A new report from USAFacts, using data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, shows that hundreds of Chattooga County residents rely on federally subsidized housing programs.

According to the report, approximately 664 people lived in subsidized housing in Chattooga County in 2025, representing about 2.6 percent of the county’s population. That figure is slightly higher than the statewide average of 2.3 percent.

The report found that residents living in subsidized housing had occupied their homes for an average of seven years and four months.

Income levels among subsidized housing residents remain low. The average household income was reported at $16,100 annually, with 99 percent of households earning less than $40,000 per year. About 43 percent of households earned between $10,000 and $15,000 annually.

Most households receiving housing assistance depend on income sources other than traditional employment. The report found that 82 percent of households primarily relied on sources such as Social Security, disability benefits, pensions, unemployment benefits, or other assistance programs. Sixteen percent reported wages, salaries, or business income as their primary source of income, while just 1 percent relied mainly on welfare assistance.

Residents in subsidized housing paid an average monthly rent of $367, or about $4,404 per year. On average, that represented 27.4 percent of household income. HUD contributed an average of $499 per household each month to help cover housing costs.

The report also highlights the demographics of households receiving assistance in Chattooga County. Twenty-eight percent of households included children under the age of 18, and more than 96 percent of those families were headed by a single parent. Women headed 79 percent of subsidized housing households, while 26 percent were female-headed households with children.

Additionally, 20 percent of residents living in subsidized housing had a disability. Forty-three percent of households were headed by someone age 62 or older, while 31 percent were headed by adults between the ages of 25 and 50.

The data provides a snapshot of the important role subsidized housing continues to play for low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities in Chattooga County.