The Town FilesBarnesville, Georgia
City in Lamar County · population 6,292 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $176,500
- Household income
- $57,411
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 31.1
Barnesville is a city of 6,292 people in Lamar County, Georgia. The median home is worth $176,500, below the typical Georgia town ($202,650). It ranks more of a college town than 97% of Georgia towns, better for cycling than 88% of Georgia towns, hipper than 80% of Georgia towns.
How Barnesville ranks
Percentile among Georgia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Georgia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Barnesville is worth $176,500, below the typical Georgia town ($202,650). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $57,411, which is more affordable than 60% of Georgia towns. Median rent is $846 a month. 49.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Barnesville | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $176,500 | $202,650 |
| Median rent | $846 | $1,000 |
| Median household income | $57,411 | $57,176 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 49.4% | 60.5% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Barnesville
| People | Barnesville | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.1 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.8% | 15.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.9% | 19.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.0% | 16.2% |
| Veterans | 8.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 2.2% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 26.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.1% | 88.0% |
Weather in Barnesville
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 33.4°F. About 50.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.3 inches of snow (typical Georgia town: 0.4 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 50 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Barnesville since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical Georgia town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on April 13, 2020 about 6.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 25 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 13, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 25, 1988.
Severe weather in Lamar County since 1996
Lamar County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3642: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 30, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4830: Hurricane Helene |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616: Hurricane Helene |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4501: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3464: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Lamar County
Lamar County had 4,461 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,573 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Barnesville itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in Barnesville
4 public schools with 2,897 students, about 16.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar County High School | 9-12 | 826 | 16.2 |
| Lamar County Primary School | PK-2 | 821 | 16.8 |
| Lamar County Middle School | 6-8 | 651 | 16.7 |
| Lamar County Elementary School | 3-5 | 599 | 16.2 |
Towns near Barnesville
- Forsyth, GA12.5 mi · 4,384 people · home $274,400
- Hannahs Mill, GA13.5 mi · 3,121 people · home $154,600
- Thomaston, GA14.9 mi · 9,816 people · home $211,000
- Griffin, GA15.2 mi · 23,478 people · home $220,900
- Experiment, GA17.9 mi · 3,328 people · home $137,500
- Jackson, GA19.8 mi · 5,557 people · home $168,400
- Heron Bay, GA20.2 mi · 4,679 people · home $393,000
- Locust Grove, GA20.2 mi · 8,947 people · home $307,300
Barnesville questions
Is Barnesville, Georgia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Barnesville scores better for retirees than 74% of Georgia towns and quieter than 35%. 12.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.1).
How much does a house cost in Barnesville?
The median owner-occupied home in Barnesville is valued at $176,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,411, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $846 a month.
What is the weather like in Barnesville?
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 33.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.3 inches of snow.
Does Barnesville get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Barnesville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on April 13, 2020. The typical Georgia town has had 17.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)