Royston, Georgia
Royston, Georgia is a small city in Franklin, Hart, and Madison counties in the southeast part of the state. It sits at about 34.29°N, 83.11°W and covers roughly 3.3 square miles, with almost all of that land. The city had 2,649 residents in 2020.
History and name: A post office has been in Royston since 1878, and the town was named after local merchant W. A. Royston. It was incorporated in 1879.
Location and roads: Royston lies in the southeast corner of Franklin County and the southwest corner of Hart County, with a small part reaching into Madison County. U.S. Route 29 runs through the town, connecting it to Hartwell (about 12 miles northeast) and Athens (about 30 miles southwest). Georgia State Route 17 goes north to Lavonia and southeast to Elberton.
Size and elevation: The city’s total area is about 3.4 square miles, with a tiny portion of water. Elevation is about 899 feet. Royston is in the Eastern Time Zone (EST/EDT).
Codes and government: The ZIP code is 30662 and the area code is 706. The city is governed by Mayor Keith Turman, with the city manager position currently pending.
People and economy (from the 2000 census): About 2,493 people lived in Royston, with a mix of White and African American residents. There were roughly 1,016 households. Median household income was around $22,000, and per capita income about $14,750. About 20–25% of people and families were below the poverty line.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 05:14 (CET).