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 | Median | Band | Results | Sites | Newest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glynn County | 230 | Very hard | 4,542 | 142 | 2026 |
| McIntosh County | 148 | Hard | 414 | 52 | 2025 |
| Catoosa County | 127 | Hard | 1,002 | 25 | 2026 |
| Mitchell County | 110.5 | Moderately hard | 58 | 23 | 2023 |
| Chattooga County | 110 | Moderately hard | 1,555 | 52 | 2026 |
| Polk County | 110 | Moderately hard | 474 | 24 | 2024 |
| Walker County | 110 | Moderately hard | 423 | 56 | 2025 |
| Miller County | 100 | Moderately hard | 164 | 32 | 2023 |
| Chatham County | 97.9 | Moderately hard | 1,147 | 93 | 2026 |
| Camden County | 73 | Moderately hard | 632 | 103 | 2025 |
| Coffee County | 73 | Moderately hard | 486 | 35 | 2026 |
| Whitfield County | 64 | Moderately hard | 1,902 | 47 | 2026 |
| Dade County | 62 | Moderately hard | 177 | 23 | 2023 |
| Floyd County | 53 | Soft | 2,180 | 53 | 2026 |
| Gordon County | 50 | Soft | 1,740 | 68 | 2026 |
| Dooly County | 49 | Soft | 130 | 37 | 2026 |
| Thomas County | 47 | Soft | 483 | 50 | 2025 |
| Baker County | 45 | Soft | 697 | 26 | 2026 |
| Colquitt County | 45 | Soft | 356 | 78 | 2024 |
| Lowndes County | 45 | Soft | 805 | 174 | 2026 |
| Bleckley County | 44.5 | Soft | 36 | 8 | 2026 |
| Decatur County | 41 | Soft | 1,385 | 74 | 2026 |
| Bartow County | 38 | Soft | 1,680 | 56 | 2026 |
| Liberty County | 36.1 | Soft | 883 | 53 | 2020 |
| Wilkes County | 35 | Soft | 260 | 25 | 2026 |
| Clayton County | 34 | Soft | 252 | 19 | 2026 |
| Dougherty County | 34 | Soft | 1,234 | 135 | 2026 |
| Grady County | 33 | Soft | 698 | 28 | 2026 |
| Henry County | 33 | Soft | 456 | 21 | 2026 |
| Jeff Davis County | 33 | Soft | 455 | 10 | 2026 |
| Cook County | 32.5 | Soft | 210 | 38 | 2023 |
| Sumter County | 32.5 | Soft | 653 | 85 | 2026 |
| Brooks County | 32 | Soft | 504 | 38 | 2026 |
| Jones County | 32 | Soft | 679 | 30 | 2026 |
| Taliaferro County | 32 | Soft | 85 | 14 | 2026 |
| Jasper County | 31.1 | Soft | 228 | 21 | 2025 |
| Long County | 29.5 | Soft | 256 | 15 | 2026 |
| Fulton County | 29.3 | Soft | 5,237 | 123 | 2026 |
| Ben Hill County | 29 | Soft | 106 | 17 | 2025 |
| Dodge County | 29 | Soft | 43 | 11 | 2026 |
| Paulding County | 29 | Soft | 139 | 22 | 2026 |
| Pulaski County | 29 | Soft | 415 | 15 | 2026 |
| Cobb County | 28.9 | Soft | 964 | 68 | 2026 |
| DeKalb County | 28.9 | Soft | 2,871 | 81 | 2025 |
| Treutlen County | 28.8 | Soft | 44 | 9 | 2017 |
| Calhoun County | 28 | Soft | 139 | 21 | 2026 |
| Seminole County | 28 | Soft | 637 | 28 | 2026 |
| Turner County | 28 | Soft | 135 | 39 | 2023 |
| Wilcox County | 28 | Soft | 101 | 13 | 2026 |
| Irwin County | 27.5 | Soft | 141 | 24 | 2025 |
| Jenkins County | 27.5 | Soft | 109 | 16 | 2026 |
| Jackson County | 27.1 | Soft | 352 | 31 | 2025 |
| Tift County | 27 | Soft | 362 | 42 | 2026 |
| Bulloch County | 26 | Soft | 652 | 41 | 2026 |
| Douglas County | 26 | Soft | 1,133 | 25 | 2026 |
| Early County | 26 | Soft | 273 | 37 | 2025 |
| Screven County | 26 | Soft | 611 | 38 | 2025 |
| Twiggs County | 25.5 | Soft | 64 | 29 | 2018 |
| Burke County | 25 | Soft | 203 | 31 | 2025 |
| Fayette County | 25 | Soft | 580 | 21 | 2026 |
| Johnson County | 25 | Soft | 77 | 17 | 2025 |
| Wilkinson County | 25 | Soft | 293 | 58 | 2024 |
| Bacon County | 24 | Soft | 220 | 17 | 2026 |
| Barrow County | 24 | Soft | 166 | 17 | 2025 |
| Crisp County | 24 | Soft | 223 | 28 | 2026 |
| Laurens County | 24 | Soft | 672 | 44 | 2026 |
| Oconee County | 24 | Soft | 537 | 18 | 2026 |
| Troup County | 24 | Soft | 1,682 | 36 | 2026 |
| Franklin County | 23.9 | Soft | 203 | 20 | 2025 |
| Appling County | 23.7 | Soft | 238 | 26 | 2022 |
| Atkinson County | 23 | Soft | 83 | 11 | 2023 |
| Berrien County | 23 | Soft | 205 | 24 | 2024 |
| Coweta County | 23 | Soft | 295 | 27 | 2026 |
| Emanuel County | 23 | Soft | 108 | 22 | 2022 |
| Putnam County | 23 | Soft | 597 | 28 | 2026 |
| Bryan County | 22 | Soft | 373 | 25 | 2025 |
| Chattahoochee County | 22 | Soft | 209 | 12 | 2026 |
| Cherokee County | 22 | Soft | 2,157 | 34 | 2026 |
| Clay County | 22 | Soft | 319 | 13 | 2026 |
| Crawford County | 22 | Soft | 128 | 15 | 2022 |
| Effingham County | 22 | Soft | 579 | 26 | 2026 |
| Greene County | 22 | Soft | 658 | 30 | 2026 |
| Harris County | 22 | Soft | 793 | 32 | 2026 |
| Lee County | 22 | Soft | 157 | 31 | 2022 |
| McDuffie County | 22 | Soft | 113 | 12 | 2026 |
| Muscogee County | 22 | Soft | 406 | 20 | 2026 |
| Newton County | 22 | Soft | 1,279 | 39 | 2026 |
| Spalding County | 22 | Soft | 119 | 14 | 2025 |
| Wayne County | 22 | Soft | 798 | 42 | 2024 |
| Worth County | 22 | Soft | 171 | 36 | 2026 |
| Banks County | 21.5 | Soft | 54 | 7 | 2025 |
| Quitman County | 21.4 | Soft | 306 | 11 | 2026 |
| Murray County | 21 | Soft | 323 | 40 | 2024 |
| Stewart County | 21 | Soft | 691 | 26 | 2026 |
| Washington County | 21 | Soft | 176 | 23 | 2025 |
| Charlton County | 20 | Soft | 537 | 37 | 2026 |
| Gwinnett County | 20 | Soft | 4,760 | 86 | 2026 |
| Hancock County | 20 | Soft | 292 | 22 | 2026 |
| Monroe County | 20 | Soft | 723 | 29 | 2026 |
| Pierce County | 20 | Soft | 439 | 20 | 2026 |
| Ware County | 20 | Soft | 343 | 25 | 2026 |
| Stephens County | 19.9 | Soft | 102 | 15 | 2026 |
| Clarke County | 19.5 | Soft | 373 | 39 | 2026 |
| Oglethorpe County | 19.5 | Soft | 116 | 14 | 2024 |
| Butts County | 19 | Soft | 942 | 24 | 2026 |
| Candler County | 19 | Soft | 151 | 11 | 2023 |
| Evans County | 19 | Soft | 243 | 16 | 2024 |
| Warren County | 19 | Soft | 183 | 20 | 2025 |
| Morgan County | 18.9 | Soft | 382 | 29 | 2026 |
| Baldwin County | 18 | Soft | 342 | 11 | 2025 |
| Columbia County | 18 | Soft | 281 | 40 | 2025 |
| Jefferson County | 18 | Soft | 256 | 45 | 2026 |
| Pickens County | 18 | Soft | 160 | 17 | 2023 |
| Terrell County | 18 | Soft | 139 | 24 | 2018 |
| Wheeler County | 18 | Soft | 202 | 21 | 2026 |
| Pike County | 17.9 | Soft | 247 | 25 | 2024 |
| Rockdale County | 17.7 | Soft | 737 | 39 | 2025 |
| Walton County | 17.5 | Soft | 314 | 22 | 2026 |
| Bibb County | 17 | Soft | 602 | 26 | 2023 |
| Carroll County | 17 | Soft | 1,171 | 37 | 2026 |
| Heard County | 17 | Soft | 1,163 | 25 | 2026 |
| Randolph County | 17 | Soft | 250 | 13 | 2026 |
| Telfair County | 16.9 | Soft | 141 | 17 | 2025 |
| Montgomery County | 16.5 | Soft | 52 | 11 | 2026 |
| Meriwether County | 16 | Soft | 252 | 21 | 2026 |
| Tattnall County | 16 | Soft | 381 | 20 | 2025 |
| Hall County | 15.5 | Soft | 2,409 | 54 | 2026 |
| Lamar County | 15.5 | Soft | 72 | 9 | 2025 |
| Toombs County | 15.2 | Soft | 250 | 22 | 2025 |
| Madison County | 15 | Soft | 198 | 20 | 2026 |
| Upson County | 15 | Soft | 571 | 27 | 2026 |
| Webster County | 15 | Soft | 208 | 15 | 2022 |
| Echols County | 14 | Soft | 342 | 14 | 2025 |
| Elbert County | 14 | Soft | 415 | 28 | 2025 |
| Haralson County | 14 | Soft | 402 | 21 | 2026 |
| Houston County | 14 | Soft | 172 | 33 | 2017 |
| Lincoln County | 14 | Soft | 219 | 9 | 2025 |
| Brantley County | 12 | Soft | 731 | 19 | 2026 |
| Forsyth County | 12 | Soft | 709 | 27 | 2025 |
| Glascock County | 12 | Soft | 73 | 13 | 2024 |
| Macon County | 12 | Soft | 845 | 36 | 2026 |
| Richmond County | 12 | Soft | 976 | 125 | 2026 |
| Talbot County | 11 | Soft | 130 | 16 | 2026 |
| Gilmer County | 9 | Soft | 1,820 | 50 | 2026 |
| Hart County | 8.2 | Soft | 259 | 21 | 2026 |
| Habersham County | 8 | Soft | 288 | 21 | 2023 |
| Lanier County | 8 | Soft | 211 | 15 | 2025 |
| White County | 7.9 | Soft | 482 | 39 | 2026 |
| Union County | 7.1 | Soft | 548 | 32 | 2026 |
| Clinch County | 7 | Soft | 549 | 18 | 2026 |
| Schley County | 6.6 | Soft | 22 | 10 | 2021 |
| Dawson County | 6.3 | Soft | 236 | 29 | 2025 |
| Peach County | 6 | Soft | 21 | 10 | 2024 |
| Lumpkin County | 5.5 | Soft | 957 | 28 | 2026 |
| Taylor County | 5.5 | Soft | 290 | 28 | 2024 |
| Fannin County | 5.4 | Soft | 680 | 51 | 2026 |
| Marion County | 5.4 | Soft | 56 | 11 | 2025 |
| Rabun County | 5.1 | Soft | 806 | 40 | 2026 |
| Towns County | 3.6 | Soft | 433 | 20 | 2025 |
ZIP codes
ZIP codes in Georgia
The ZIP codes below are grouped by the Georgia county they fall in. Each ZIP takes its 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.
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.
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
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.
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 Marko Visic, MPharm, BSc Physics. 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/