If you’re trying to pin down exactly how many cities are in Georgia, you’ve probably realized pretty quickly that the answer depends entirely on who you’re asking—and which "Georgia" you’re even talking about.
It’s one of those questions that sounds simple. Like, just count them, right? But between the Peach State’s 159 counties and the actual country of Georgia over in the Caucasus, things get messy fast.
Honestly, the numbers shift depending on whether you're looking at "incorporated municipalities," tiny "towns" that legally function as cities, or just dots on a map where people happen to live.
How Many Cities Are in Georgia? The Real Number
Let’s talk about the U.S. state first. Most official data from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and the Georgia Municipal Association puts the number of incorporated municipalities at 535.
Wait.
Some sources say 537. Why the gap? Basically, it’s because Georgia is a bit unique in how it handles local government. Unlike some states that have a strict legal hierarchy between a "village," a "town," and a "city," Georgia doesn't really care about the label. If the General Assembly incorporates it, it’s a municipality.
Period.
You’ve got tiny spots like Aldora in Lamar County, which—believe it or not—had a recorded population of literally zero in some census subsets, sitting on the same list as Atlanta.
The Big Players and the Tiny Towns
Most people think of the big names. Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Columbus. But those are the outliers.
- Atlanta: The heavy hitter with nearly 500,000 people.
- Edgehill: A tiny place in Glascock County where you could probably fit the whole population in a medium-sized Starbucks.
- Consolidated Governments: This is where it gets nerdy. Places like Athens-Clarke County and Augusta-Richmond County have merged their city and county governments. They function as one unit, which technically keeps the "city" count stable even though they’ve swallowed the county's responsibilities.
It’s wild to think about, but about 75% of Georgia’s cities actually have fewer than 5,000 residents. We’re a state of small towns that legally call themselves cities.
Why the Number Changes Every Few Years
You might see an old textbook saying there are over 700 cities. That’s not a typo; it’s just old. Back in the early 90s, the state legislature got tired of "ghost towns"—places that were legally incorporated but didn't actually provide any services or hold elections.
They passed a law in 1993 saying if you want to stay a city, you have to provide at least three specific services (like police, water, or trash pickup).
Because of that, the number of cities dropped from 724 to around 535-537 almost overnight.
The Other Georgia: Cities in the Country
Now, if you’re looking for the country of Georgia, the math is totally different.
The National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) classifies things differently. You’ve got Tbilisi, the capital, which is a massive metropolis of over 1.1 million people. Then there are about 63-65 "cities" (known as kalaki) and many more "urban-type settlements" called daba.
If you’re traveling there, the "city" feel is mostly in:
- Tbilisi: The heart of the country.
- Batumi: The "Las Vegas of the Black Sea."
- Kutaisi: One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
- Rustavi: A heavy industrial hub.
It’s a much smaller list because they don't incorporate every small crossroads as a "city" the way we do in the American South.
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What This Means for You
If you’re a business owner, a researcher, or just someone trying to win a trivia night, "535" is your safest bet for the state. If you’re looking at the country, you’re looking at around 65 major urban centers.
It’s easy to get lost in the spreadsheets, but remember that these boundaries define who picks up the trash, who patrols the streets, and where your tax dollars actually land.
Next Steps for Your Research:
- Check the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) website if you need a specific list of every mayor in the state.
- Look into the 2020 Census Bureau city-level data to see which of those 535 cities are actually growing (hint: it's mostly the ones around North Georgia and Savannah).
- Verify the latest incorporation status with the Georgia Secretary of State if you're dealing with legal or real estate documents.