Carrollton

Carrollton, Georgia is a college town about an hour west of Atlanta, home to the University of West Georgia, a walkable downtown square, and a slower pace than the metro area, though that doesn't mean life here is easy if you're without stable housing. The average household income sits around $58,000 a year, and Carroll County's most recent point-in-time count identified 47 people experiencing homelessness in 2023, a number advocates say likely undercounts the reality of folks doubled up or sleeping in cars. Manna House of Carrollton has long served hot meals and groceries to anyone in need, no questions asked. Carroll County's Extended Hand of Christian Fellowship and the Salvation Army of Carroll County also provide clothing, food assistance, and sometimes emergency shelter referrals when space allows. HomeStretch, a regional nonprofit, works to transition families out of homelessness through structured housing programs, though openings can take time. Winters here get colder than people expect for Georgia, so layering matters, and the downtown library is a warm, legal place to sit during the day. You're not invisible here, and you don't have to figure out every next step today — just the next one.