The Town FilesCordele, Georgia
City in Crisp County · population 10,220 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $121,500
- Household income
- $33,800
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 36.3
Cordele is a city of 10,220 people in Crisp County, Georgia. The median home is worth $121,500, below the typical Georgia town ($202,650). It ranks better for cycling than 96% of Georgia towns, better for a vacation home than 93% of Georgia towns.
How Cordele ranks
Percentile among Georgia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Georgia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cordele is worth $121,500, below the typical Georgia town ($202,650). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $33,800, which is more affordable than 43% of Georgia towns. Median rent is $786 a month. 38.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cordele | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $121,500 | $202,650 |
| Median rent | $786 | $1,000 |
| Median household income | $33,800 | $57,176 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 38.7% | 60.5% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Cordele
| People | Cordele | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.9% | 15.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.3% | 19.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.0% | 16.2% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 17.8 min | 26.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.1% | 88.0% |
Weather in Cordele
July highs average 93.0°F and January lows 36.5°F. About 50.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Georgia town: 0.4 in). Expect about 96 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 31 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cordele since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical Georgia town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 15, 1999 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 3, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 25, 2003.
Severe weather in Crisp County since 1996
Crisp County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 30, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4830: Hurricane Helene |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616: Hurricane Helene |
| August 5, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3607: Hurricane Debby |
| January 16, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4685: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4501: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Crisp County
Crisp County had 8,703 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,040 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Cordele itself the ACS puts it at 7.5%.
Public schools in Cordele
6 public schools with 3,457 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crisp County High School | 9-12 | 1,050 | 17.2 |
| Crisp County Primary School | K-3 | 968 | 12.3 |
| Crisp County Middle School | 6-8 | 751 | 12.5 |
| Crisp County Elementary School | 4-5 | 451 | 11.3 |
| Crisp County Pre-K | PK-PK | 222 | 18.5 |
| Crisp RYDC | 5-12 | 15 | 3.0 |
Towns near Cordele
- Vienna, GA9.5 mi · 2,928 people · home $120,300
- Ashburn, GA18.4 mi · 4,291 people · home $101,000
- Unadilla, GA20.9 mi · 3,118 people · home $60,600
- Abbeville, GA27.3 mi · 2,685 people · home $79,600
- Montezuma, GA27.7 mi · 3,047 people · home $107,700
- Americus, GA27.8 mi · 16,230 people · home $107,500
- Leesburg, GA28.0 mi · 3,480 people · home $199,200
- Hawkinsville, GA29.3 mi · 3,980 people · home $159,100
Cordele questions
Is Cordele, Georgia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cordele scores better for retirees than 32% of Georgia towns and quieter than 38%. 15.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.3).
How much does a house cost in Cordele?
The median owner-occupied home in Cordele is valued at $121,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $33,800, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $786 a month.
What is the weather like in Cordele?
July highs average 93.0°F and January lows 36.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Cordele get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cordele since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 15, 1999. The typical Georgia town has had 17.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)