Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,295, settled in 1929.
Varnell’s best subject grade is an A− for incomes; its weakest is a D− for walkability. On walkability, just 7 of Georgia’s 371 towns do worse. Varnell’s trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile, against 0.3 in Georgia’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Varnell has 1 place on the National Register. Varnell has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
1,744 counted in 2010 and 2,179 in 2020; an estimated 2,295 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 Varnell is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 99 in 1880, 2,179 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1850 and 6 maps from 1919 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Varnell, 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 Varnell.
Most working residents leave Varnell for work: only 1% work in town. 4.2% of residents live below the poverty line in Varnell, where Georgia’s towns sit at 15% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. 2.8% of Varnell workers work from home.
| Varnell | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 15% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 2.8% | 9.2% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.8% | 9.1% | 8% |
| Median household income | $86,000 | $63,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Whitfield County school district. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Varnell Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 350 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within GA on state tests and graduation
91% of households own their home in Varnell. The typical Varnell home is worth about $258,000, up 1.2% in a year, 22% below the Georgia typical home.
| Varnell | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 91% | 58% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,216 a month | $1,154 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Varnell has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Varnell’s July high is 89°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Varnell beats the Georgia average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
| Varnell | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 38% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 39% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 77% | 79% | 79% |
| What stands out | Varnell | GA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.9% | 9.6% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.6% | 14.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
5.3 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Varnell Spring | — | 10 |
| 2. Ruritan Park | — | 5 |
| 3. Varnell Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Varnell. Close and well known come first.
24 mi MountainLookout Mountain
23 mi WaterfallRuby Falls28 mi CaveEllison's Cave17 mi Theme parkLake Winnepesaukah
25 mi State parkNew Echota
18 mi MuseumTennessee Valley Railroad MuseumLookout Mountain: Teke, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ruby Falls: Oydman (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · New Echota: Cculber007 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum: TVSRR at English Wikipedia. Photo by Jason Trew /TVSRR, Public domain
2 within 15 miles of the center of Varnell
About 6 of every 100 Varnell residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Georgia.
Where Varnell’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Georgia, United States
Varnell is a city in Whitfield County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Dalton, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,179 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
