RANK #639 / 1001 NAT · #19 / 41 GA · POP 68,892
1YR FORECAST: -1.6%
5YR OUTLOOK: +26%
Spalding County, Georgia, located about 40 miles south of Atlanta, is often recognized for its county seat, Griffin, a city with a rich history dating back to its founding in 1840. Griffin was established around the Macon and Western Railroad, which significantly contributed to its early growth. The county offers a blend of small-town character and access to natural beauty, with numerous parks and outdoor recreation opportunities like fishing at Dundee Lake Park, mountain biking at Quarry's Edge Park, and trails at Wyomia Tyus Olympic Park. Commuting to Atlanta is an option, and the county is part of the Georgia Commute Options program, which assists with alternative transportation.
Life in Spalding County offers a community feel, with many families residing there. The Griffin-Spalding County School System serves nearly 10,000 students across its elementary, middle, and high schools. The local economy, historically rooted in agriculture and textile manufacturing, has seen recent diversification. The area has attracted new residents due to its proximity to Atlanta and the presence of regional facilities like Southern Crescent Technical College. Economic development efforts have focused on attracting various industries, including those in the data center sector, leveraging the county's infrastructure and workforce.
Spalding County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices -2.1% YoY, population +1.0%, wages +3.7%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Below-average climate & terrain
Below national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 12.9x — home prices are high 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.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
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 →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Wallace Jackson Data Center Campus
Wallace Jackson LLC
|
$3,900M | Approved |
|
Project Spalding Data Center
Montana Property Group LLC
|
$1,800M | Planned |
|
Spalding County Data Center Campus
Spalding Investments LLC
|
$1,500M | Planned |
|
Industrial Development (Georgia 16 & S McDonough Rd)
585 Spalding Investments, LLC
|
$50M | Approved |
|
Caterpillar Generator Facility (Green Valley Industrial Park)
Caterpillar, Inc.
|
$50M | Operating |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
At 36/100, Spalding County faces headwinds that place it in the lower third of the 1001 counties we track. Median income of $62,071 combined with job growth of +0.3% suggests the local economy is struggling to keep pace with national trends.
Housing in Spalding County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $228,700 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.27, with rents averaging $1,113/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Spalding County's population is growing — up +1.0% YoY — while the job market is roughly flat (employment change of +0.3%). Home values shifted -2.1% over the past year. In-migration is outpacing local hiring, which often points to remote workers or retirees driving the headcount.
In significant numbers — 5.51% of Spalding 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.