City profile · Georgia · Census ACS 2023

McRae-Helena, GA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for McRae-Helena - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

5,959
Residents
$51,296
Median income
$111,800
Median home
$973
Median rent (state)

McRae-Helena - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, McRae-Helena lands in the 21st percentile for household income and the 46th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

21st
percentile, household income
14th
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
46th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: McRae-Helena, GA

McRae-Helena is a small town in Georgia, home to 5,959 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. McRae-Helena households earn a median of $51,296 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 21.6%. Typical homes in McRae-Helena are valued around $111,800, and the median resident age is 36.8 years. 8.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 31.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 0 residential building permits were authorized in McRae-Helena (No Permits), per Census BPS data. McRae-Helena reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1484.7 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Georgia run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Georgia scores 96.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $973 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Georgia, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 19.2 minutes, with 89.4% driving alone and 4.6% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 23.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

5,959 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Georgia

Median Household Income

$51,296 /yr

Poverty 21.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Georgia average

How does McRae-Helena compare to other US cities?

Here's how McRae-Helena stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 21% higher than other cities
Home value 14% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities
Safety 46% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Georgia alone, McRae-Helena ranks #70 of 165 Georgia cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares McRae-Helena against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Georgia only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Georgia-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places McRae-Helena near the bottom of Georgia's cities

Among the 638 Georgia cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, McRae-Helena ranks #428 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares McRae-Helena only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#341 of 610
44th percentile in Georgia
Median Gross Rent
#428 of 638
0th percentile in Georgia
Median Home Value
#415 of 577
28th percentile in Georgia
Poverty Rate
#162 of 637
74th percentile in Georgia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#521 of 638
18th percentile in Georgia

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Georgia only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

21stIncome percentile
46thSafety percentile

21st percentile nationally for median household income · 46th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

McRae-Helena's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

McRae-Helena's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 51 Avg. percentile National median
McRae-Helena's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How McRae-Helena's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$111,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 86% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. McRae-Helena $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - McRae-Helena, GA McRae-Helena, GA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not McRae-Helena, GA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution McRae-Helena, GA median $51,296/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
McRae-Helena, GA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for McRae-Helena, GA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 8.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 21.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 31.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
5,959
Median Income
$51,296
Median Home Value
$111,800
Median Age
36.8
Poverty Rate
21.6%
Labor force participation
31.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
8.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1484.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
388.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1096.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,000 residents5,500 residents6,000 residents6,500 residents7,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 6,640 residents 5,443 residents ▼ -18.0%
McRae-Helena's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 1
2021 2
2022 3
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.2 minutes
Drive Alone
89.4%
Carpool
6.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
4.6%

Based on 1,383 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Georgia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$125
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Georgia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Georgia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county McRae-Helena sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$973/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
23.5 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Georgia

Barnesville
6,070 people
Byron
5,839 people
Jonesboro
6,137 people
Waynesboro
5,700 people
Fairfield Plantation
6,231 people
Sandersville
5,673 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to McRae-Helena's 5,959 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Moosic, PA
5,954 people
Childress, TX
5,964 people
Fort Myers Shores, FL
5,966 people
Fort Shawnee, OH
5,952 people
Finderne, NJ
5,968 people
Asbury, IA
5,949 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to McRae-Helena's $51,296 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Wewahitchka, FL
$51,296 median income
Camden, AR
$51,300 median income
Westport, KY
$51,300 median income
Fredericksburg CDP (Crawford County), PA
$51,292 median income
Jasmine Estates, FL
$51,301 median income
Lacy-Lakeview, TX
$51,301 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - McRae-Helena, GA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition McRae-Helena, GA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 43.8% 37.5% 12.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 18.8% White 43.8% Black or African American 37.5% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.8% Two or more races 12.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How McRae-Helena compares to nearby Georgia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
McRae-Helena (this city) 5,959 $51,296
Barnesville 6,070 $58,317
Byron 5,839 $86,265
Jonesboro 6,137 $50,060
Census ACS 5-year FIPS GA FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about McRae-Helena, GA?

What is the population of McRae-Helena, GA? +

5,959 people live in McRae-Helena, GA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in McRae-Helena, GA? +

Median annual household income in McRae-Helena runs $51,296, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in McRae-Helena? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for McRae-Helena; the closest available measure is the Georgia state average, a cost of living index of 96.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Georgia vary by metro area.

Is McRae-Helena, GA safe? +

McRae-Helena has a total crime rate of 1484.7 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in McRae-Helena, GA? +

Homes in McRae-Helena carry a median value of $111,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.