City · Sumter County, Georgia

Americus, Georgia

Americus is a city in Sumter County, Georgia, part of the Americus, GA metro area. It has 15,813 residents. Americus, Georgia has a quality-of-life score of 4 out of 100 (very low), ranking #15,084 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Georgia it ranks #318 of 386 cities and towns. It ranks best on average commute time (low), depression (low) and drinking water violations (low). It ranks worst on math scores (low), reading scores (low) and homicide rate (high).

4Very low

Quality-of-life score: #15,084 of 15,651 cities and towns
Georgia: #318 of 386 in GA
Population: 15,813 (2020-2024)
Land area: 11 mi²
Density: 1,393.3 /mi²
FIPS code: 1302116

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 76 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety4#14,969/15,637
Economy7#14,558/15,631
Housing35#9,703/14,977
Health12#13,729/15,609
Healthcare11#13,974/15,650
Environment51#7,642/15,453
Education11#13,909/15,649
Infrastructure13#13,681/15,650
Community9#14,255/15,651
Leisure & amenities30#10,981/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Americus, Georgia ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Sumter County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Average commute time · low17.3 min
88/100Georgia 28.3 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
Depression · low19.1%
87/100Georgia 19.3%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Drinking water violations · low0
86/100Georgia 0United States 02024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteSumter County value
Days with unhealthy air · low0.0%
84/1002024U.S. Environmental Protection AgencySumter County value
Comfortable days · high30.9%
82/100Georgia 31.5%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationSumter County value
Social associations · high12.8 /10k
81/100Georgia 8.8 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteSumter County value

Weaknesses

Math scores · low2.15
0/100Georgia 2.92United States 3.032019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteSumter County value
Reading scores · low2.29
0/100Georgia 2.97United States 3.052019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteSumter County value
Homicide rate · high19.1 /100k
1/100Georgia 7.4 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100k2024Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimateSumter County value
Child poverty rate · high48.1%
2/100Georgia 16.9%United States 15.5%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Poverty rate · high32.7%
2/100Georgia 12.8%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Dental care shortage · high19.0
3/100Georgia 5.9United States 5.7Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationSumter County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

New homes permittedImproving
0.1 /1k (2021) → 0.8 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+513%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
65.5% (2015-2019) → 87.8% (2020-2024)
+22 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Child poverty rateWorsening
39.5% (2015-2019) → 48.1% (2020-2024)
+8.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Unemployment rateImproving
12.2% (2015-2019) → 5.4% (2020-2024)
−6.8 pts5 yearsCensus table B23025US 3.7% → 4.0%
Uninsured residents (under 65)Worsening
13.9% (2015-2019) → 18.7% (2020-2024)
+4.9 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
55.7% (2015-2019) → 51.0% (2020-2024)
−4.7 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Americus, Georgia improved on 3 of 15 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 11 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved3

Unemployment−6.8 points12.2% → 5.4%
Broadband+22 points65.5% → 87.8%
Household income+17%$33,347 → $39,176

Declined1

Uninsured+4.9 points13.9% → 18.7%

All 15 measures

Change of every measure of Americus, Georgia between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	17.3 min2015-2019	17.3 min2020-2024	+0.1 min	Within the margin of error	46%
Bachelor's degree or higher	18.2%2015-2019	21.9%2020-2024	+3.7 points	Within the margin of error	58%
Broadband subscriptions	65.5%2015-2019	87.8%2020-2024	+22 points	Improved	93%
Child poverty rate	39.5%2015-2019	48.1%2020-2024	+8.6 points	Within the margin of error	14%
Effective property tax rate	1.09%2015-2019	1.32%2020-2024	+0.2 points	Within the margin of error	2%
High school diploma or higher	81.6%2015-2019	84.3%2020-2024	+2.7 points	Within the margin of error	66%
Home price to income ratio	2.6×2015-2019	2.7×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	71%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4672015-2019	0.4422020-2024	−0.025	Within the margin of error	71%
Median household income	$33,3472015-2019	$39,1762020-2024	+17%	Improved	28%
Poverty rate	30.3%2015-2019	32.7%2020-2024	+2.4 points	Within the margin of error	23%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	32.2%2015-2019	30.3%2020-2024	−1.9 points	Within the margin of error	69%
Rent-burdened households	55.7%2015-2019	51.0%2020-2024	−4.7 points	Within the margin of error	71%
Unemployment rate	12.2%2015-2019	5.4%2020-2024	−6.8 points	Improved	98%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	13.9%2015-2019	18.7%2020-2024	+4.9 points	Declined	11%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Americus, Georgia five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Americus, Georgia in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Americus, Georgia itself moved +6.4 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

15,813 residents (±26)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

6,106 households (±321)

Americus, Georgia
Georgia share

Under $25k27%1,669
$25k–50k39%2,383
$50k–75k16%996

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

6,106 households (±321)

Americus, Georgia
Georgia share

Own36%2,214
Rent64%3,892

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

6,648 workers (±597)

Americus, Georgia
Georgia share

Drive alone70%4,662
Carpool11%†741
Public transit0.0%0

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Americus, GA

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Sumter County, the county holding most of Americus's residents.

Sumter County has 624 employer establishments, 215 for every 10,000 residents (0.87× the US rate of 248; 0.91× Georgia's), with 8,665 paid employees at an average annual pay of $42,147. The Census Bureau also counts 2,429 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 624; 2,429 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 215; US 248 · Georgia 236
Paid employees: 8,665
Average annual pay: $42,147; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Sumter County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	48	16.5	0.79×Fewer than typical	430	$51,509	136
Restaurants and other eating places	45	15.5	0.84×About typical	759	$16,800	18
Religious organizations	34	11.7	2.11×More than typical	173	$17,497	—
Limited-service restaurants	27	9.3	1.16×About typical	596	$16,240	5
Gasoline stations	24	8.3	2.55×More than typical	145	$22,676	3
Specialty trade contractors	23	7.9	0.51×Fewer than typical	180	$47,539	146
Automotive repair and maintenance	21	7.2	1.44×More than typical	96	$32,427	42
Grocery and convenience stores	21	7.2	2.44×More than typical	171	$26,392	5
Lessors of real estate	19	6.5	0.53×Fewer than typical	35	$28,686	137
Full-service restaurants	15	5.2	0.67×Fewer than typical	155	$19,206	9
Offices of physicians	14	4.8	0.75×Fewer than typical	109	$64,780	11
Truck transportation	14	4.8	0.95×About typical	98	$54,439	106

Rank places for an industry Open Sumter County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 29,015 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $3,252 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Americus, Georgia: $0.21 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $3,252; −15% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0.21; US $1,994
Sole-source: 61%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of State$1,97061%
Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services$1,28239%

Top recipients

OLD BISCAYNE DESIGNS, INC$1,97061%
KINGLINE EQUIPMENT, INC.$1,15536%
GLOBAL SOLUTIONS AMERICAS LLC$2999.2%
CHOSEN FIRST CLEANING SERVICE L.L.C.-$1710.0%

Spending by fiscal year

22.8KFY2017
23.4KFY2018
16.7KFY2019
28.2KFY2020
27.6KFY2021
21.6KFY2022
32.4KFY2023
7.3KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Household and institutional furniture and kitchen cabinet manufacturing · 3371$1,19737%
Agriculture, construction, and mining machinery manufacturing · 3331$1,15536%
Office furniture (including fixtures) manufacturing · 3372$77224%
Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617$1283.9%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Americus, Georgia, so they do not add up across cities.

Americus, Georgia's figures are part of those of Sumter County, GA ($240.9K in FY2026), never added to them: 1.3% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Americus is mostly in Sumter County.

See federal money in Sumter County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Americus, Georgia is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.D-GA-2 · 100% of residentsWith party 93%Missed 1.9%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Sumter County9100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Americus, GA4

Other cities and towns in Sumter County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/1302116

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends