Photo: Tamparitus · CC BY-SA 4.0Ellijay spent more per resident in 2022 than 76% of similar cities
Ellijay’s city government spent $1.9 million on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,103 per resident.
What stands out about how Ellijay is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
$1,103 per resident in 2022: more than 76% of them
Ellijay’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,103 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 243 Georgia cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $696, and the middle half spent $428–$1,060. Ellijay spent more than 76% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Georgia cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Ellijay itself left out).
About $1,103 per resident a year, or $3.02 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 36%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Ellijay reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,159 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.33% of the home’s value, vs 0.77% across Georgia.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Ellijay’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Ellijay’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Ellijay →
Who’s in charge in Ellijay
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Ellijay’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The city posts agendas and minutes on ellijay-ga.gov ↗.
One full-time city employee for every 82 residents
On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (1,724).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Gilmer County School District
Ellijay’s K–12 school district, shared with East Ellijay. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,973 per pupil, $8,746 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Georgia districts overall: 49% local, 39% state, 12% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Ellijay’s votes are counted by county
Georgia reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Ellijay alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Gilmer County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican81.0%14,976 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat18.5%3,413 votesOthers: 0.5% (92 votes).
Most votes in Gilmer County: Donald J Trump
Georgia: Trump 50.7%, Harris 48.5%
100% of Ellijay lies in Gilmer County. Every 2024 race in Gilmer County is on the county’s page.
Gilmer County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Ellijay.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: ellijay-ga.gov ↗
- 2Georgia HouseState representatives
- 3Georgia SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Georgia
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Ellijay compares with the towns next door
Ellijay spent $1,103 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $3,100. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| East Ellijay | $3,100 | $800 |
| Ellijay | $1,103 | $1,159 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Ellijay’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Ellijay’s government
How much does Ellijay spend per resident?
About $1,103 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,103 was more than 76% of 243 Georgia cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Ellijay?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,159 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.33% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.77% across Georgia. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see ellijay-ga.gov.
Who runs Ellijay’s government?
See ellijay-ga.gov for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Ellijay yet.
How did Ellijay vote in 2024?
Georgia counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Ellijay alone. Gilmer County, where 100% of Ellijay lies, voted Trump 81.0%, Harris 18.5% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Ellijay?
21 full-time and 6 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $85,316 (about $1.0M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Ellijay in the state legislature?
State Senate District 51 (Steve Gooch) and State House District 7 (Johnny Chastain). The House district also covers four other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Ellijay’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →