City profile · Georgia · Census ACS 2023

St. Marys, GA

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

18,805
Residents
$67,271
Median income
$259,300
Median home
$1,225
Median rent (state)

St. Marys - the verdict

St. Marys ranks in the 46th percentile for household income and the 48th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

46th
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
39th
percentile, median rent
48th
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: St. Marys, GA

St. Marys is a small town in Georgia, home to 18,805 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. St. Marys households earn a median of $67,271 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 19.7%. Typical homes in St. Marys are valued around $259,300, and the median resident age is 33.6 years. 27.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 48.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 165 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 30% from five years earlier. St. Marys reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1428.4 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not 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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,225 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Georgia, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 54.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

18,805 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Georgia

Median Household Income

$67,271 /yr

Poverty 19.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Georgia average

How does St. Marys compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 46% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 39% pricier than other cities
Safety 48% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Georgia and the picture shifts: St. Marys ranks #65 of 165 Georgia cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below St. Marys's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Georgia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

46thIncome percentile
48thSafety percentile

46th percentile nationally for median household income · 48th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

St. Marys's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

St. Marys'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 49 Avg. percentile National median
St. Marys'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 St. Marys's home value compares nationally

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

$259,300 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% 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%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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. St. Marys $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 - St. Marys, GA St. Marys, GA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not St. Marys, 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 St. Marys, GA median $67,271/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%
St. Marys, 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 St. Marys, GA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.7%

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

Population
18,805
Median Income
$67,271
Median Home Value
$259,300
Median Age
33.6
Poverty Rate
19.7%
Labor force participation
48.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1428.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
291.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1136.7
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 →
18,000 residents19,000 residents20,000 residents21,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 18,521 residents 20,546 residents ▲ +10.9%
St. Marys's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
165
housing units authorized
Single-Family
141
detached homes
Multifamily
24
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 127
2020 97
2021 233
2022 237
2023 323
2024 165

Permit volume increased 30% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.1%
Carpool
9.5%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
12.0%
Other
1.6%

Based on 7,689 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 St. Marys sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,225/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
54.5 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Georgia

Winder
18,847 people
Thomasville
18,720 people
Kingsland
19,101 people
North Decatur
18,460 people
Fayetteville
19,364 people
North Druid Hills
18,172 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to St. Marys's 18,805 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Brownwood, TX
18,805 people
Martinsburg, WV
18,805 people
Winthrop, MA
18,807 people
Cimarron Hills, CO
18,808 people
Weirton, WV
18,785 people
Gibsonton, FL
18,831 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to St. Marys's $67,271 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Boone, IA
$67,269 median income
McVeytown, PA
$67,273 median income
Silkworth, PA
$67,273 median income
Lakewood Club, MI
$67,277 median income
Monroe, NC
$67,265 median income
Lake Buckhorn, OH
$67,279 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - St. Marys, 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 St. Marys, GA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 72.9% 15.5% 8.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.4% White 72.9% Black or African American 15.5% Asian 1.6% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 8.2% 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 St. Marys 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
St. Marys (this city) 18,805 $67,271
Winder 18,847 $59,944
Thomasville 18,720 $48,464
Kingsland 19,101 $80,395
Census ACS 5-year FIPS GA FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about St. Marys, GA?

What is the population of St. Marys, GA? +

St. Marys, GA counts 18,805 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in St. Marys, GA? +

The median household income in St. Marys is $67,271 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in St. Marys? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for St. Marys; 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 St. Marys, GA safe? +

St. Marys has a total crime rate of 1428.4 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 St. Marys, GA? +

St. Marys's median home value sits at $259,300, 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.