Georgia Water Hardness by County

Water in Georgia has a median hardness of 24.4 mg/L as CaCO₃ — "soft" on the USGS scale — based on 92,696 measurements at 5,238 monitoring stations. Glynn County has the state's hardest measured water (230 mg/L); Towns County the softest (3.6). Rank: #46 of the 50 states and D.C.

Georgia water hardness map — what the numbers mean. Data verified 2026-07-22.

Of Georgia's 159 measured counties, 1 very hard, 2 hard, 10 moderately hard, and 146 soft. The hardest are Glynn County (230 mg/L), McIntosh County (148), and Catoosa County (127). Towns County is the softest at 3.6 mg/L (soft).

About 2% of Georgia's roughly 10.8 million residents in counties with gate-passing hardness data live where tap water is hard or worse.

Statewide, Georgia's median works out to 1.4 grains per gallon and ranks #46 of the 50 states and D.C. Across 92,696 measurements at 5,238 stations — 74,825 of them since 2000 — the middle 80% of readings fall between 9 and 110 mg/L. The public record runs from 1906 to 2026.

See where Georgia sits nationally on the national map, or what its number means on the hardness scale.

Download the Georgia water hardness map (PNG) — Water hardness by county in Georgia: 159 counties mapped from USGS/EPA data, statewide median 24.4 mg/L (soft); darker counties have harder water.

By county

Water hardness by county

The table lists all 159 measured Georgia counties, hardest first. Their medians span 230 mg/L in Glynn County to 3.6 in Towns County — a 63.9× range.

County water hardness, hardest first — median mg/L as CaCO₃.
CountyMedianBandResultsSitesNewest
Glynn County230Very hard4,5421422026
McIntosh County148Hard414522025
Catoosa County127Hard1,002252026
Mitchell County110.5Moderately hard58232023
Chattooga County110Moderately hard1,555522026
Polk County110Moderately hard474242024
Walker County110Moderately hard423562025
Miller County100Moderately hard164322023
Chatham County97.9Moderately hard1,147932026
Camden County73Moderately hard6321032025
Coffee County73Moderately hard486352026
Whitfield County64Moderately hard1,902472026
Dade County62Moderately hard177232023
Floyd County53Soft2,180532026
Gordon County50Soft1,740682026
Dooly County49Soft130372026
Thomas County47Soft483502025
Baker County45Soft697262026
Colquitt County45Soft356782024
Lowndes County45Soft8051742026
Bleckley County44.5Soft3682026
Decatur County41Soft1,385742026
Bartow County38Soft1,680562026
Liberty County36.1Soft883532020
Wilkes County35Soft260252026
Clayton County34Soft252192026
Dougherty County34Soft1,2341352026
Grady County33Soft698282026
Henry County33Soft456212026
Jeff Davis County33Soft455102026
Cook County32.5Soft210382023
Sumter County32.5Soft653852026
Brooks County32Soft504382026
Jones County32Soft679302026
Taliaferro County32Soft85142026
Jasper County31.1Soft228212025
Long County29.5Soft256152026
Fulton County29.3Soft5,2371232026
Ben Hill County29Soft106172025
Dodge County29Soft43112026
Paulding County29Soft139222026
Pulaski County29Soft415152026
Cobb County28.9Soft964682026
DeKalb County28.9Soft2,871812025
Treutlen County28.8Soft4492017
Calhoun County28Soft139212026
Seminole County28Soft637282026
Turner County28Soft135392023
Wilcox County28Soft101132026
Irwin County27.5Soft141242025
Jenkins County27.5Soft109162026
Jackson County27.1Soft352312025
Tift County27Soft362422026
Bulloch County26Soft652412026
Douglas County26Soft1,133252026
Early County26Soft273372025
Screven County26Soft611382025
Twiggs County25.5Soft64292018
Burke County25Soft203312025
Fayette County25Soft580212026
Johnson County25Soft77172025
Wilkinson County25Soft293582024
Bacon County24Soft220172026
Barrow County24Soft166172025
Crisp County24Soft223282026
Laurens County24Soft672442026
Oconee County24Soft537182026
Troup County24Soft1,682362026
Franklin County23.9Soft203202025
Appling County23.7Soft238262022
Atkinson County23Soft83112023
Berrien County23Soft205242024
Coweta County23Soft295272026
Emanuel County23Soft108222022
Putnam County23Soft597282026
Bryan County22Soft373252025
Chattahoochee County22Soft209122026
Cherokee County22Soft2,157342026
Clay County22Soft319132026
Crawford County22Soft128152022
Effingham County22Soft579262026
Greene County22Soft658302026
Harris County22Soft793322026
Lee County22Soft157312022
McDuffie County22Soft113122026
Muscogee County22Soft406202026
Newton County22Soft1,279392026
Spalding County22Soft119142025
Wayne County22Soft798422024
Worth County22Soft171362026
Banks County21.5Soft5472025
Quitman County21.4Soft306112026
Murray County21Soft323402024
Stewart County21Soft691262026
Washington County21Soft176232025
Charlton County20Soft537372026
Gwinnett County20Soft4,760862026
Hancock County20Soft292222026
Monroe County20Soft723292026
Pierce County20Soft439202026
Ware County20Soft343252026
Stephens County19.9Soft102152026
Clarke County19.5Soft373392026
Oglethorpe County19.5Soft116142024
Butts County19Soft942242026
Candler County19Soft151112023
Evans County19Soft243162024
Warren County19Soft183202025
Morgan County18.9Soft382292026
Baldwin County18Soft342112025
Columbia County18Soft281402025
Jefferson County18Soft256452026
Pickens County18Soft160172023
Terrell County18Soft139242018
Wheeler County18Soft202212026
Pike County17.9Soft247252024
Rockdale County17.7Soft737392025
Walton County17.5Soft314222026
Bibb County17Soft602262023
Carroll County17Soft1,171372026
Heard County17Soft1,163252026
Randolph County17Soft250132026
Telfair County16.9Soft141172025
Montgomery County16.5Soft52112026
Meriwether County16Soft252212026
Tattnall County16Soft381202025
Hall County15.5Soft2,409542026
Lamar County15.5Soft7292025
Toombs County15.2Soft250222025
Madison County15Soft198202026
Upson County15Soft571272026
Webster County15Soft208152022
Echols County14Soft342142025
Elbert County14Soft415282025
Haralson County14Soft402212026
Houston County14Soft172332017
Lincoln County14Soft21992025
Brantley County12Soft731192026
Forsyth County12Soft709272025
Glascock County12Soft73132024
Macon County12Soft845362026
Richmond County12Soft9761252026
Talbot County11Soft130162026
Gilmer County9Soft1,820502026
Hart County8.2Soft259212026
Habersham County8Soft288212023
Lanier County8Soft211152025
White County7.9Soft482392026
Union County7.1Soft548322026
Clinch County7Soft549182026
Schley County6.6Soft22102021
Dawson County6.3Soft236292025
Peach County6Soft21102024
Lumpkin County5.5Soft957282026
Taylor County5.5Soft290282024
Fannin County5.4Soft680512026
Marion County5.4Soft56112025
Rabun County5.1Soft806402026
Towns County3.6Soft433202025

ZIP codes

ZIP codes in Georgia

The ZIP codes below are grouped by the Georgia county each mostly falls within (by land area). Each ZIP takes that county's measured median — shown in the group header — so this is a ZIP-to-county guide, not a separate reading for every ZIP. To check the water system serving a specific address, use the lookup.

Key: a † after a ZIP means it has no mapped community water system — usually a private-well area. Plain ZIPs are served by a mapped community water system.

Glynn County · 230 mg/L · Very hard

315203152231523†3152431525†3152731561

McIntosh County · 148 mg/L · Hard

31305†31327†31331†

Catoosa County · 127 mg/L · Hard

307263073630742†

Mitchell County · 110.5 mg/L · Moderately hard

31716†31730†31765†31779†31784†

Chattooga County · 110 mg/L · Moderately hard

30730†30731†30747†30753

Polk County · 110 mg/L · Moderately hard

30104†30125†30153†

Walker County · 110 mg/L · Moderately hard

307073072530728307393074130750†

Miller County · 100 mg/L · Moderately hard

39837†

Chatham County · 97.9 mg/L · Moderately hard

31302†3132231328†314013140431405†3140631407†3140831409†31410†31411314153141931421†

Camden County · 73 mg/L · Moderately hard

31547†31548†31558†31565†31568†31569†

Coffee County · 73 mg/L · Moderately hard

31512†31519†31533†31535†31554†31567†

Whitfield County · 64 mg/L · Moderately hard

30710†307203072130740†30755†30756

Dade County · 62 mg/L · Moderately hard

307383075230757

Floyd County · 53 mg/L · Soft

30105†30124†30147†30149†301613016530173

Gordon County · 50 mg/L · Soft

30139†3070130733†30734†30735†30746†

Dooly County · 49 mg/L · Soft

31007†3105131070†31091†31092

Thomas County · 47 mg/L · Soft

31626†31738†31757†3177331792†

Baker County · 45 mg/L · Soft

39870†

Colquitt County · 45 mg/L · Soft

31722†317473175331756†31768†31771†3177531788†

Lowndes County · 45 mg/L · Soft

31601†31602†31605†31606†31632†31641†3169831699†

Bleckley County · 44.5 mg/L · Soft

31014†

Decatur County · 41 mg/L · Soft

39815†39817†39819†39825†39834†

Bartow County · 38 mg/L · Soft

3010330120301213013730145†30171†30178†30184†

Liberty County · 36.1 mg/L · Soft

31301†31309†3131331314†3131531320†31323†31333

Wilkes County · 35 mg/L · Soft

30660†30668†30673

Clayton County · 34 mg/L · Soft

3023630238302503026030273302743029630297

Dougherty County · 34 mg/L · Soft

317013170431705†3170731721†

Grady County · 33 mg/L · Soft

39827†39828†39897†

Henry County · 33 mg/L · Soft

3022830248302523025330281

Jeff Davis County · 33 mg/L · Soft

31532†31539†

Cook County · 32.5 mg/L · Soft

31620†31627†31637†31647†

Sumter County · 32.5 mg/L · Soft

31709†31711†31719†31735†31764†31780

Brooks County · 32 mg/L · Soft

31625†31629†31638†3164331720†31778†

Jones County · 32 mg/L · Soft

31032†31033†31038†31211†31217†

Taliaferro County · 32 mg/L · Soft

30631†30664†

Jasper County · 31.1 mg/L · Soft

30056†31064†31085†

Long County · 29.5 mg/L · Soft

31316

Fulton County · 29.3 mg/L · Soft

300043000530009300223007530076†3009730213302683027230291303033030530306303083030930310303113031230313303143031530318303243032630327303283033130332303343033630337303423034430349303503035430363

Ben Hill County · 29 mg/L · Soft

31750†

Dodge County · 29 mg/L · Soft

31011†31012†31023†31077†

Paulding County · 29 mg/L · Soft

30132†3014130157†

Pulaski County · 29 mg/L · Soft

31036†31071†

Cobb County · 28.9 mg/L · Soft

30008300603006230064300663006730068300803008230090301013010630111301263012730144301523016830339

DeKalb County · 28.9 mg/L · Soft

3000230021300303003230033300343003530038300583007230079300833008430087300883028830294303073031630317303193032230329303383034030341303453034630360

Treutlen County · 28.8 mg/L · Soft

30457†

Calhoun County · 28 mg/L · Soft

39813†3984639862†39866†

Seminole County · 28 mg/L · Soft

39845†39859†

Turner County · 28 mg/L · Soft

31714†31783†31790†

Wilcox County · 28 mg/L · Soft

31001†31072†3107931084†

Irwin County · 27.5 mg/L · Soft

31733†31774†31798†

Jenkins County · 27.5 mg/L · Soft

30442†30822†

Jackson County · 27.1 mg/L · Soft

30517305293054830549†30558†30565†30567†3057530607†

Tift County · 27 mg/L · Soft

31727†31793†31794†

Bulloch County · 26 mg/L · Soft

30415†30450†30452†304583046030461†

Douglas County · 26 mg/L · Soft

3012230134†3013530187†

Early County · 26 mg/L · Soft

39823†39832†39841†39861†

Screven County · 26 mg/L · Soft

30446†30449†30455†30467†

Twiggs County · 25.5 mg/L · Soft

31020†31044†

Burke County · 25 mg/L · Soft

30426†30456†30816†30830†

Fayette County · 25 mg/L · Soft

30205†3021430215†3026930290†

Johnson County · 25 mg/L · Soft

31049†31096

Wilkinson County · 25 mg/L · Soft

31003†31017†31031†31042†31054†31090†

Bacon County · 24 mg/L · Soft

31510†

Barrow County · 24 mg/L · Soft

30011†306203066630680

Crisp County · 24 mg/L · Soft

31015†31712†

Laurens County · 24 mg/L · Soft

30454†31009†31019†31021†31022†31027†31065†31075†

Oconee County · 24 mg/L · Soft

30621†3062230677†

Troup County · 24 mg/L · Soft

302303024030241†

Franklin County · 23.9 mg/L · Soft

30521†30553†3055730639†30662†

Appling County · 23.7 mg/L · Soft

3151331518†31563†

Atkinson County · 23 mg/L · Soft

31624†31642†31650†

Berrien County · 23 mg/L · Soft

31622†31639†31645†31749†

Coweta County · 23 mg/L · Soft

30220†3022930259302633026530275302763027730289

Emanuel County · 23 mg/L · Soft

3040130425†30441†30448†30464†30471†31002†

Putnam County · 23 mg/L · Soft

31024

Bryan County · 22 mg/L · Soft

31308†31321†31324

Chattahoochee County · 22 mg/L · Soft

31805†31905†

Cherokee County · 22 mg/L · Soft

3010230107†30114†3011530183†3018830189

Clay County · 22 mg/L · Soft

3982439851†

Crawford County · 22 mg/L · Soft

31050†31066†31078†

Effingham County · 22 mg/L · Soft

31303†3130731312†31318†3132631329†

Greene County · 22 mg/L · Soft

30642†3066530669†30678†

Harris County · 22 mg/L · Soft

31804†31807†31808†31811†31822†31823†31826†31831†31833†

Lee County · 22 mg/L · Soft

31743†31763†31787†

McDuffie County · 22 mg/L · Soft

30808†30824

Muscogee County · 22 mg/L · Soft

3182031829319013190331904319063190731909

Newton County · 22 mg/L · Soft

300143001630054†30055†30070

Spalding County · 22 mg/L · Soft

302233022430284

Wayne County · 22 mg/L · Soft

31545†31546†31555†31560†31599†

Worth County · 22 mg/L · Soft

31744†31772†31781†31789†31791†31795†31796†

Banks County · 21.5 mg/L · Soft

30510†30511†30530†30547†

Quitman County · 21.4 mg/L · Soft

39854†39867†

Murray County · 21 mg/L · Soft

30705†30708†30711†3072430751†

Stewart County · 21 mg/L · Soft

31814†31815†31821†31825†

Washington County · 21 mg/L · Soft

31018†31035†3106731082†31089†31094†

Charlton County · 20 mg/L · Soft

31537†31562†

Gwinnett County · 20 mg/L · Soft

300173001930024300393004330044300453004630047300713007830092300933009630518†30519

Hancock County · 20 mg/L · Soft

31045†31087†

Monroe County · 20 mg/L · Soft

31004†31016†3102931046†

Pierce County · 20 mg/L · Soft

3151631551†31556†31557†

Ware County · 20 mg/L · Soft

3150131503†31550†31552†31564†

Stephens County · 19.9 mg/L · Soft

30538†3057730598

Clarke County · 19.5 mg/L · Soft

3060130602306053060630609

Oglethorpe County · 19.5 mg/L · Soft

30619†30627†30630†30648†30667†30683†

Butts County · 19 mg/L · Soft

30216†3023330234†

Candler County · 19 mg/L · Soft

30420†3043930451†

Evans County · 19 mg/L · Soft

30414†30417†30423†30429

Warren County · 19 mg/L · Soft

30807†30821†30828†

Morgan County · 18.9 mg/L · Soft

30623†30625†3065030663†

Baldwin County · 18 mg/L · Soft

310343106131062†

Columbia County · 18 mg/L · Soft

3080230809308133081430907

Jefferson County · 18 mg/L · Soft

30413†30434†3047730803†30818†30823†30833†

Pickens County · 18 mg/L · Soft

3014330175†30177†

Terrell County · 18 mg/L · Soft

39826†39842†39877†39885

Wheeler County · 18 mg/L · Soft

30411†30428†

Pike County · 17.9 mg/L · Soft

30206†30256†30258†30292†30295†

Rockdale County · 17.7 mg/L · Soft

3001230013†30094

Walton County · 17.5 mg/L · Soft

30018†30025†30052†30641†3065530656†

Bibb County · 17 mg/L · Soft

31052†31201†31204312063120731210312133121631220†

Carroll County · 17 mg/L · Soft

3010830116†30117†3011830170†30179†30180†30182†30185†

Heard County · 17 mg/L · Soft

30217†

Randolph County · 17 mg/L · Soft

39836†39840†39886†

Telfair County · 16.9 mg/L · Soft

31037†31055†31060†31083†31544†31549†

Montgomery County · 16.5 mg/L · Soft

30410†30412†30445†30470†

Meriwether County · 16 mg/L · Soft

30218†30222†30251†30293†31816†31830†

Tattnall County · 16 mg/L · Soft

3042130427†30453†

Hall County · 15.5 mg/L · Soft

30501305043050630507305273054230543†3055430564†30566

Lamar County · 15.5 mg/L · Soft

30204†30257†

Toombs County · 15.2 mg/L · Soft

30436†30473†30474

Madison County · 15 mg/L · Soft

30628†30629†30633†30646†

Upson County · 15 mg/L · Soft

30285†3028631097†

Webster County · 15 mg/L · Soft

31824†31832†

Echols County · 14 mg/L · Soft

31631†31636†31648†

Elbert County · 14 mg/L · Soft

30624†30634†30635†

Haralson County · 14 mg/L · Soft

301103011330176†

Houston County · 14 mg/L · Soft

3100531025†3102831047†3106931088†3109331098

Lincoln County · 14 mg/L · Soft

30817†

Brantley County · 12 mg/L · Soft

31542†31543†31553†31566†

Forsyth County · 12 mg/L · Soft

300283004030041†

Glascock County · 12 mg/L · Soft

3081030820†

Macon County · 12 mg/L · Soft

31041†31057†31063†31068†

Richmond County · 12 mg/L · Soft

30805†3081230815†30901†3090430905†30906†3090930912

Talbot County · 11 mg/L · Soft

31810†31812†31827†31836†

Gilmer County · 9 mg/L · Soft

30522†30536†3053930540†

Hart County · 8.2 mg/L · Soft

30516†30520†30643†

Habersham County · 8 mg/L · Soft

3052330531†30535†30563

Lanier County · 8 mg/L · Soft

31635†31649†

White County · 7.9 mg/L · Soft

3052830545†30571†

Union County · 7.1 mg/L · Soft

30512†30572†

Clinch County · 7 mg/L · Soft

31623†31630†31634†

Schley County · 6.6 mg/L · Soft

31806†

Dawson County · 6.3 mg/L · Soft

3014830534†

Peach County · 6 mg/L · Soft

31008†31030

Lumpkin County · 5.5 mg/L · Soft

30533†30597

Taylor County · 5.5 mg/L · Soft

31006†31039†31058†31076†31081†

Fannin County · 5.4 mg/L · Soft

30513†30541†30555†30559†30560†

Marion County · 5.4 mg/L · Soft

31801†31803

Rabun County · 5.1 mg/L · Soft

30525†3053730552†30562†30568†30573†30576†30581†

Towns County · 3.6 mg/L · Soft

30546†30582†

† 459 ZIP codes are not served by a mapped community water system — most are private-well areas. See well water hardness.

Check any ZIP's utility and hardness →

Source

Groundwater vs surface water

Georgia's groundwater measures harder than its surface water — 200 mg/L across 6,608 samples versus 23.1 across 85,901, about 8.7× harder. Wells draw from groundwater, so well owners in Georgia tend to see the harder number — 200 mg/L, very hard. Groundwater readings there run 23.6 to 440 mg/L across the middle 80% of samples. The comparison draws on 1,859 groundwater and 3,359 surface-water monitoring sites; 2,084 readings above 2,000 mg/L were logged but held out of the medians as outliers.

Groundwater (wells)

200 mg/L as CaCO₃ · 6,608 results at 1,859 stations.

Surface water (rivers, lakes)

23.1 mg/L as CaCO₃ · 85,901 results at 3,359 stations.

Groundwater measures about 8.7× harder than surface water here.

Chemistry

Water chemistry in Georgia

Beyond the hardness number, Georgia's water carries a fuller chemical signature — here is how its measured parameters compare to national benchmarks.

TDS

66 mg/L · n=7,287

66 mg/L — below the national county median of 226.

pH

6.8 pH · n=151,608

pH 6.8 — within the EPA secondary range of 6.5–8.5, on the acidic side.

Alkalinity

23 mg/L as CaCO3 · n=83,562

23 mg/L — modest buffering capacity.

Calcium : Magnesium

6.1 : 1.6 mg/L ≈ 3.81 : 1 · n=16,918

Calcium is about 70% of Georgia's hardness (6.1 mg/L Ca to 1.6 mg/L Mg), a little more calcium-rich than the national ~68% calcium share.

Parameter medians may include a small share of quality-control samples; the hardness lane is fully QC-filtered.

Aquifers

Major aquifers under Georgia

3 aquifer systems supply much of Georgia's measured groundwater.

  • Floridan aquifer system — median 210 mg/L across 5,089 samples at 900 sites: very hard.
  • Valley and Ridge aquifers — median 140 mg/L across 64 samples at 60 sites: hard.
  • Piedmont and Blue Ridge crystalline-rock aquifers — median 44 mg/L across 364 samples at 291 sites: soft.

Together these systems account for 5,517 measured samples at 1,251 sites. Aquifer medians pool samples across a whole system and can mask local variation — see the national aquifer map for how these compare across states.

Trend

Hardness over time

1900s2020s92

Georgia's decade median moved from 25.2 mg/L in the 1900s to 22 in the 2020s. Over the series, the decade median peaked at 92 mg/L in the 1960s and bottomed at 16 in the 1930s. Decade medians reflect where and what agencies sampled in each era, not just changes in the water itself.

Scale

Where Georgia sits on the scale

On the USGS scale, Georgia's 24.4 mg/L is soft — 1.4 grains per gallon, below the 60 mg/L soft cutoff — among the softest water measured in the US.

SoftModerately hardHardVery hard60 · 3.5 gpg120 · 7.0 gpg180 · 10.5 gpg24.4 mg/L — Soft
Harder than 13% of the 2,977 measured county medians.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is Georgia's water hard?
Georgia's median hardness is 24.4 mg/L as CaCO₃, "soft" on the USGS scale and below the national county median of 140 mg/L.
Which county in Georgia has the hardest water?
Glynn County, with a median of 230 mg/L as CaCO₃ across 4,542 measurements.
Is well water harder than city water in Georgia?
Groundwater measures harder here — about 8.7× the surface water — so wells tend to run harder (groundwater 200 vs surface water 23.1 mg/L).
How do I find my exact hardness in Georgia?
Search your ZIP on the lookup tool, read your utility's Consumer Confidence Report, or test at home with a kit.
Is Georgia's water harder than the national average?
No. Georgia's median of 24.4 mg/L is below the national county median of 140 mg/L; it ranks #46 of the 50 states and D.C.

Compare

States with similar hardness

Two states measure closest to Georgia's 24.4 mg/L: New Hampshire at 22.9 mg/L and North Carolina at 27 mg/L. Georgia measures harder than 10% of states. Browse the full ranking on the statistics page.

More: hardness scale · check your address · national statistics · the national map.

By . Source: USGS/EPA Water Quality Portal — 92,696 Georgia measurements. Data last verified . Methodology.

Cite this page: “Georgia Water Hardness by County.” Hard Water Map. Retrieved 2026-07-22, https://hardwatermap.com/water-hardness/georgia/