Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,908, settled in 1871.
The best of Pearson’s subject grades are a B+ for cost of living and schools; the weakest is a D− for health. 36% of residents live below the poverty line in Pearson, above both the Georgia town median (15%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). On incomes, just 14 of Georgia’s 367 towns do worse. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 71% of U.S. towns. Pearson's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 99% of U.S. towns. Atkinson County Courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places. Pearson has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Pearson beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| Widest gap | Pearson | GA |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 27.8% | 13.1% |
2,117 counted in 2010 and 1,821 in 2020; an estimated 1,908 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 Pearson is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 336 in 1900, 1,821 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1971 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pearson, 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 Pearson.
42% of Pearson adults get no exercise outside work, against 29% in Georgia’s towns and 25% across U.S. towns. 22% of Pearson adults smoke cigarettes. Pearson beats the Georgia average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 22.
| Pearson | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 23% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 29% | 25% |
| What stands out | Pearson | GA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.7% | 7% |
| More uninsured adults | 27.8% | 13.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Atkinson County school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pearson Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 621 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within GA on state tests and graduation
The typical Pearson home is worth about $134,000, up 11% in a year, 59% below the Georgia typical home. The median rent in Pearson is $689 a month.
| Pearson | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 46% | 58% | 73% |
| Median rent | $689 a month | $1,154 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Pearson has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Pearson’s July high is 93°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Among 264 Georgia towns, just 7 have a lower median household income than Pearson. 18% of working residents work locally in Pearson. Jobs based in Pearson fell to 835 in 2023, 53 fewer than in 2013.
| Pearson | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $32,000 | $63,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 18% | 9.1% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 60% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.8 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cypress Wood Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Pearson
About 4 of every 100 Pearson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Georgia.
City in Georgia, United States
Pearson is a city in Atkinson County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,821 in 2020. The city is the county seat of Atkinson County.
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 B+.