City · Georgia
Ray City, Georgia
Ray City, city, in Berrien County, Georgia. Ray City had 1,132 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 18.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 956 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 852 (±260). GEOID 1363728.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,132
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 956 · ACS 2020-2024: 852 ±260
Median household income
$56,023
±$16,344 (90% margin)
Georgia: $77,353
Median home value
$122,800
±$20,629 (90% margin)
Georgia: $303,300
Median gross rent
$773
±$348 (90% margin)
Georgia: $1,393
Where is Ray City and what county is it in?
Ray City is a city in Berrien County, Georgia. It covers 1.1 square miles of land, 834 residents per square mile in 2020.
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Berrien County | 956 | 100.0% |
| Lanier County | land only, no residents | – |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Ray City, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,132 people lived in Ray City on July 1, 2025, up 18.7% since 2020, faster than Georgia (+5.5%). The 2020 Census counted 956 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 852 (±260).
| Measure | Ray City | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 852 ±260 | 18,352 | −375 |
| Households | 303 ±91 | 7,045 | −181 |
| Average household size | 2.81 ±0.48 | 2.58 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 337 ±94 | 8,099 | −242 |
Ray City's population since 2000
From 746 in 2000 to 1,132 in 2025: up 51.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ray City 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 Ray City?
The median resident of Ray City is 35.6 years old; 23.5% are under 18 and 8.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 49.4%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 19.8%.
| Measure | Ray City | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 ±14.3 | 40.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.5% ±7.7 pts | 23.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 8.1% ±4.7 pts | 17.6% | – |
| Male | 46.9% ±5.1 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 19.4% ±12.8 pts | 6.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 49.4% ±13.8 pts | 79.1% | −23.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 19.8% ±14.5 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±4.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 3.3% ±5.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.3% ±4.3 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.1% ±6.8 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 21.2% ±12.9 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 12.1% ±6.0 pts | 8.7% | – |
| With a disability | 13.1% ±6.2 pts | 18.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 23.5% ±8.7 pts | 14.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.5% ±5.5 pts | 83.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.0% ±8.2 pts | 15.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.6% ±5.6 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.1% ±9.2 pts | 92.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.1% ±5.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
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 Ray City earn?
Half of Ray City's 303 households earn less than $56,023 a year (±$16,344), against $52,876 in Berrien County and $77,353 in Georgia. In 2015-2019 it was $47,074 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 18.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ray City | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,023 ±$16,344 | $52,876 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $59,777 ±$11,289 | $71,721 | – |
| Per capita income | $24,148 ±$5,388 | $28,442 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 18.6% ±12.0 pts | 20.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 25.3% ±25.7 pts | 28.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 18.5% ±10.7 pts | 23.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.3% ±1.0 pts | 92.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.2% ±11.4 pts | 82.5% | – |
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 Ray City?
Owners occupy 63.4% of Ray City's occupied homes and renters 36.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $122,800 by its owner (±$20,629). The median renter pays $773 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Ray City | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $122,800 ±$20,629 | $131,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $773 ±$348 | $782 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 24.4% ±24.0 pts | 34.4% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,053 ±$154 | $1,163 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 63.4% ±12.9 pts | 71.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 36.6% ±12.9 pts | 29.0% | – |
| Housing units | 337 ±94 | 8,099 | −242 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±21.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±33.3 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 70.0% ±13.3 pts | 62.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 24.9% ±12.7 pts | 32.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±13.1 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.3% ±5.8 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 13.4% ±8.4 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.6% ±4.8 pts | 3.4% | – |
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 Ray City building?
Builders took permits for 34 new housing units in Ray City in 2025 (34 in single-family houses), 30.0 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 Ray City work and get to work?
81.7% of Ray City's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 22.5 minutes.
| Measure | Ray City | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.2% ±10.9 pts | 56.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% ±5.0 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.7% ±12.2 pts | 75.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.9% ±4.8 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±12.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 3.2% ±4.7 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.7% ±10.3 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.5 min ±3.0 | 24.6 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 Ray City?
No census tract lies mostly in Ray City; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9706Berrien County | 3,180 | $59,063 |
| Tract 9502.02Lanier County | 4,145 | $60,163 |
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 Ray City) · Census block assignment files
How does Ray City compare with other places in Georgia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ray City is the 9,799th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 295th-most populous of 537 in Georgia.
Ray City 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 | 295th | 537 |
Ray City's figures with every place in Georgia (CSV)
Every place in Georgia, sortable · Compare Ray City 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 Ray City?
22 of the 57 figures for Ray City 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 Ray City 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 Ray City.