Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 96% of the country. Overall it grades C−, 172nd among Georgia's 258 graded towns. Natural-hazard risk is low. Its weakest subject is incomes: the median household income is $45K, and 34% of residents live below the poverty line. 34% of residents live below the poverty line in Monroe, above both Georgia’s towns (15%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Its National Register listings include McDaniel-Tichenor House and Walton County Courthouse. Monroe's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 90% of U.S. towns.
Where Monroe beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Its 18 National Register listings are more than in 95% of Georgia towns with a listing.
Census counts: 438 in 1870, 14,928 in 2020. The archive holds 17 old photos and papers going back to 1883 and 3 maps from 1964 on.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Georgia), ordered by how far Monroe is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Monroe, 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 Monroe.
Monroe has seen reported crime fall beyond ordinary swings and has a longer frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of Georgia; it also has poverty well above the Georgia rate.
30% of adults worry about having enough food in Monroe. Monroe beats the Georgia average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 21. 36% of adults get no exercise outside work in Monroe.
| Monroe | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 22% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 29% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 23% | 19% |
| What stands out | Monroe | GA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 30.2% | 17.7% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 16.2% | 9.6% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 15.5% | 9.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Walton County school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Monroe Area High School, with 1,233 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Bridge of Georgia PrivateLargest school before high school | 76 | – | |
| Monroe Area High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,233 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within GA on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 81% of U.S. communities. Since 1990, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Monroe.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Reported crimes fell from 400 to 335 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Monroe’s property crime rate is 17.4 per 1,000 residents. Within Georgia, it does better than 45% of towns. Monroe’s violent crime rate is 2.8 per 1,000 residents.
| Monroe | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 17.4 per 1,000 residents | 14.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.8 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
The Winder 4s weather station, 9 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 219 days: longer than most of the country, but shorter than 85% of Georgia places with climate records. The Winder 4s weather station, 9 miles away, records that about 38 days a year reach 90°: more than most of the country, but fewer than 85% of Georgia places with climate records.
Monroe has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Monroe is 90°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
3.1 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Felker Park, at 45 acres.
| Monroe | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 6.8% | 2.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Felker Park | 0.9 mi | 45 |
| 2. Mathews Park | — | 27 |
| 3. Childers Park | — | 15 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Jobs based here grew from 6,769 in 2013 to 8,923.
Most working residents leave Monroe for work: only 14% work in town. Jobs based in Monroe grew to 8,923 in 2023, 2,154 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Athens (6%), Atlanta (5%) and Lawrenceville (3%).
| Monroe | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $45,000 | $63,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Monroe home is worth about $374,000, up 0.9% in a year, 14% above the Georgia typical home. 42% of Monroe households own their home.
| Monroe | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 42% | 58% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,105 a month | $1,160 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
None within 15 miles of Monroe; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Monroe residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Georgia.
13,234 counted in 2010 and 14,928 in 2020; an estimated 16,507 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 10.4% since 2020, after 12.8% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
18 places in Monroe on the National Register of Historic Places.
13 notable people were born in Monroe.
City in Georgia, United States
Monroe is a city and the county seat of Walton County, Georgia, United States. It is located both one hour east of Atlanta via US 78 and GA 138 to I-20 and east of Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport and is one of the exurban cities in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The population was 14,928 at the 2020 U.S. census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Monroe grades C− overall, better than 16% of U.S. towns and #172 of 258 in Georgia. It grades D− for health, C for safety and B+ for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.
Within Georgia, it does better than 45% of towns.
That is 4.2 years of the area's median household income ($89,724 across the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro 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−.
13 notable people were born here, including Frances Conroy and Alfred H. Colquitt.
