Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A typical home costs 2 years of the county’s $47K median household income.
The best of Edison’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for incomes. 41% of residents live below the poverty line in Edison, where Georgia’s towns sit at 15% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Only 4 of Georgia’s 371 towns score higher on cost of living. Residents are less healthy than 97% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Edison Commercial Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Edison's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 86% of U.S. towns. Edison has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Edison beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Edison Commercial Historic District1,531 counted in 2010 and 1,230 in 2020; an estimated 1,145 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Georgia), ordered by how far Edison is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 841 in 1910, 1,230 in 2020. The archive holds 30 old photos and papers going back to 2014 and 2 maps from 1973 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Edison, 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 Edison.
At $418 a month, Edison’s median rent is below both Georgia’s towns ($1,154 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 43% of Edison households own their home. The typical Edison home is worth about $95,000, down 1% in a year, 71% below the Georgia typical home.
| Edison | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 43% | 58% | 73% |
| Median rent | $418 a month | $1,154 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Pataula Charter Academy, with 578 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 207 | D− |
| Pataula Charter AcademyLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 578 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within GA on state tests and graduation
21% of adults have diabetes in Edison. Edison beats the Georgia average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 21. 40% of adults get no exercise outside work in Edison.
| Edison | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 14% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 29% | 25% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 9.9% | 14% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 50% | 38% | 35% |
| What stands out | Edison | GA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 9.9% | 14.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.2% | 77.4% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 33.2% | 17.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Edison’s median household income is $29,000. Most working residents leave Edison for work: only 7% work in town. Edison’s average trip to work is 19 minutes.
| Edison | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $29,000 | $63,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Edison has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Edison is 91°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 62% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Edison's reported crime rate is close to Georgia's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2022.
| Edison | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 1.6 per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 1.9 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 20.2 per 1,000 residents | 21.8 | 14.1 |
FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to police
1 within 15 miles of the center of Edison
About 3 of every 100 Edison residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Georgia.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
5 notable people were born in Edison.
City in Georgia, United States
Edison is a city in Calhoun County, Georgia, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 1,230. The Edison Commercial Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
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 A+.
5 notable people were born here, including Corliss Palmer and Rodney Dent.
