Worth County

Worth County is a county in southwestern Georgia, located in the Coastal Plain region between Albany and Tifton. Created in 1853 from portions of Irwin and Dooly counties and named for Major General William J. Worth, it developed as part of the agricultural belt of South Georgia. Worth County is small in population scale, with roughly twenty thousand residents, and its settlement pattern is predominantly rural. The county’s economy has historically centered on farming and related agribusiness, with row crops and timber among common land uses in the area. The landscape is characterized by flat to gently rolling terrain, extensive farmland, pine forests, and wetlands associated with tributaries of the Flint River system. Cultural life reflects broader South Georgia traditions, including small-town civic institutions and regional events tied to agriculture. The county seat is Sylvester, which serves as the primary administrative and commercial center.

Worth County is a small, primarily rural county in south-central Georgia, anchored by the City of Sylvester and situated in the Coastal Plain region. It is part of the broader Southwest Georgia area and is served by county-level government based in Sylvester.

Population Size

• According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Worth County, Georgia, Worth County’s population was 20,784 (2020).
• The same Census Bureau QuickFacts page reports a 2023 population estimate of 20,563.

Age & Gender

Age distribution (selected measures)

• From U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (latest available for the county on that table):
  • Persons under 18 years: 20.7%
  • Persons 65 years and over: 20.0%

Gender ratio

• The Census Bureau’s QuickFacts table for Worth County does not provide a direct male-to-female ratio in the displayed “People” highlights. For authoritative county-level sex composition, use the county’s detailed tables via data.census.gov (e.g., ACS “Sex by Age” tables for Worth County).

Racial & Ethnic Composition

From U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (county-level shares shown on the page):

• White alone: 57.4%
• Black or African American alone: 34.8%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.4%
• Asian alone: 0.4%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.0%
• Two or More Races: 7.0%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 4.9%

Household & Housing Data

From U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (latest available entries shown on the table):

• Households (2018–2022): 7,359
• Persons per household (2018–2022): 2.60
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate (2018–2022): 73.6%
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units (2018–2022): $102,700
• Median gross rent (2018–2022): $774

For local government and planning resources, visit the Worth County official website.

Worth County, in rural southwest Georgia, has a low population density and large agricultural areas, factors that tend to increase last‑mile buildout costs and make reliable home internet access more uneven than in metro areas, shaping how consistently residents can use email.

Direct county-level email-usage statistics are not published, so broadband and device access serve as proxies for likely email access. The U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov) provides Worth County indicators such as household broadband subscription and computer availability, which correlate strongly with routine email use for work, school, and services.

Age structure also influences adoption: older populations generally show lower use of online communication tools than prime working-age groups, affecting overall email uptake. County age distribution and population counts are available through U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Worth County.

Gender distribution is available in the same sources and is typically less predictive of email access than broadband, devices, and age. Connectivity limitations are commonly tied to rural infrastructure gaps and service availability, reflected in federal broadband availability datasets such as the FCC National Broadband Map.

Worth County is a small, predominantly rural county in southwest Georgia anchored by Sylvester (the county seat). Its low population density, extensive agricultural land use, and relatively flat Coastal Plain terrain tend to produce connectivity conditions typical of rural areas: fewer cell sites per square mile, coverage that tracks highways and towns more strongly than sparsely populated farmland, and service quality that can vary significantly over short distances.

Network availability vs. household adoption (important distinction)

Network availability refers to where carriers report that mobile broadband service is offered (coverage).
Household adoption refers to whether residents actually subscribe to and use mobile service (and the types of connections/devices used). County-specific adoption data for “mobile-only” access is limited; much of the strongest adoption measurement is available at state level or via modeled datasets rather than direct county tabulations.

Mobile penetration or access indicators (where available)

County-level indicators and limitations

• Publicly accessible, county-specific “mobile penetration” rates (for example, subscriptions per 100 residents) are generally not published at the county level in a consistent way for the United States. Many subscription statistics are released nationally or by state and metropolitan areas rather than by county.
• County-level “internet subscription” measures in federal surveys often combine multiple access types and do not always isolate mobile broadband as a primary connection with the detail needed for a precise county mobile-penetration figure.

Closest standardized adoption indicators

• The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) provides county-level tables on household internet subscription categories (including cellular data plans in some tables) and device access, but the exact breakdowns available depend on the current ACS table vintage and the way “internet subscription” categories are tabulated. County-level estimates can also carry wide margins of error in small counties. Refer to the American Community Survey (ACS) program at Census.gov and data.census.gov for Worth County household internet subscription and device-related tables.
• State-level broadband adoption and access context is also tracked through Georgia’s broadband efforts; see the Georgia Broadband Program for statewide planning materials and maps that provide context relevant to rural counties.

Mobile internet usage patterns (4G, 5G availability)

Reported coverage (availability)

• The most common public, comparable source for mobile broadband availability is the FCC’s mobile broadband coverage data, which is based on carrier-reported availability and is best used for where service is advertised as available, not a guarantee of in-building performance.
• FCC mobile coverage information and methodology are available through FCC Broadband Data. The FCC’s public map can be used to view reported 4G LTE and 5G coverage in and around Worth County.

Typical rural coverage pattern in southwest Georgia (without asserting carrier-specific results)

• In rural Georgia counties, 4G LTE coverage is typically the most geographically extensive layer, particularly along primary roads and populated areas.
• 5G availability (especially higher-frequency 5G layers that require denser infrastructure) is generally more concentrated near towns, higher-traffic corridors, and areas with more backhaul and tower density. County-level generalizations about 5G performance are not a substitute for FCC map verification and carrier-specific coverage disclosures.

Observed performance vs. availability (limitation)

• FCC availability data indicates that a provider reports service in an area; it does not directly measure:
  • indoor signal strength,
  • congestion at peak times,
  • throughput/latency at specific addresses,
  • or the reliability of service during storms and power outages.
• Consumer experience in rural areas often depends on tower spacing, terrain obstructions (less pronounced in the Coastal Plain than in mountainous regions), foliage, building materials, and backhaul capacity—factors not fully captured by coverage polygons.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

What is typically measurable

• Nationally and statewide, smartphones are the dominant mobile access device, with mobile broadband commonly delivered through smartphone plans and, in rural areas, also through hotspot/tethering use when fixed broadband options are limited.
• County-specific device-type splits (smartphone vs. basic phone vs. hotspot-only) are not consistently published as a dedicated county metric, but ACS device tables can provide partial insight where available (for example, shares of households with a smartphone and types of computing devices). See data.census.gov for Worth County device and internet subscription tables.

Practical device mix in rural counties (non-speculative framing)

• Smartphones: Generally the primary device for communications and internet access.
• Fixed wireless and mobile hotspots: Commonly used in rural areas as either a supplement to fixed broadband or, in some households, a primary means of home connectivity; however, the prevalence of hotspot-only access is not reliably quantifiable at the county level using a single public dataset.
• Basic/feature phones: Still present but typically a minority; precise county shares are not publicly standardized.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage in Worth County

Rural settlement pattern and tower economics

• Lower population density tends to reduce the economic incentive for dense tower deployment, which can influence:
  • coverage gaps away from towns and main routes,
  • fewer redundant sites (less resilience to localized outages),
  • and potentially higher sensitivity to congestion at the limited number of serving cells.

Transportation corridors and town centers

• Availability and quality frequently track:
  • Sylvester and other population clusters,
  • major roads and state routes,
  • and areas with existing vertical assets (towers, water tanks) and backhaul.

Income, age, and household composition (data-source limitation at county specificity)

• Demographic characteristics such as income, age distribution, and educational attainment can influence device ownership and whether households rely on mobile-only access versus maintaining both mobile and fixed broadband.
• These characteristics are measurable for Worth County via ACS demographic profiles, while direct measurement linking them to “mobile-only” reliance is less consistently available at county level. County demographics are accessible via data.census.gov and the ACS program documentation at Census.gov.

Terrain and land cover

• Worth County’s generally flat terrain reduces the kind of terrain-blocking seen in mountainous regions, but rural propagation can still be affected by:
  • distance to the nearest tower,
  • tree cover and seasonal foliage,
  • and building penetration losses—particularly in metal-roofed or heavily insulated structures common in some rural areas.

Summary of what can be stated confidently with public data

• Availability (coverage): Best evaluated through carrier-reported FCC broadband availability layers for 4G LTE and 5G via FCC Broadband Data. This addresses where service is offered, not guaranteed performance.
• Adoption (use/subscription): County-level household internet subscription and some device indicators can be derived from ACS tables via data.census.gov, but granular “mobile penetration” and “mobile-only vs. fixed+mobile” measures are not uniformly available for Worth County as a single definitive county statistic.
• Drivers: Rural geography, dispersed settlement, and infrastructure economics are the primary structural factors shaping mobile connectivity conditions in Worth County; demographics can be described using ACS, but direct county-level linkage to mobile-only behavior is limited by publicly available datasets.

Worth County is in southwest Georgia within the Albany metropolitan area, with Sylvester as the county seat. The county’s rural–small-town settlement pattern, agricultural land use, and commuting ties to the broader Albany region shape social media use toward mobile-first access and mainstream, high-reach platforms used for community information, local commerce, and family networks.

User statistics (penetration and activity)

• Local (county-specific) penetration: County-level, platform-specific penetration is not published consistently by major survey organizations. The most defensible approach is to reference statewide and national benchmarks and apply them as context for Worth County’s resident mix.
• U.S. adult baseline: About 7 in 10 U.S. adults use social media (recently measured at ~69%) per the Pew Research Center social media fact sheet. This is the most-cited national reference point for “active use” among adults.
• Broadband vs. mobile context: Rural areas tend to show lower home broadband adoption and heavier reliance on smartphones for internet access, which correlates with higher use of mobile-centric social apps. Pew documents rural connectivity patterns in its internet and technology research, including the Pew Research Center Internet & Technology topic hub.

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

Pew consistently finds strong age gradients in usage:

• Highest usage: Adults ages 18–29 are the most likely to use social media (near-universal in many Pew waves for “any social media”).
• High but lower than youngest: Ages 30–49 typically remain high adopters across major platforms.
• Moderate usage: Ages 50–64 show solid usage but lower adoption of newer/video-heavy platforms.
• Lowest usage: Ages 65+ have the lowest overall social media use, but Facebook remains comparatively strong in this cohort. Source basis: Pew Research Center social media demographics.

Gender breakdown

• Overall pattern: Pew’s platform-by-platform breakdown shows women tend to be more likely than men to use certain social platforms (notably Pinterest and often Facebook/Instagram in many survey waves), while men tend to be more likely to use some discussion- and video/game-adjacent platforms in some measures.
• Most “gender-balanced” mainstream platforms: YouTube and Facebook often appear comparatively balanced relative to other platforms. Source basis: Pew platform use by gender.

Most-used platforms (with benchmark percentages)

County-specific platform shares are not available from Pew at the county level; the following are U.S. adult benchmarks commonly used for local context:

• YouTube: ~83% of U.S. adults use it.
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
• X (formerly Twitter): ~22% Benchmarks: Pew Research Center, Social Media Fact Sheet (percentages vary by survey wave; values above reflect commonly cited recent Pew measures).

Behavioral trends (engagement and preferences relevant to Worth County)

• Mobile-first engagement: Rural areas’ greater smartphone reliance aligns with heavier engagement in short-form video (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts) and messaging/community updates (Facebook feeds, Facebook Groups/Messenger) rather than desktop-centric behaviors. Pew’s broader findings on mobile internet access patterns are summarized in its Internet & Technology research.
• Community information function: In small communities, Facebook pages and groups often act as a de facto local bulletin board (events, schools, local government updates, church/community activities, and peer-to-peer recommendations).
• Age-linked platform preference:
  • Younger adults: higher propensity toward TikTok and Instagram; higher video consumption and creator-led discovery.
  • Middle age: strong use of Facebook plus YouTube; practical content (how-to, news clips, local services).
  • Older adults: comparatively stronger Facebook use; lower adoption of newer platforms; higher preference for familiar interfaces. Basis: platform-by-age patterns in Pew’s demographic tables.
• Engagement style differences by platform (typical patterns):
  • Facebook: commenting and sharing on local/community posts; event discovery; marketplace browsing.
  • YouTube: longer watch sessions; search-driven “how-to” and entertainment.
  • Instagram/TikTok: short sessions repeated throughout the day; algorithmic discovery; higher sensitivity to trends and audio/visual formats. These engagement patterns align with widely observed platform design and usage research summarized by major survey trackers such as Pew’s Social Media Fact Sheet.

Worth County family- and associate-related public records include vital records, court records, and recorded documents. Georgia birth and death certificates are maintained by the Georgia Department of Public Health (Vital Records) and are not county-recorded documents; certified copies are requested through the state office or local county vital records offices. Adoption and most juvenile records are sealed by law and are handled through the Superior Court; access is generally limited to authorized parties. Marriage licenses are issued and recorded locally by the Worth County Probate Court, which also maintains related amendments; divorce decrees are filed in Superior Court.

Public-access databases in Worth County commonly include real estate and deed indexes and tax parcel information. Recorded instruments affecting family or associates (deeds, liens, plats, some court filings) are maintained by the Worth County Clerk of Superior Court and may be searchable through the clerk’s online services or at courthouse terminals. Property ownership and parcel mapping are typically accessible through the county tax assessor’s resources.

Residents access records online through official portals and in person at the relevant office (Probate Court for marriage licenses; Clerk of Superior Court for court filings and recorded documents). County office directories and contacts are available at the official county site: Worth County, Georgia (official website), including links for Probate Court, Clerk of Superior Court, and Tax Assessor. State vital records information is published by Georgia Department of Public Health – Vital Records. Privacy restrictions commonly apply to adoption, juvenile matters, and certain certified vital records.

Types of records available

Marriage records

• Marriage license applications and marriage licenses: Issued at the county level and used to authorize a marriage ceremony in Georgia.
• Marriage certificates/returns: The officiant’s completed return is filed with the issuing office and becomes part of the county marriage record.
• Certified copies: Certified copies of recorded marriage documents are commonly available from the filing office.

Divorce records

• Divorce case files: Court records documenting the divorce action (pleadings, service, motions, orders, and final judgment).
• Final judgment/decree of divorce: The court’s final order dissolving the marriage; typically obtainable as a certified copy from the clerk of court.
• Divorce verification letters (state-level index-based verification): Maintained by the state vital records office for certain years; this is generally a verification of occurrence rather than a full decree.

Annulment records

• Annulment case files and final orders: Annulments are handled as civil cases in the Georgia superior courts. Records are maintained with the court case file, similar to divorce.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed (Worth County, Georgia)

Marriage records (county vital records)

• Filing office: Worth County Probate Court (the county office that issues and records marriage licenses in Georgia).
• Access: Requests are made through the Probate Court for copies of marriage records maintained by the county. Access commonly includes in-person requests and written/mail requests according to local procedures. Some counties also provide online copy-ordering through a vendor or online index access when implemented by the county.

Divorce and annulment records (court records)

• Filing office: Worth County Superior Court Clerk (civil docket and case files).
• Access: Case records are accessed through the Clerk of Superior Court by requesting copies from the case file (often by case number and party names). Availability of online docket searches varies by county and by the statewide e-filing and court-records systems in use at a given time; the official record remains with the Clerk.

State-level vital records (supplemental sources)

• Georgia Department of Public Health, Vital Records maintains statewide vital records services and indexes for certain record types/years (not a substitute for a county court decree in divorce matters).
  Reference: Georgia Department of Public Health – Request Vital Records

Typical information included in these records

Marriage license/certificate records

Common elements include:

• Full names of the parties
• Date and place of marriage (or license issuance date and county)
• Ages or dates of birth (varies by form/version)
• Residence information (city/county/state; varies)
• Officiant’s name and title and ceremony date
• Filing/recording date and certificate/license number
• Signatures (applicants, officiant, witnesses where applicable)

Divorce records (case file and final decree)

Common elements include:

• Names of the parties and case number
• Filing date, court, and county of venue
• Grounds and allegations (as pleaded) and related findings/orders
• Final judgment date and terms of the decree (e.g., dissolution, child custody/visitation, child support, alimony, property division, name change orders when granted)
• Related orders (temporary orders, contempt orders, modifications) when applicable

Annulment records

Common elements include:

• Names of the parties and case number
• Filing date, court, and county of venue
• Claimed basis for annulment and court findings
• Final order declaring the marriage void or annulled and related relief granted

Privacy and legal restrictions

Public access framework

• Marriage records recorded by the county Probate Court are generally treated as public records, subject to Georgia’s open records laws and applicable privacy protections for sensitive personal data.
• Divorce and annulment case files are generally public court records, but courts can restrict access to specific filings or information by law or court order.

Common restrictions and limitations

• Sealed or restricted court records: A superior court can seal parts of a divorce/annulment file or restrict access to protect minors, victims, confidential financial information, or other legally protected interests.
• Confidential information redaction: Access to documents may be limited or copies may be redacted to protect Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and other sensitive identifiers in accordance with court rules and privacy practices.
• Certified copies vs. informational copies: Agencies may provide certified copies for legal use; informational copies may be limited depending on record type and office policy.
• Identity verification requirements: Some offices require identification for issuance of certified copies, particularly where records contain sensitive personal information, even when the underlying record is not sealed.

Vital records program constraints

• State vital records offices often provide verifications or certified copies only for record types/years within their statutory authority and retained databases; divorce decrees themselves are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk as the court of record.

Worth County is a rural county in southwest Georgia anchored by Sylvester (the county seat) and situated along the Albany metropolitan labor market. The county has a small population, low-to-moderate density, and a community context shaped by agriculture, public-sector employment, and regional commuting to larger job centers such as Albany and Tifton.

Education Indicators

Public schools (counts and names)

Worth County’s public K–12 system is operated by Worth County Schools. Public schools commonly listed for the district include:

• Worth County Primary School
• Worth County Elementary School
• Worth County Middle School
• Worth County High School

Official district and school listings are available through Worth County Schools (district website) and the Georgia Department of Education directory (Georgia DOE).

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratio: District/school-level ratios vary year to year and by grade band; the most consistently comparable source is the NCES district profile for Worth County Schools (NCES district search).
• Graduation rate: Georgia reports cohort graduation rates annually at the school and district level. The most recent official values for Worth County High School and the district are published in the state’s CCRPI/Graduation data resources (Governor’s Office of Student Achievement).

Note: A single “most recent” numeric value is not repeated here because the official rate is updated annually and is best cited directly from the state’s current release.

Adult education levels

Adult educational attainment is most reliably benchmarked using U.S. Census Bureau ACS (5-year) county estimates. Worth County generally trends below statewide attainment on bachelor’s degree completion, consistent with rural south Georgia counties.

• High school diploma or higher: Reported via ACS “Educational Attainment” tables for Worth County.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: Also reported via ACS and typically lower than the Georgia statewide share.

Primary source: U.S. Census Bureau data (data.census.gov) (search “Worth County, GA educational attainment”).

Notable programs (STEM, vocational training, AP)

• Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE): Georgia districts commonly offer CTAE pathways aligned with regional workforce needs (agriculture, health science, skilled trades, business). Worth County program offerings are posted by the district and high school (Worth County Schools).
• Advanced Placement (AP) / dual enrollment: AP and/or dual enrollment participation is typically documented in school course catalogs and state CCRPI components (where applicable). The most current offerings are maintained locally by the high school and district.

Proxy note: In the absence of a single consolidated “program inventory” dataset for the county, district-published course catalogs and Georgia DOE program reporting serve as the standard references.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Georgia public schools operate under state requirements and local procedures that generally include:

• School safety planning and coordination (emergency operations plans, drills, visitor management, and law-enforcement coordination where applicable) as part of district policy and state guidance (GOSA and Georgia DOE).
• Student support services: Public schools typically provide school counseling services (academic planning, behavioral/mental health referrals, crisis response) as part of standard student services; specific staffing and programs are documented by the district (Worth County Schools).

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

The most authoritative local unemployment figures come from the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) and are updated monthly for counties.

• Source for the latest Worth County unemployment rate: Georgia Department of Labor labor force data.

Proxy note: County unemployment in southwest Georgia typically fluctuates seasonally with agriculture and regional service employment; the current rate should be cited from GDOL’s latest release for accuracy.

Major industries and employment sectors

Worth County’s employment base is typical of rural southwest Georgia:

• Agriculture and related processing
• Manufacturing (often food/ag-related or light manufacturing in the region)
• Retail trade and accommodation/food services
• Health care and social assistance
• Educational services and public administration

Best-available sector detail is published through:

• U.S. Census Bureau ACS industry and class-of-worker tables
• Georgia Department of Labor regional labor market summaries

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Common occupation groups in the county typically include:

• Management/business/financial and office/administrative support
• Sales and related
• Production and transportation/material moving
• Construction/extraction and installation/maintenance/repair
• Healthcare support and practitioners (regionally concentrated in nearby hubs)

Primary reference for county occupation distributions: ACS occupation tables (search “Worth County, GA occupation”).

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

Worth County exhibits a commuter profile consistent with rural counties:

• A substantial share of residents drive alone to work, with limited public transit.
• Commutes often connect to Albany (Dougherty County) and Tifton (Tift County) for higher concentrations of jobs and services.

Mean commute time and mode-to-work are reported in ACS commuting tables: ACS commuting characteristics (search “Worth County, GA travel time to work”).

Local employment vs. out-of-county work

Worth County commonly functions as both a local labor market (schools, county government, retail, agriculture) and a residential base for regional commuting. The most standardized measurement of where residents work versus where jobs are located is:

• LEHD OnTheMap (U.S. Census), which provides inflow/outflow and residence-to-work patterns.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

Worth County’s housing tenure reflects rural south Georgia patterns, with homeownership generally higher than large urban counties and a smaller rental market centered around Sylvester.

• Official homeownership and renter shares: ACS housing tenure tables (search “Worth County, GA tenure”).

Median property values and recent trends

• Median home value: Reported through ACS “Value” tables and typically lower than the Georgia statewide median due to rural market structure and smaller housing stock.
• Recent trends: County-level price trends can be approximated using ACS median value changes across recent 5-year releases; transaction-based indices are often limited in low-volume rural markets.

Primary reference: ACS median home value (Worth County, GA).
Proxy note: Where sales volume is thin, ACS medians provide the most consistent countywide benchmark, but they are survey-based rather than transaction-index-based.

Typical rent prices

• Median gross rent: Reported via ACS gross rent tables; rents are typically lower than Georgia’s metro areas, with the market concentrated in Sylvester and along major corridors.

Primary reference: ACS median gross rent (search “Worth County, GA gross rent”).

Types of housing

Worth County housing stock is dominated by:

• Single-family detached homes (in-town lots and rural homesteads)
• Manufactured housing (a common rural component)
• A limited supply of small multifamily/apartments, primarily in Sylvester

Source for structure type distribution: ACS housing structure type tables.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools or amenities)

• Sylvester concentrates schools, civic services, basic retail, and local medical services, resulting in the shortest typical trips to daily amenities.
• Unincorporated areas are more rural, with larger lots and greater travel distances to schools, groceries, and healthcare; access is oriented around state routes and regional connectors.

Proxy note: Detailed “neighborhood-level” walkability and amenity indices are not consistently published at fine geography for the entire county; city-versus-rural differences are the most reliable general characterization.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

Property taxes in Georgia vary by assessed value and millage rates across county, city, and school levies. Worth County homeowners typically pay:

• A combined bill influenced by county, school district, and (where applicable) municipal millage.

Authoritative local references:

• Worth County Tax Commissioner/Assessors listings and millage/assessment information (posted by the county government): Worth County government
• Georgia assessment framework overview: Georgia Department of Revenue

Proxy note: A single “average rate” is not uniformly comparable without specifying the tax district (city vs. unincorporated) and taxable value; county-published millage rates and ACS “median real estate taxes paid” provide the most consistent countywide summaries.*