 |
| Median gross rent | 333rd | 337 |
| Poverty rate | 60th | 302 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 336th | 343 |
| Median age | 124th | 360 |
| Owner-occupied share | 119th | 354 |
| Travel time to work | 216th | 359 |
Folkston's figures with every place in Georgia (CSV)
Every place in Georgia, sortable · Compare Folkston 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 Folkston?
17 of the 57 figures for Folkston 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 Folkston 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 Folkston.