City profile · Georgia · Census ACS 2023

Thunderbolt, GA

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

2,552
Residents
$69,191
Median income
$303,500
Median home
$1,680
Median rent (state)

Thunderbolt - the verdict

Thunderbolt ranks in the 48th percentile for household income and the 85th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

48th
percentile, household income
66th
percentile, home value
66th
percentile, median rent
85th
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: Thunderbolt, GA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 2,552 residents in Thunderbolt, a small town within Georgia. Thunderbolt households earn a median of $69,191 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 13.3%. Typical homes in Thunderbolt are valued around $303,500, and the median resident age is 45.6 years. 42.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 60.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 3 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Slowing), down 25% from five years earlier. Thunderbolt reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 512.8 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: the state registers 96.3 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,680 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Georgia's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 97.4 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

2,552 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Georgia

Median Household Income

$69,191 /yr

Poverty 13.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Georgia average

How does Thunderbolt compare to other US cities?

Where Thunderbolt sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 48% higher than other cities
Home value 66% pricier than other cities
Median rent 66% pricier than other cities
Safety 85% 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, Thunderbolt ranks #22 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 Thunderbolt against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Georgia only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Georgia-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Thunderbolt toward the top of Georgia's cities

Among the 638 Georgia cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Thunderbolt ranks #74 - the 88th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Thunderbolt only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#191 of 610
69th percentile in Georgia
Median Gross Rent
#156 of 638
72nd percentile in Georgia
Median Home Value
#89 of 577
85th percentile in Georgia
Poverty Rate
#285 of 637
55th percentile in Georgia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#74 of 638
88th 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.

48thIncome percentile
85thSafety percentile

48th percentile nationally for median household income · 85th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Thunderbolt's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Thunderbolt'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 56 Avg. percentile National median
Thunderbolt'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 Thunderbolt's home value compares nationally

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

$303,500 34th percentile more affordable than 34% 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%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Thunderbolt $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 - Thunderbolt, GA Thunderbolt, GA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Thunderbolt, 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 Thunderbolt, GA median $69,191/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%
Thunderbolt, 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 Thunderbolt, GA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 42.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.0%

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

Population
2,552
Median Income
$69,191
Median Home Value
$303,500
Median Age
45.6
Poverty Rate
13.3%
Labor force participation
60.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
42.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
512.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
0.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
512.8
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 →
2,520 residents2,530 residents2,540 residents2,550 residents2,560 residents2,570 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,554 residents 2,534 residents ▼ -0.8%
Thunderbolt's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 0
2021 9
2022 4
2023 5
2024 3

Permit volume decreased 25% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.2%
Carpool
6.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
18.4%

Based on 1,280 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 Thunderbolt sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,680/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.4 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Georgia

Reidsville
2,541 people
Guyton
2,574 people
Henderson
2,591 people
Lavonia
2,508 people
Lithonia
2,614 people
Berkeley Lake
2,615 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Thunderbolt's 2,552 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Butler, AL
2,552 people
Madison, ME
2,552 people
Lawson Heights, PA
2,552 people
Chewelah, WA
2,552 people
Rockville, IN
2,551 people
Conrad, MT
2,553 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Thunderbolt's $69,191 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Rosston, AR
$69,191 median income
Ellenton, FL
$69,191 median income
Montpelier, IA
$69,186 median income
Pembroke, KY
$69,196 median income
Legend Lake, WI
$69,178 median income
Hereford, PA
$69,205 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Thunderbolt, 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 Thunderbolt, GA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 61.9% 32.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.8% White 61.9% Black or African American 32.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 2.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 2.1% 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 Thunderbolt 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
Thunderbolt (this city) 2,552 $69,191
Reidsville 2,541 $45,788
Guyton 2,574 $71,115
Henderson 2,591 $72,347
Census ACS 5-year FIPS GA FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Thunderbolt, GA?

What is the population of Thunderbolt, GA? +

Thunderbolt, GA counts 2,552 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Thunderbolt, GA? +

Median annual household income in Thunderbolt runs $69,191, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Thunderbolt? +

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

Thunderbolt has a total crime rate of 512.8 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 Thunderbolt, GA? +

A typical home in Thunderbolt is worth $303,500, 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.