Jobs, pay and daily life in Tifton, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Tifton is a city in Georgia with 17,210 residents. The median household earns $45,298 a year and the median rent is $798 a month, which is 21.1% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Albany, GA (58,390 jobs), about 39 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Tifton compares. Among the 100 largest places in Georgia, Tifton is #73 by population, #5 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #88 for household income (#1 = highest), #85 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Tift County, is #57 of 159 counties for average pay ($50,544).
Tifton has 17,210 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Georgia. It covers 13 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,324 people per square mile. The median age is 34.8, 7% younger than the state median (34.8 against 37.6).
The median gross rent is $798 a month (rent plus utilities), 43% below the state median ($798 against $1,393). Over a year that is 21.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $196,200, which is 4.3 times the median household income ($45,298). 40.6% of households own their home, 38% below the state average (40.6% against 65.7%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Albany, GA, metropolitan area has 58,390 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $43,620 a year, 14% below the national median ($43,620 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (7,080 jobs, median $38,370); sales and related (5,950 jobs, median $32,080); transportation and material moving (5,560 jobs, median $37,260). The area is most specialised in sales and related (1.2 times) and transportation and material moving (1.1 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($38,370) and transportation and material moving ($37,260). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Tift County was 3.4%. 54.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Tift County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 75.1% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 3.3% walk, 7.6% work from home. 9.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 50% below the state average (9.9% against 19.8%).
22.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 37% below the state share (22.1% against 35.0%). 6.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 40% below the state share (6.7% against 11.2%). The poverty rate is 23.5%, 75% above the state rate (23.5% against 13.4%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.5°C), and the coolest is Jan at 47°F (8.6°C). About 1,242 mm (49 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (139 mm) and Oct the driest (63 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Moultrie (25 miles, similar rent); Douglas (39 miles, rent 15% lower); Albany (39 miles, rent 17% higher); Valdosta (45 miles, rent 32% higher). Rent differences are against Tifton; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Georgia (1,099) →State guide: GeorgiaCountry guideTift CountyGeorgia rankings
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There are 1,099 federal postings open in Georgia (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
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| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 1,870 | 1.28 | $28,660 | $21,540 | $43,830 | -19% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,790 | 1.24 | $22,830 | $18,410 | $29,640 | -27% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,530 | 1.38 | $35,360 | $28,860 | $49,560 | -12% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,480 | 1.52 | $33,190 | $28,800 | $46,640 | -26% |
| Cashiers | 1,430 | 1.23 | $27,090 | $21,670 | $31,160 | -18% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,190 | 1.54 | $57,050 | $37,340 | $70,660 | -3% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,110 | 0.84 | $85,380 | $39,120 | $202,750 | -19% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 940 | 0.58 | $26,670 | $22,230 | $36,350 | -26% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 920 | 0.86 | $32,730 | $28,380 | $44,090 | -12% |
| Office Clerks, General | 910 | 0.98 | $37,350 | $25,490 | $49,460 | -17% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 900 | 1.06 | $18,330 | $15,080 | $46,180 | -48% |
| Nursing Assistants | 770 | 1.42 | $35,260 | $25,720 | $39,140 | -17% |
| Security Guards | 770 | 1.60 | $29,700 | $21,510 | $43,030 | -22% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 690 | 0.83 | $30,000 | $22,270 | $36,380 | -19% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 650 | 1.59 | $76,170 | $41,030 | $122,930 | -8% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 590 | 1.29 | $34,840 | $26,920 | $56,490 | -21% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 560 | 1.32 | $37,770 | $27,070 | $66,790 | -22% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 560 | 1.55 | $38,240 | $30,680 | $48,640 | -17% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 550 | 0.85 | $37,830 | $23,120 | $55,250 | -20% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 540 | 1.01 | $58,630 | $38,360 | $82,870 | -16% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Albany, GA, about 39 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $43,620 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.2% |
| Retail trade | 14.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.4% |
| Manufacturing | 8.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.5% |
| Construction | 6.2% |
| Other services | 5.2% |
| Public administration | 4.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.3% |
| Information | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Tifton lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tift County | 41,438 | $2,776 million | $66,982 | 22,007 | 1,212 | $50,544 | -1.2% | 3.4% | 20,093 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 2,838 | 17.8% | $33,047 | 1.29 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,476 | 15.5% | $19,916 | 1.24 |
| Manufacturing | 1,848 | 11.6% | $55,586 | 1.02 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,707 | 10.7% | $49,821 | 0.54 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,592 | 10.0% | $60,882 | 1.84 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,547 | 9.7% | $56,565 | 1.66 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,152 | 7.2% | $34,699 | 0.89 |
| Construction | 695 | 4.4% | $67,773 | 0.60 |
| Professional and technical services | 471 | 3.0% | $54,774 | 0.31 |
| Finance and insurance | 402 | 2.5% | $60,311 | 0.45 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 318 | 2.0% | $43,711 | 0.48 |
| Real estate and rental | 297 | 1.9% | $57,951 | 0.87 |
| Management of companies | 210 | 1.3% | $157,103 | 0.57 |
| Utilities | 130 | 0.8% | $78,777 | 1.55 |
| Educational services | 128 | 0.8% | $31,845 | 0.28 |
| Information | 117 | 0.7% | $71,682 | 0.28 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 34 | 0.2% | $22,919 | 0.09 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 75.1% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 3.3% |
| Work from home | 7.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $45,298 |
| Income per person | $25,191 |
| Median gross rent per month | $798 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 21.1% |
| Median home value | $196,200 |
| Homeowners | 40.6% |
| Poverty rate | 23.5% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 87.7 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $43,620 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 5.19%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 22.1% |
| Born abroad | 6.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 54.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.6 | 47 | 87 |
| Feb | 10.8 | 51 | 112 |
| Mar | 14.5 | 58 | 110 |
| Apr | 18.7 | 66 | 102 |
| May | 23.3 | 74 | 75 |
| Jun | 26.5 | 80 | 136 |
| Jul | 27.5 | 82 | 131 |
| Aug | 27.3 | 81 | 139 |
| Sep | 24.8 | 77 | 96 |
| Oct | 20.2 | 68 | 63 |
| Nov | 14.2 | 58 | 71 |
| Dec | 10.7 | 51 | 120 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moultrie | GA | 25 mi | 14,588 | $43,670 | $790 |
| Douglas | GA | 39 mi | 11,749 | $34,408 | $680 |
| Albany | GA | 39 mi | 67,224 | $47,240 | $931 |
| Valdosta | GA | 45 mi | 55,252 | $45,925 | $1,054 |
| Thomasville | GA | 51 mi | 18,666 | $49,673 | $1,077 |
| Americus | GA | 59 mi | 15,813 | $39,176 | $834 |
| Waycross | GA | 71 mi | 13,756 | $38,301 | $768 |
| Perry | GA | 71 mi | 23,001 | $76,909 | $1,132 |
| Bainbridge | GA | 73 mi | 14,404 | $45,422 | $791 |
| Warner Robins | GA | 79 mi | 82,990 | $66,970 | $1,212 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
17,210 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$798 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 21.1% of the median household income.
$45,298 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.4% (BLS county, Tift County (latest month 2026M09)).
Georgia. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.