West Dougherty
RANK #244 / 996 NAT · #3 / 41 GA · POP 85,038
1YR FORECAST: +0.3%
5YR OUTLOOK: +30%
Dougherty County, Georgia, is perhaps best known for Albany, its sole incorporated city, and its significant role in the Civil Rights Movement. Albany, located in southwest Georgia on the Flint River, is about 151 miles south of Atlanta. The community offers a blend of urban and rural, with the city surrounded by agricultural land and quail reserves. The Flint River and its cypress swamps provide opportunities for outdoor recreation like boating, fishing, and hunting, while Radium Springs Gardens, one of Georgia's Seven Natural Wonders, offers clear, 68-degree water flowing from an underground cave. Life in Dougherty County is characterized by a community atmosphere, with many families residing there. The Dougherty County School System serves over 13,000 students across 22 public schools. The local economy, historically rooted in agriculture with crops like cotton, pecans, and peanuts, is seeing growth in advanced manufacturing and renewable energy sectors. Healthcare is also a major employer, anchored by the Phoebe Putney Health System.
Below national median
Prices declining
Below-average climate & terrain
Housing looks undervalued at 2.1x — home prices are low relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Dougherty County Solar PV Park
NextEra Energy Resources
|
$300M | Operating |
|
Solar + Battery Storage Facility
Georgia Power / Dougherty County Energy Storage
|
$175M | Proposed |
|
New Lumber Production Facility
Georgia-Pacific LLC
|
$150M | Operating |
|
Albany/Dougherty County Land Bank Housing Developments
Albany/Dougherty County Land Bank
|
$50M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 75/100, Dougherty County sits in the upper half of all 996 ranked counties. and median household income stands at $45,640 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in GA.
By national standards, Dougherty County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $119,100, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.38 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $898/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Dougherty County is losing population (-2.1% YoY) while the job market is essentially flat (+0.2% employment change). Home values are -5.5% over the past 12 months. A slow-bleed pattern — not a collapse, but residents are leaving faster than employers are hiring.
In significant numbers — 5.17% of Dougherty County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.
Home values fell -5.5% over the past year in Dougherty County, bringing the median down to $119,100. A drop of that magnitude usually reflects weakening demand or population outflow — worth watching if you're considering buying here.