Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Cochran gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $162K for a typical one, or 2.6 years of the county’s $62K median household income. It grades C+ overall, 107th of 258 graded towns in Georgia. The low prices come with trade-offs. The median household income is $33K, and 32% of residents live below the poverty line, and CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 82% of the country. On the plus side, its schools outperform 90% of the state's. 32% of residents live below the poverty line in Cochran, against 15% in Georgia’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Cochran has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Bleckley County Courthouse and Hillcrest.
Where Cochran beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Bleckley County Primary School | PK–2 | 689 |
Bleckley County CourthouseEach subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Georgia), ordered by how far Cochran is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,531 in 1900, 5,026 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 2 maps from 1956 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cochran, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Cochran.
Cochran pairs an A for schools with modest home prices, trades lower home prices for longer drives to work and is shaped by its college students.
Its A for schools comes with a B+ for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $162K.
Its public schools are run by the Bleckley County school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bleckley County Primary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–2 | Grades PK–2 | 689 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within GA on state tests and graduation
| Cochran | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.8% | 2.3% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Homes are within reach (about $162K for the typical one, B+ for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 25 miles. At 2.6 years of the county’s $62K median household income, the typical home (about $162K) costs less against local pay than in 83% of Georgia towns; that ratio is one input to its B+ for cost of living.
The median rent in Cochran is $766 a month. Typical home values rose 7.9% in the year to September 2026.
| Cochran | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $766 a month | $1,160 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 58% | 58% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Against the 989 U.S. towns with household incomes like Cochran’s, it is healthier than 82%, so its C− isn’t only a matter of income. Within Georgia it is less healthy than 62% of the 261 graded towns: much of Georgia scores lower on these measures.
41% of adults feel lonely in Cochran. Cochran beats the Georgia average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 14. 20% of adults report frequent mental distress in Cochran.
| Cochran | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 19% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 22% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 23% | 19% |
| What stands out | Cochran | GA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults without reliable transportation | 13.3% | 9.5% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 24.1% | 17.7% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 12.4% | 9.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 74% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Cochran’s violent crime rate is 3.8 per 1,000 residents. Within Georgia, it does better than 50% of towns.
| Cochran | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.8 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 13.6 per 1,000 residents | 14.7 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Cochran has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 92°, January nights drop to 37° and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Cochran has about as many jobs (1,370) as working residents, but only 234 people both live and work here. Jobs based here fell from 1,967 in 2013 to 1,370.
Most working residents leave Cochran for work: only 16% work in town. Since 2013, Cochran has lost 597 jobs, to 1,370 in 2023. The top destinations are Macon-Bibb County (7%), Warner Robins (6%) and Eastman (4%).
| Cochran | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $33,000 | $63,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 16% | 9% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
None within 15 miles of Cochran; the nearest are
College town 21 of every 100 Cochran residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Georgia.
3 places in Cochran on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Cochran.
City in Georgia, United States
Cochran is a city in Bleckley County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 5,026. The city is the county seat of Bleckley County. Cochran is named for Judge Arthur E. Cochran and was incorporated on March 19, 1869. Judge Cochran was largely instrumental in developing this section of Georgia through his work as president of the Macon and Brunswick Railroad, now the Southern Railway (a component of Norfolk Southern Railway). Once known as Dykesboro, Cochran was settled by B. B. Dykes, who owned the land on which the town is built. The earliest settlers located here to work in the turpentine industry. Cochran is home to Bleckley County High School and Mid…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Cochran grades C+ overall, better than 37% of U.S. towns and #107 of 258 in Georgia. It grades C− for health, C for safety and A for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Within Georgia, it does better than 50% of towns.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
4 notable people were born here, including Blowfly and Mosie Lister.
