The Town FilesJonesboro, Georgia
City in Clayton County · population 4,235 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $188,300
- Household income
- $50,843
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 32.3
Jonesboro is a city of 4,235 people in Clayton County, Georgia. The median home is worth $188,300, below the typical Georgia town ($202,650). It ranks more walkable than 92% of Georgia towns, more vibrant than 92% of Georgia towns, better transit than 91% of Georgia towns.
How Jonesboro 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 Jonesboro is worth $188,300, below the typical Georgia town ($202,650). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $50,843, which is more affordable than 39% of Georgia towns. Median rent is $1,068 a month. 47.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Jonesboro | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $188,300 | $202,650 |
| Median rent | $1,068 | $1,000 |
| Median household income | $50,843 | $57,176 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 47.2% | 60.5% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Jonesboro
| People | Jonesboro | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.4% | 15.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.3% | 19.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 35.3% | 16.2% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.8% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 34.6 min | 26.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 72.3% | 88.0% |
Weather in Jonesboro
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 32.3°F. About 52.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.8 inches of snow (typical Georgia town: 0.4 in). Expect about 59 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 49 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jonesboro since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical Georgia town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on December 24, 1964 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 31, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 97 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 25, 1988.
Severe weather in Clayton County since 1996
Clayton County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 9, 2026 | Tropical Storm | EM-3657: Hurricane Isaias |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3642: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 Clayton County
Clayton County had 130,345 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,005 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Jonesboro itself the ACS puts it at 10.8%.
Public schools in Jonesboro
22 public schools with 16,564 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mundy's Mill High School | 9-12 | 1,618 | 18.2 |
| Jonesboro High School | 9-12 | 1,488 | 17.7 |
| Mount Zion High School | 9-12 | 1,174 | 17.0 |
| Perry Career Academy - Eula Wilburn Ponds Perry Center for | 6-12 | 1,064 | 17.4 |
| Jonesboro Middle School | 6-8 | 868 | 14.0 |
| M. D. Roberts Middle School | 6-8 | 834 | 14.1 |
| Elite Scholars Academy School | 6-12 | 726 | 18.6 |
| Pointe South Middle School | 6-8 | 718 | 13.8 |
| Callaway Elementary School | PK-5 | 679 | 13.9 |
| Brown Elementary School | PK-5 | 671 | 14.9 |
| Mundys Mill Middle School | 6-8 | 660 | 13.8 |
| James Jackson Elementary School | PK-5 | 652 | 13.3 |
Towns near Jonesboro
- Irondale, GA2.7 mi · 8,740 people · home $204,500
- Morrow, GA4.1 mi · 6,569 people · home $224,700
- Bonanza, GA4.4 mi · 4,406 people · home $204,200
- Riverdale, GA4.4 mi · 15,129 people · home $178,800
- Lovejoy, GA5.7 mi · 10,122 people · home $265,100
- Lake City, GA6.0 mi · 2,952 people · home $192,500
- Forest Park, GA6.9 mi · 19,932 people · home $143,400
- Stockbridge, GA7.0 mi · 28,973 people · home $276,700
Jonesboro questions
Is Jonesboro, Georgia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jonesboro scores better for retirees than 5% of Georgia towns and quieter than 24%. 8.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.3).
How much does a house cost in Jonesboro?
The median owner-occupied home in Jonesboro is valued at $188,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,843, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,068 a month.
What is the weather like in Jonesboro?
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 32.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.8 inches of snow.
Does Jonesboro get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jonesboro since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on December 24, 1964. 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)