Georgia has a vibrant and varied culture, yet faces educational difficulties. As per the U.S. Census Bureau data, the percentage of adults in Georgia with a bachelor’s degree or higher is 31.3%, which is slightly below the national average of 32.1%. Some Georgia cities, such as Sandy Springs (62.8%) and Johns Creek (61.9%), have high educational attainment rates, while others have lower rates. LaGrange, identified as the city with the lowest education levels in Georgia by SafeWise, a platform that focuses on security product reviews, is dealing with these inequalities.
How SafeWise Ranks Cities with Lower Education Levels?
SafeWise uses information from the 2019 American Community Survey by the U.S. Census Bureau to create lists of the cities with the lowest education levels in each state. It determines the percentage of adults aged 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher in each city and arranges them from lowest to highest.
The analysis focuses on cities with populations over 25,000 that share detailed crime data with the FBI. A bachelor’s degree is a four-year degree from an accredited college or university, different from associate, professional, or graduate degrees.
Exploring the Reasons Behind LaGrange’s Low Education Ranking in Georgia
LaGrange is a small city with a population of around 30,000 residents, located in Troup County, about 60 miles southwest of Atlanta. Established in 1828, the name was inspired by the French estate of Marquis de Lafayette, a hero of the American Revolutionary War. LaGrange played a major role in cotton production and textile manufacturing in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, it houses a variety of manufacturing companies such as Kia Motors, Caterpillar, and Duracell.
LaGrange has a lower educational attainment rate compared to other cities in Georgia and the entire nation. Only 18.5% of adults in LaGrange have a bachelor’s degree or higher, which is lower than the statewide average of 31.3% and the national average of 32.1%. This indicates that more than 80% of LaGrange’s adult population has either a high school diploma or some college education at most.
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There are various reasons that could lead to LaGrange having lower educational achievement:
- Access to higher education in LaGrange is restricted due to the presence of just one four-year college, LaGrange College. This private liberal arts institution has a high tuition cost of $31,030 per year and a low acceptance rate of 57%. No public universities or community colleges are located within the city.
- LaGrange has a poverty rate of 24.4%, which is higher than both the state average of 14.3% and the national average of 12.3%.
- Struggling financially can make it difficult for people to pay for and attend college, affecting their health, diet, and drive.
- There is not a high demand for skilled labor in LaGrange due to its focus on manufacturing, where advanced education is not typically required for many roles. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, common jobs in LaGrange are production workers, material handlers, sales staff, office clerks, and food preparers. Usually, these positions only need a high school diploma or lower.
Finally
LaGrange is currently ranked as Georgia’s least educated city based on SafeWise’s rankings using Census data. Several factors contribute to this situation, such as restricted higher education access, a significant poverty rate, and an economy primarily focused on manufacturing with minimal educational demands. However, LaGrange has the potential to evolve into a more educated and prosperous city by expanding educational opportunities, tackling poverty and inequality, and creating a need for skilled labor.
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