Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Home to 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Montezuma earns a D−, ranked 233rd of 258 in Georgia, mostly because of schools and health. Its public schools trail 92% of Georgia towns on state tests and graduation. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 91% of the country. In its favor, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 67% of U.S. towns. Montezuma’s median rent is $673 a month, below both Georgia’s towns ($1,160 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Its National Register listings include Montezuma Historic District and Montezuma Depot. Among 229 Georgia towns, just 2 have a lower typical home value than Montezuma.
Where Montezuma beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Montezuma Depot| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Word of Life Christian School | 1–8 | 19 |
| Macon County Middle School | 6–8 | 189 |
| Macon County High School | 9–12 | 333 |
3,460 counted in 2010 and 3,047 in 2020; an estimated 2,879 in 2025.
The decline has continued: down 5.9% since 2020, after 11.9% in the decade before.
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 Montezuma is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 440 in 1880, a peak of 4,830 in 1980, 3,047 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1939 and 2 maps from 1971 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Montezuma, 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 Montezuma.
Montezuma has homes that are cheap against local pay, but it is a long drive from an emergency room and has lost a quarter or more of its jobs in ten years.
At 2.2 years of the county’s $41K median household income, the typical home (about $92K) 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 $92K, is 15% below its August 2024 peak.
The typical Montezuma home is worth about $92,000, down 3.6% in a year, 72% below the Georgia typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Macon County school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Macon County High School, with 333 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macon County Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 189 | D |
| Macon County High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 333 | D− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within GA on state tests and graduation
The nearest emergency room, Phoebe Sumter Medical Center, is 21.9 miles away in a straight line. Against the 4,612 U.S. towns with household incomes like Montezuma’s, it is less healthy than 70%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income.
20% of Montezuma adults have diabetes. Montezuma beats the Georgia average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 18. 48% of Montezuma adults have high blood pressure.
| Montezuma | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 14% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 40% | 36% |
| What stands out | Montezuma | GA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.5% | 14.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.2% | 77.4% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 28.5% | 17.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Jobs based here fell from 1,079 in 2013 to 773. The average commute for its 1,088 working residents takes 20.9 minutes, against 28.3 across Georgia.
Most working residents leave Montezuma for work: only 15% work in town. 18% of residents live below the poverty line in Montezuma. Since 2013, Montezuma has lost 306 jobs, to 773 in 2023.
| Montezuma | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 15% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $47,000 | $63,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Montezuma has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Montezuma is 92°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Montezuma's reported crime rate is below Georgia's. Montezuma’s property crime rate is 10.1 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Montezuma | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 10.1 per 1,000 residents | 21.8 | 14.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 2.6 per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 1.9 |
FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Montezuma.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Montezuma | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.3% | 2.3% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gladys Hair park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Montezuma; the nearest are
About 10 of every 100 Montezuma residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Georgia.
Where Montezuma’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
3 places in Montezuma on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Georgia, United States
Montezuma is a city in Macon County, Georgia (ZIP code 31063). The population was 3,047 at the 2020 census, down from 3,460 in 2010. It is home to the armory of Bravo Company, 648th Engineers of the Georgia Army National Guard.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Montezuma grades D− overall, better than 4% of U.S. towns and #233 of 258 in Georgia. It grades D for health and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
That is 2.2 years of the area's median household income ($41,031 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
2 notable people were born here, including Lionel W. McKenzie and Antonio Cochran.
