McDonough, Georgia

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, McDonough had a population of 29,051, 10,531 households, and 5,778 families. The median age was 34.2 years. 26.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 10.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 82.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 77.3 males age 18 and over.^[22][23]

99.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.3% lived in rural areas.^[24]

Of the 10,531 households, 38.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 35.5% were married-couple households, 17.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 40.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[22]

There were 11,083 housing units, of which 5.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%.^[22]

Events

The city hosts a Geranium Festival each springtime on the third Saturday in May, celebrating the locally grown flowers and community.^[29] The one-day festival serves as a showcase of local artistry and talent through the open-air craft markets and live musical performances. The festival is sponsored by the McDonough Lions Club, and held on the McDonough Square and surrounding areas.^[29]

Henry County School District

The Henry County School District holds grades pre-school to grade twelve. The district has twenty eight elementary schools, nine middle schools, and ten high schools.^[31] The district has 1,543 full-time teachers and over 40,000 students.^[32]

Elementary schools

Private schools

Higher education

• Gordon State College has a satellite center in McDonough.^[37]
• Mercer University opened a campus in McDonough in 2003, and offers teacher education, criminal justice, and general studies.^[38]
• Grace Biblical Seminary opened in 2004, and offers theological and ministries degrees.{18}
• Atlanta Bible College is located in McDonough.^{[citation needed]}

Film

• The film A Madea Christmas was filmed in the town square and around McDonough.^[41]
• The television show Resurrection was filmed in the town square and around McDonough.
• Scenes for the 1989 Civil War film, Glory, were filmed in the city.^[42]
• A pilot episode for Roswell was filmed on the city square at the old Phillips 66 service station.
• The 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit was filmed primarily in Georgia in the cities of McDonough, Jonesboro and Lithonia.^[43]

Transportation

Xpress GA provides local bus service.

McDonough is served by the following highways:

• Interstate 75
• U.S. Highway 23
• Georgia State Route 20
• Georgia State Route 42
• Georgia State Route 81
• Georgia State Route 155
• Georgia State Route 351
• Georgia State Route 401

Until the mid-1960s the Southern Railway operated the Cincinnati to Miami Ponce de Leon, which made stops in McDonough.^[44]