Lake City, Georgia municipal hall, 2015
Lake City’s story
66 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,042 in 1960, 2,952 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2015 and 5 maps from 1954 on.
- 1960Lake City is settled
Lake CityGA
A town of 2,866, settled in 1960. A regional job hub with 2,274 jobs.
Population
2,866
2025 Census estimate · −3.2% since 2020
Typical home
$201K
−4% in a year
Household income
$54K
median
Median age
45.5
years
Jobs based here
2,274
A job hub
TownGrade
C
#118 of 258 in GA
Is Lake City a good place to live?
Lake City gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $201K for a typical one, or 2.2 years of the Atlanta metro’s $90K median household income. It grades C overall, 118th of 258 graded towns in Georgia. The low prices come with trade-offs. Its schools rank behind 90% of the state's and residents are less healthy than 76% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. On the plus side, natural-hazard risk is low. Only 1 of Georgia’s 373 towns score lower on history. Lake City's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 93% of U.S. towns. On the outdoors, just 18 of Georgia’s 374 towns do better.
What makes Lake City stand out
Where Lake City beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here2,274
Residents who work1,089
Work
2.1 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 94% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Clayton County schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Lake City Elementary School | PK–5 | 479 |
Worth knowing · SchoolsD
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
A growing town
Lake City has grown 9% since 2010
2,612 counted in 2010 and 2,952 in 2020; an estimated 2,866 in 2025.
Since 2020 the trend has turned: down 3.2%, after 13% growth in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Lake City grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Georgia), ordered by how far Lake City is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 11% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →SchoolsDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 10.3 of 20; 7.1% of households have no car; 2.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA−Open →HealthSouthern Regional Medical Center 3.6 miles awayC−Open →Cost of livingBOpen →Jobs & incomeBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 5% conserved landA−Open →HistoryD−Open →Civic life2.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 45.5; 11% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 82 attractions →Mercedes-Benz Stadium and 66 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lake City. Close and well known come first.
Big draw11 mi Stadium & arenaMercedes-Benz Stadium
Big draw18 mi MountainStone Mountain
Big draw11 mi Stadium & arenaState Farm Arena
11 mi Zoo & aquariumGeorgia Aquarium
Big draw16 mi Theme parkSix Flags Over Georgia
9 mi Stadium & arenaCenter Parc StadiumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Mercedes-Benz Stadium: Atlanta Falcons, CC BY 3.0 · Stone Mountain: KyleAndMelissa22, Public domain · State Farm Arena: Hermann Luyken, CC0 · Georgia Aquarium: Diliff, CC BY 2.5 · Six Flags Over Georgia: hagerman, CC BY 2.0 · Center Parc Stadium: Southernkeith, CC BY-SA 4.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lake City: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lake City, and how to reach them.
PowerGeorgia Power16.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterClayton County Water AuthorityNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Lake City’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Georgia you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereClayton County Board of Elections and RegistrationClayton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code3026030260 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lake City.
Lake City draws workers from Atlanta and beyond, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has homes that are cheap against local pay.
OutdoorsA−
4.8% of Lake City is conserved land
1.2 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. At 0.7 miles per square mile, Lake City’s trail density is above both Georgia’s towns (0.3) and U.S. towns (0.4).
#47for trails in GA
| Lake City | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.8% | 2.2% | 4.3% |
4.8%
conserved · 56 of 1,180 acres
1.2 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Morrow Lake City Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsD
For schools, Lake City earns a D
Its public schools are run by the Clayton County school district. Its one school is below.
10%of GA districts it outscoresDSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake City Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 479 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within GA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Most working residents commute out of Lake City
2,274 jobs are based in Lake City, 2.1 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
Most working residents leave Lake City for work: only 4% work in town. 19% of Lake City residents live below the poverty line, above both the Georgia town median (15%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Lake City’s median household income is $54,000.
4%work in town
| Lake City | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 15% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $54,000 | $63,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.9% | 9.2% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Lake City4%
Atlanta18%
College Park4%
Forest Park4%
Morrow3%
13 mi
median commute distance
2,274
jobs based in Lake City
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 78% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Very low risk in Lake City, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 89% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Lake City since 1980.
11risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
paid flood claims since 1980
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade B
For cost of living, Lake City earns a B
At 2.2 years of the Atlanta metro’s $90K median household income, the typical home (about $201K) costs less against local pay than in 93% of Georgia towns; that ratio is one input to its B for cost of living. The typical value, about $201K, is 17% below its June 2024 peak.
53% of households own their home in Lake City. The typical Lake City home is worth about $201,000, down 4% in a year, 39% below the Georgia typical home.
$201KZillow home value
| Lake City | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 53% | 58% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,133 a month | $1,160 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Lake City$201K
Georgia$329K
−4%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthC−
Lake City stands out in Georgia and nationally: a larger share of its adults feel lonely
Against the 7,255 U.S. towns with household incomes like Lake City’s, it is less healthy than 54%, so its C− isn’t only a matter of income.
44% of Lake City adults feel lonely. Lake City beats the Georgia average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13. 25% of Lake City adults say their health is fair or poor.
24%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Lake City | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 38% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 16% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 22% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 8.1% |
32 measures vs. Georgia
2 better17 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Lake City | GA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.5% | 7% |
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.7% | 14.5% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 28.7% | 17.7% |
Southern Regional Medical Center
3.6 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
43rd
percentile among GA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Lake City has mild winters and hot summers
The Atlanta Hartsfield Intl Ap weather station, 6 miles away, records that about 47 days a year reach 90°: more than most of the country, but fewer than 76% of Georgia places with climate records.
Lake City has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Lake City is 90°F.
2″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–56°
Spring50–73°
Summer68–88°
Fall52–74°
Nov 20
typical first frost
Mar 15
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Lake City
Lake City's reported crime rate is well above Georgia's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 13 violent crimes were reported in 2024.
| Lake City | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 27.8 per 1,000 residents | 18.3 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 4.5 per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.7 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lake City4.5
Georgia3.3
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Lake City27.8
Georgia17.1
U.S.17.7
13
violent crimes reported in 2024
80
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lake City
19pages on Lake City
The big questions
SchoolsDBehind 90% of GA districts · 1 schoolSafety4.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2024)HealthC−Better than GA on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB$201K typical home · down 4% in a yearWork & commuteB$54K median household income · 2,274 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 11% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
21 within 15 miles of the center of Lake City
Clayton State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Morrow1.1 mi$5,180 in-state tuitionAtlanta Metropolitan State CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Atlanta8 mi$3,248 in-state tuitionAtlanta Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Atlanta8.2 mi$3,382 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Lake City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Georgia.
A job hub
Every workday, about 2,232 people come to Lake City for work
Where Lake City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,274jobs based in Lake City
4%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Lake City
City in Georgia, United States
Lake City is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,952 in 2020.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 968 ft
- ZIP code
- 30260
- Area code
- 770
Lake City’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Lake City.
Forest ParkMorrowLake City
How the neighbors grade
| Town | GA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake City | #118 | C | B | — | D | C− |
| Forest Park | #204 | D | B+ | D | D | D |
| Morrow | #236 | D− | B− | D− | D | D |
Lake City reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Lake City with a neighbor →
Questions about Lake City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lake City, GA a good place to live?
Lake City grades C overall, better than 32% of U.S. towns and #118 of 258 in Georgia. It grades C− for health and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Lake City, GA expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.