Dougherty County, GA - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Dougherty County

Dougherty County School System serves a mid-sized enrollment across pre-K through grade 12, with a student body that is predominantly Black, and a substantial majority of students living in modest-value housing markets. The district spans Albany and surrounding communities in southwest Georgia.

Academic performance across the system is low across all tested subjects. In English language arts, proficiency ranges from the low to upper twenties across grades 3 through 8. Math proficiency runs similarly, dipping to the low twenties in grades 5 through 7 before rising slightly in grade 8. Science proficiency is somewhat higher, reaching nearly 39 percent in grade 5 but dropping to 29 percent by grade 8. Social studies proficiency in grade 8 sits at 26 percent. No graduation rate data was available. These results place the district well below state benchmarks in both foundational literacy and numeracy, which a parent may want to explore further with the district regarding instructional supports, intervention structures, and how the system is addressing the gaps.

The housing market across Dougherty County is affordable relative to national standards. Home values are modest, and rents are low; the combined monthly cost of homeownership and rent is substantially below the national median, and housing costs as a share of household income sit in the low to mid-range. This affordability matters for families making relocation decisions: property taxes for schools have been rolled back multiple times over the past two decades, and millage rates have fallen below historical thresholds, meaning school-related tax burden has declined even as property taxes have risen elsewhere in Georgia.

The district operates a portfolio of elementary, middle, and high schools, including three magnet schools and one charter school. Magnet programs exist at Lincoln Elementary, Robert A. Cross Middle, and two additional sites; the International Studies Elementary Charter School offers an alternative pathway. The district has publicly reported establishing the state's first U.S. Department of Labor-recognized teacher apprenticeship program, a structural effort to build a homegrown teaching pipeline and address workforce stability.

A parent choosing Dougherty County should weigh low current academic proficiency against the district's housing affordability and tax burden, the breadth of school options including magnets, and the district's workforce initiatives. State testing data shows where instruction needs strengthening; the affordability and tax policy context clarifies the financial trade-offs of living in the county. Neither the district brief nor the data sections provided detail recent strategic initiatives to raise proficiency, current staffing levels, or program-specific outcomes, so families may want to engage directly with the district office or schools to understand the pathway from present performance to improvement targets.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

13,059

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 4%

Black 89%

White 4%

Asian 0%

Two+ 2%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

Schools in this District

22 schools are officially reported under this district.

Monroe High School

Morningside Elementary School

Dougherty Comprehensive High School

Albany Middle School

West Town Elementary School

Radium Springs Elementary School

International Studies Elementary Charter School

Westover High School

Sherwood Acres Elementary School

Merry Acres Middle School

Lake Park Elementary School

Turner Elementary School

Northside Elementary School

Lamar Reese School of the Arts

Alice Coachman Elementary School

Martin Luther King- Jr. Elementary School

Robert A. Cross Middle Magnet

Live Oak Elementary School

Robert H Harvey Elementary School

Radium Springs Middle School

Lincoln Elementary Magnet School

South Georgia Regional Achievement Center- The Phoenix

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

31%

Grade 3

30%

Grade 4

24%

Grade 5

23%

Grade 6

22%

Grade 7

34%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

23%

Grade 3

24%

Grade 4

29%

Grade 5

25%

Grade 6

24%

Grade 7

25%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

39%

Grade 5

29%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

26%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$175,643

Year-over-year change-2.3%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$79K to $263K

vs. state typical0.53x

vs. national typical0.48x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
31721	Albany	$238K	+0.1%	55.6%
31705	Albany	$91K	-5.0%	32.6%
31701	Albany	$79K	-8.9%	5.8%
31707	Albany	$139K	-3.0%	5.1%
31763	Leesburg	$263K	+1.4%	0.5%
31791	Sylvester	$169K	+4.9%	0.2%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,033/mo

Year-over-year change+4.4%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$751 to $1,690/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
31721	Albany	$1,116	—	55.6%
31705	Albany	$950	+2.9%	32.6%
31701	Albany	$751	+9.6%	5.8%
31707	Albany	$916	+8.4%	5.1%
31763	Leesburg	$1,690	-0.3%	0.5%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$886/mo

Home price / national median income2.1x

Annual rent / national median income14.8%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$147/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$333,559 (-1.2% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.