Talbot County

Georgia · GA

#84 in Georgia
67.4
County Score

County Report Card

About Talbot County, Georgia

Notably Above U.S. Median

Talbot County's composite score of 67.7 places it 35 percentile points above the national median of 50.0. This county ranks among the more livable places in the United States overall.

Holding Steady in Georgia

Talbot County scores 67.7 compared to Georgia's state average of 70.9, placing it slightly below the middle tier of the state's counties. It ranks as a solid performer within Georgia's broader county landscape.

Low Taxes and Fair Housing Costs

Talbot's tax score of 71.7 reflects an effective tax rate of just 1.088%, among the lowest in the region. A cost score of 78.5 and median home values of $127,200 keep housing accessible for working families.

Modest Incomes, Limited Data

The income score of 12.8 indicates below-average median household income of $45,098, which constrains economic opportunity. Safety, health, education, and environmental data remain unavailable, preventing a complete livability picture.

A Tax-Friendly County for Pragmatists

Talbot County appeals to people seeking minimal tax burden and affordable housing in a rural Georgia setting. This is ideal for those comfortable with modest incomes and prioritizing financial efficiency over advancement.

Score breakdown

5 dimensions have live data. 3 more coming as vertical sites launch.

Tax71.7Cost78.5SafetyComing SoonHealth56.7SchoolsComing SoonIncome12.8Risk97.2WaterComing Soon
🏛71.7
Property Tax
Effective property tax rate vs national benchmarks
TaxByCounty
🏠78.5
Cost of Living
Median rent, home values, and housing affordability
CostByCounty
💼12.8
Income & Jobs
Median household income and per capita earnings
IncomeByCounty
🛡Coming Soon
Safety
Violent and property crime rates per 100K residents
56.7
Health
Life expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access
HealthByCounty
🎓Coming Soon
Schools
Graduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment
97.2
Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more
RiskByCounty
💧Coming Soon
Water Quality
EPA drinking water health violations and safety grades

Deep Dives

Talbot County across the ByCounty Network

Detailed analysis from 5 data dimensions — each powered by a dedicated ByCounty site.

Property Tax in Talbot County

via TaxByCounty

Talbot's rate exceeds national norm

Talbot County's effective tax rate of 1.088% surpasses the national median of 0.898% by roughly 21%, placing it in the upper half of U.S. counties. The median annual tax bill here is $1,384 on a $127,200 home, well below the national median home value of $281,900.

Middle-of-pack in Georgia rankings

Talbot County's 1.088% effective rate ranks mid-tier among Georgia's 159 counties—above the state average of 0.898% by about 21%. This places Talbot residents in the higher tax tier, though not as steeply burdened as top counties.

Moderate burden in the region

Talbot's 1.088% rate sits comfortably between Tattnall County (1.018%) and Sumter County (1.321%), making it a middle ground in the eight-county comparison. It's notably lower than Taliaferro (1.254%) and higher than Taylor County (0.897%).

What a $127,200 home costs

A median-valued home in Talbot County generates an annual property tax bill of roughly $1,384. With a mortgage, that bill reaches $1,994; without mortgage benefits, it dips to $962.

Know your assessment value

Talbot homeowners should verify their properties are assessed fairly relative to market value and neighbors' assessments. An appeal can be straightforward and cost-effective if you have evidence of overvaluation.

Cost of Living in Talbot County

via CostByCounty

Talbot's housing burden tops nation

Talbot County renters spend 25.3% of income on housing, among the most strained in the country compared to the 18.6% national benchmark. With a median household income of $45,098 against a national average of $74,755, Talbot residents carry outsized housing costs on smaller paychecks.

Talbot ranks near Georgia's bottom

At 25.3%, Talbot's rent-to-income ratio is one of the worst in Georgia, sitting 6.7 percentage points above the state average of 18.6%. The county's $950 median rent exceeds even Georgia's state average, intensifying affordability challenges for local renters.

Talbot's high rents in context

Talbot renters face the highest median rent ($950) among its peer counties, yet earn less than neighbors like Thomas County ($60,140 vs. $45,098). Only Sumter County approaches Talbot's rent burden at 24.3%, making Talbot a regional affordability outlier.

Talbot's housing cost reality

Renters spend $950 monthly while owners pay $837, consuming 25.3% and 22.3% of income respectively—leaving limited funds for food, healthcare, and transportation. The median home value of $127,200 requires stronger income stability than most Talbot households currently possess.

Talbot: think twice before relocating

Talbot County's combination of high rents and modest incomes makes it a challenging relocation choice unless a job offer includes significant salary premium. Prospective residents should explore neighboring counties like Telfair or Tattnall, where housing consumes less of household earnings.

Income & Jobs in Talbot County

via IncomeByCounty

Talbot lags but closing the gap

Talbot County's median household income of $45,098 is 40% below the U.S. median of $74,755, placing it among lower-income counties nationally. Despite this gap, Talbot earns about $3,200 more than neighboring Sumter County, signaling slight economic advantage within the rural Georgia region.

Talbot ranks low among Georgia counties

Talbot's median household income of $45,098 falls $15,390 short of Georgia's county average of $60,488. The county ranks in the lower third of Georgia's 159 counties by household income, reflecting rural economic patterns across the state's interior regions.

Regional income consistency holds

Talbot's $45,098 income sits between Sumter County ($41,877) and Taliaferro County ($48,036), reflecting a cluster of similarly-positioned rural counties. This income range of $41,000 to $48,000 characterizes much of southwest Georgia's economic landscape.

Housing costs strain family budgets

Talbot's rent-to-income ratio of 25.3% indicates families spend roughly a quarter of earnings on rent, approaching the 30% affordability limit. With a median home value of $127,200, homeownership remains within reach for many households, though rental availability pressures persist.

Modest income, powerful investing habits

Talbot households at $45,098 can build wealth by automating even small monthly investments into diversified accounts, starting with employer matches if available. Financial literacy and compound growth strategies work regardless of starting income—consistent saving beats market timing for long-term prosperity.

Health in Talbot County

via HealthByCounty

Talbot slightly ahead on life expectancy

At 73.4 years, Talbot County exceeds the U.S. average of 76.4 years by a narrower margin than many rural Georgia counties. Still, one in four residents (25.5%) report poor or fair health, indicating underlying health vulnerabilities.

Matches Georgia's health trajectory

Talbot's 73.4-year life expectancy edges slightly above Georgia's 73.3-year average. The county's 14.2% uninsured rate is marginally better than the state's 15.0%, showing relatively stable health insurance coverage.

Mental health access severely limited

Talbot offers just 18 mental health providers per 100,000 residents—far below Sumter County's 291 per 100K. With only 35 primary care providers per 100K, Talbot residents face notable gaps in both mental and physical healthcare access.

Provider shortages shape healthcare reality

Talbot's 14.2% uninsured rate means roughly one in seven residents lacks health coverage. The scarcity of mental health providers (18 per 100K) is particularly acute, making it difficult for those insured to access behavioral health services.

Don't navigate coverage gaps alone

Talbot County residents seeking health insurance should visit healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596 for enrollment support. Community health centers and Georgia's Medicaid program may offer affordable options for mental and primary care.

Disaster Risk in Talbot County

via RiskByCounty

Talbot ranks among America's safest counties

Talbot County's composite risk score of 2.86 places it in the Very Low category, far below Georgia's state average of 39.49 and well below the national median. This west-central Georgia county enjoys some of the lowest natural disaster exposure in the United States.

Georgia's third-lowest disaster risk county

Among 159 Georgia counties, Talbot ranks near the very bottom for overall natural hazard exposure, with a composite score 93% lower than the state average. Only a handful of Georgia counties maintain risk levels this low.

Talbot's safety stands out in the region

Talbot's 2.86 score makes it dramatically safer than neighboring Sumter County (53.18) and far lower than Terrell County (16.54) and Telfair County (23.54). The county occupies a notably protective geographic position within Georgia's hazard landscape.

Wildfire poses the main local concern

Wildfire risk reaches 40.46 in Talbot—the highest individual hazard score—though still well below state norms for this threat. All other hazards, including tornado (26.65), earthquake (27.29), flood (9.76), and hurricane (53.57), remain substantially lower than regional and state averages.

Standard coverage suits low-risk Talbot

Standard homeowners insurance is typically sufficient for Talbot County residents given the minimal disaster exposure across most hazard types. A basic policy protecting against fire, wind, and liability provides adequate coverage for this exceptionally safe county.

ByCounty Network

Data from U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS — informational only.