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Morgan, GA · CALHOUN COUNTY SEAT (courthouse IN CITY) · CRITICAL DISAMBIGUATION: Morgan GA/Calhoun County ≠ Calhoun GA/Gordon County (two entirely different Georgia counties and cities; Calhoun GA is North Georgia I-75 corridor ~230 mi north; Morgan GA is Deep Southwest Georgia; different courts, different markets) · Calhoun County named for VP John C. Calhoun (1782–1850; VP under Adams & Jackson; Senator; Secretary of War; antebellum statesman) · Albany MSA commuter bedroom community (~35 mi NE via US-19; Phoebe Putney Memorial) · Pataula Creek tributary corridor · Calhoun County School System SINGLE CONSOLIDATED · NO in-county hospital (Phoebe Putney Albany ~35 mi NE; Memorial Hospital & Manor Bainbridge ~40 mi west) · No Rent Control · O.C.G.A. §44-7-19 · Population ~1,700 city; ~6,500 county · 3BR SFR $600–$800 · Fill 5–7 weeks

Morgan GA rent increase 2026 Georgia’s O.C.G.A. §44-7-19 preempts all local rent regulation statewide: “No county or municipality shall regulate in any way the amount of rent to be charged for any dwelling unit.” Morgan GA is the CALHOUN COUNTY SEAT — the county courthouse is IN THE CITY at the Calhoun County Courthouse, Morgan GA 39866. CRITICAL DISAMBIGUATION: Morgan, GA (Calhoun County seat; ZIP 39866; Deep Southwest Georgia; ~35 mi west of Albany) is ENTIRELY DIFFERENT from Calhoun, GA (Gordon County seat; ZIP 30701; North Georgia I-75 corridor; ~17,000 city pop; ~230 miles north of Morgan). Calhoun County is named for Vice President John Caldwell Calhoun (1782–1850), one of the most prominent antebellum politicians in American history — VP under Adams and Jackson, Senator from South Carolina, Secretary of War, and Secretary of State. The county seat Morgan, GA is named separately. Morgan, GA is approximately 35 miles west of Albany on US-19, placing it within plausible commuting range of Albany’s Phoebe Putney Health System and other Dougherty County employers. Calhoun County School System SINGLE CONSOLIDATED. NO in-county hospital; nearest Phoebe Putney Memorial (Albany, ~35 mi NE) or Memorial Hospital and Manor (Bainbridge, ~40 mi west).

Morgan is the county seat of Calhoun County in Deep Southwest Georgia, approximately 35 miles west of Albany on US-19 and US-84, in the Pataula Creek watershed south of the Chattahoochee River corridor.

For landlords, Morgan represents a thin rural market with Albany commuter potential as its primary demand differentiator from more remote Southwest Georgia county seats. The Calhoun County vs. Calhoun, GA disambiguation is critical to avoid a costly filing error.

Morgan GA 2026 rent control status: quick reference

Question Answer
Rent control in Morgan / Calhoun County? None. O.C.G.A. §44-7-19 prohibits all local rent regulation statewide. No cap, no formula, no registration, no approval required.
Annual rent increase cap? No cap. Any amount at lease expiration; 30 days’ written notice for month-to-month (O.C.G.A. §44-7-7).
Eviction courthouse Calhoun County Magistrate Court, Morgan GA 39866 — IN CITY. NOT Gordon County Magistrate Court (Calhoun GA city, 30701; North Georgia; different county). Verify at Calhoun County Clerk’s office.
CRITICAL: Morgan GA vs. Calhoun GA DIFFERENT counties, DIFFERENT courts, DIFFERENT regions of Georgia. Morgan = Calhoun County seat (ZIP 39866; SW Georgia; ~35 mi west of Albany). Calhoun, GA = Gordon County seat (ZIP 30701; N Georgia; I-75; ~17,000 city pop; ~230 mi north). Filing error = dismissal.
County naming Calhoun County named for Vice President John C. Calhoun (1782–1850); 7th VP of the United States; VP under Adams (1825–1829) and Jackson (1829–1832); Senator; Secretary of War; Secretary of State.
School system Calhoun County School System only. SINGLE CONSOLIDATED. ~1,000–1,200 enrolled. All Calhoun County properties in one district. No separate Morgan City School System. NOT Gordon County Schools (Calhoun, GA).
Hospital in county? NO in-county hospital in Calhoun County. Nearest: Phoebe Putney Memorial (Albany, Dougherty County, ~35 mi NE) or Memorial Hospital & Manor (Bainbridge, Decatur County, ~40 mi west).
Albany commuter potential ~35 mi east via US-19; Phoebe Putney Health System (~5,000+ employees across Albany MSA); Albany Technical College; Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany; Dougherty County employers. Some Morgan residents commute to Albany.
SCRA military note? Modest. Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany (~35 mi east) generates SCRA exposure. MCLA is a major Marine Corps logistics installation with ~1,500–2,000 military and civilian personnel. Standard SCRA clause required; some Morgan tenants may be MCLB personnel or dependents.
Pre-filing eviction notice? No statutory minimum (O.C.G.A. §44-7-50). Standard practice: 3–7 day written demand. Tenant 7 days to answer after service (§44-7-51).
Security deposit cap? No amount cap. Georgia RLTA §44-7-30; Calhoun County market practice 1–2 months’ rent.
Deposit return deadline? 30 days from termination AND forwarding address receipt (§44-7-34). Bad faith: 3× withheld plus attorney fees (§44-7-35(d)).

Disambiguation: Morgan GA (Calhoun County) vs. Calhoun GA (Gordon County)

Georgia has a city called Calhoun in Gordon County (North Georgia) and a county called Calhoun in Southwest Georgia whose county seat is Morgan — NOT a city called Calhoun. This creates a systematic confusion for landlords.

Morgan, Georgia — Calhoun County seat (this page)

Morgan, Georgia (ZIP 39866, population ~1,700) is the county seat of Calhoun County, Georgia, located in Deep Southwest Georgia on US-19 approximately 35 miles west of Albany and 40 miles east of Bainbridge. Calhoun County was formed from Baker and Randolph Counties in 1854 and is named for Vice President John C. Calhoun. The county seat Morgan is a separate city name, not named Calhoun. Calhoun County (Morgan) is a small rural county of approximately 6,500 residents.

Calhoun, Georgia — Gordon County seat (a completely different entity)

Calhoun, Georgia (ZIP 30701, population ~17,000) is an entirely different entity — the county seat of Gordon County in North Georgia, located on I-75 approximately 70 miles north of Atlanta. Gordon County is named for General John B. Gordon (1832–1904), a Confederate Army general who later served as Governor of Georgia and U.S. Senator. The city of Calhoun (Gordon County seat) is named for Vice President John C. Calhoun — the same person for whom Calhoun County is named. Calhoun, GA (Gordon County) is an industrial and commercial city significantly larger than Morgan, GA (Calhoun County), with carpet and flooring manufacturing, Shaw Industries proximity, and I-75 industrial corridor employment.

How the naming creates landlord errors

  • Investors searching “Calhoun County GA courthouse” must remember the courthouse is in Morgan, not in a city called Calhoun
  • Investors searching “Calhoun GA rent” will find pages about Calhoun, Gordon County (North Georgia, I-75) — not about Morgan, Calhoun County (Southwest Georgia)
  • Filing error: Filing a Calhoun County (Morgan, 39866) eviction at the Gordon County Magistrate Court in Calhoun city (30701) would result in dismissal for wrong jurisdiction

Always confirm: “Calhoun County Magistrate Court, Morgan GA 39866” for Calhoun County properties; “Gordon County Magistrate Court, Calhoun GA 30701” for Gordon County properties.

Calhoun County named for Vice President John C. Calhoun (1782–1850)

Calhoun County, Georgia is one of several Georgia counties named for John Caldwell Calhoun (1782–1850), one of the most consequential American politicians of the antebellum era.

Who was John C. Calhoun?

John C. Calhoun was born in Abbeville District, South Carolina in 1782 and died in Washington, D.C. in 1850. He held more major federal offices than perhaps any other American politician of his era:

  • Secretary of War under President James Monroe (1817–1825): oversaw the reorganization of the U.S. Army and the construction of coastal fortifications
  • 7th Vice President of the United States under President John Quincy Adams (1825–1829) and President Andrew Jackson (1829–1832): the only person to serve as VP under two different presidents from opposing parties; resigned the vice presidency in 1832 — the first VP to resign the office
  • U.S. Senator from South Carolina (1832–1843; 1845–1850): a leading voice for states’ rights, nullification, and the defense of Southern institutions
  • Secretary of State under President John Tyler (1844–1845): negotiated the annexation of Texas

Calhoun was a leading antebellum theorist and political force, and multiple Georgia counties and cities were named for him during and after his lifetime. Georgia’s Calhoun County (seat: Morgan) was formed in 1854, four years after his death.

Albany MSA commuter potential and SCRA note

Morgan, GA’s most significant market differentiator from more remote Southwest Georgia county seats is its proximity to the Albany Metropolitan Statistical Area (~35 mi east).

Albany employment anchors reachable from Morgan

  • Phoebe Putney Health System: Albany’s dominant employer; Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital (441+ licensed beds; not-for-profit; Phoebe Putney Health System) employs approximately 5,000+ people across the Albany MSA including physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, and administrative staff. Healthcare workers employed at Phoebe Putney who prefer rural Southwest Georgia living may commute from Morgan (~35–40 minute commute via US-19).
  • Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany (MCLB Albany): A major U.S. Marine Corps installation approximately 35 miles east of Morgan. MCLB Albany is a critical logistics and maintenance depot for Marine Corps ground equipment — one of two Marine Corps logistics bases in the country. It employs approximately 1,500–2,500 military personnel plus 2,000–3,500 civilian workers. Some MCLB personnel and their families may choose to live in rural Calhoun County rather than in Albany proper, creating SCRA exposure for Calhoun County landlords.
  • Albany Technical College and other Albany institutions: Albany State University (~6,000 students; HBCU), Albany Technical College, and various Dougherty County employers add to the Albany MSA employment base accessible from Morgan.

SCRA note for Morgan and Calhoun County landlords

Because MCLB Albany (~35 mi east) generates a population of active-duty military in the Albany MSA, some Calhoun County tenants may be active-duty servicemembers or their dependents. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA, 50 U.S.C. §3901 et seq.) provides protections including: early lease termination rights for servicemembers receiving deployment orders or permanent change of station (PCS) orders; capped interest rates on obligations; and protection from certain evictions. Calhoun County landlords should include a standard SCRA disclosure clause in lease agreements and be prepared to verify active-duty status via the SCRA.dmdc.osd.mil database when a tenant claims military protections.

Employment base and rental demand: Calhoun County

Calhoun County School System (~100–150 employees)

Single consolidated school system serving approximately 1,000–1,200 students. Employs teachers ($34K–$62K), administrators, support staff. One of the county’s larger public-sector employers.

County and municipal government

Calhoun County government (courthouse, sheriff, public works, extension office) and City of Morgan municipal services employ several dozen people. Government employment is stable and year-round.

Agriculture

Calhoun County agriculture includes peanuts, cotton, soybeans, and timber. Agricultural employment ranges from farm workers ($28K–$42K) to farm managers and owners. Pataula Creek and surrounding bottomlands provide agricultural land.

Albany commuter demand

Some residents commute to Albany (~35 mi east) for employment at Phoebe Putney, MCLB Albany, Albany State University, and Dougherty County industrial/commercial employers. This commuter segment makes Calhoun County’s rental market modestly more liquid than Clay or Quitman County markets despite comparable county size.

Rent ranges: Morgan GA and Calhoun County 2026

Property type Monthly rent range (2026) Notes
Mobile home / manufactured housing $400–$575 Common rental type; affordable tier dominant
2BR SFR $525–$675 Modest inventory; older homes common
3BR SFR $600–$800 Standard family market; fill 5–7 weeks
4BR SFR $725–$950 Limited demand; longer fill for larger homes
Albany MSA commuter premium +$50–$100/mo Well-maintained, modern homes appeal to Albany commuter tenants at modest premium over dilapidated inventory

Georgia rent increase law: Calhoun County landlords

“No county or municipality shall regulate in any way the amount of rent to be charged for any dwelling unit.” — O.C.G.A. §44-7-19
  • No rent increase cap: raise rent by any amount at lease expiration
  • No notice requirement beyond statutory baseline: 30 days’ written notice for month-to-month (O.C.G.A. §44-7-7)
  • No registration: no landlord registration required
  • No rent board approval: no approval process required

Eviction procedure: Morgan GA and Calhoun County

  1. Written demand for possession. No statutory minimum (§44-7-50); standard 3–7 day written demand.
  2. File at Calhoun County Magistrate Court, Morgan GA 39866. NOT Gordon County (Calhoun city, North Georgia); NOT Albany (Dougherty County). Verify at Calhoun County Clerk’s office. Filing fee ~$80–$100.
  3. Sheriff serves summons. Calhoun County Sheriff service. Tenant has 7 days to file written answer (§44-7-51).
  4. Default judgment. No tenant answer within 7 days → default judgment and writ of possession.
  5. Contested hearing. If tenant answers, hearing set.
  6. Writ of possession and sheriff lockout. Calhoun County Sheriff executes lockout.

Total uncontested timeline: approximately 3–5 weeks. Self-help eviction prohibited under O.C.G.A. §44-7-14.1.

Frequently asked questions: Morgan GA rent increase 2026

Which courthouse do Calhoun County GA landlords file evictions in?

Calhoun County Magistrate Court, Morgan GA 39866 (Calhoun County seat). NOT Gordon County Magistrate Court (Calhoun GA city, 30701; North Georgia; different county entirely). NOT Dougherty County (Albany). Verify at Calhoun County Clerk’s office. Filing fee ~$80–$100. Uncontested: ~3–5 weeks.

Is Morgan GA the same as Calhoun GA?

No. Morgan, GA (ZIP 39866) = Calhoun County seat; Deep Southwest Georgia; ~35 mi west of Albany; ~1,700 city pop; ~6,500 county pop. Calhoun, GA (ZIP 30701) = Gordon County seat; North Georgia; I-75; ~17,000 city pop; ~230 mi north of Morgan. Different courts, different school systems, different markets, different regions. Always confirm county before filing eviction.

Does Morgan GA have rent control in 2026?

No. O.C.G.A. §44-7-19 prohibits all local rent regulation statewide. No cap, no formula, no registration. Raise rent any amount at lease expiration. Month-to-month: 30 days’ written notice (§44-7-7).

What school system serves Calhoun County GA?

Calhoun County School System — SINGLE CONSOLIDATED. All Calhoun County properties in one district; no separate Morgan City School System. ~1,000–1,200 enrolled; ~100–150 employees. Important: NOT Gordon County School System (Calhoun, GA — North Georgia).

Is there a hospital in Morgan GA or Calhoun County?

No. No acute care hospital in Calhoun County. Nearest: Phoebe Putney Memorial (Albany, Dougherty County, ~35 mi NE) or Memorial Hospital & Manor (Bainbridge, Decatur County, ~40 mi west). No hospital employment anchor in county; Albany commuter demand partially compensates.

Does SCRA apply to Morgan GA landlords?

Yes, SCRA may apply. Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany (MCLB Albany) is ~35 mi east. Some Calhoun County tenants may be active-duty MCLB personnel or dependents. SCRA (50 U.S.C. §3901 et seq.) provides early termination rights, interest caps, and eviction protections. Include SCRA clause in all leases; verify active-duty status at SCRA.dmdc.osd.mil before proceeding against any potentially military tenant.

What are Georgia’s security deposit rules for Calhoun County landlords?

O.C.G.A. §44-7-30 through §44-7-37. No deposit amount cap; market practice 1–2 months’ rent. Mandatory move-in inventory checklist (§44-7-33): failure = conclusive irrebuttable presumption of landlord liability; no deductions allowed. Return: 30 days from termination AND forwarding address receipt (§44-7-34). Bad faith: 3× withheld amount plus attorney fees (§44-7-35(d)).

Morgan GA 2026 quick reference for landlords

Rent control status

None. O.C.G.A. §44-7-19 absolute preemption statewide. No cap, no formula, no registration. Raise any amount at lease expiration.

Eviction courthouse

Calhoun County Magistrate Court, Morgan GA 39866. NOT Calhoun GA/Gordon County (North Georgia, 230 mi north). NOT Albany/Dougherty County. Verify at Calhoun County Clerk. Filing fee ~$80–$100. Uncontested ~3–5 weeks.

Critical disambiguation

Morgan GA = Calhoun County seat (ZIP 39866; SW Georgia; ~35 mi west of Albany). Calhoun GA = Gordon County seat (ZIP 30701; N Georgia I-75; ~230 mi north). Same person namesake (VP John C. Calhoun); entirely different counties and courts.

County naming

Named for VP John C. Calhoun (1782–1850); 7th VP of the United States under Adams and Jackson; Secretary of War; Secretary of State; leading antebellum statesman.

School system

Calhoun County School System — SINGLE CONSOLIDATED. ~1,000–1,200 enrolled. All Calhoun County properties in one district. NOT Gordon County Schools (Calhoun, GA).

Hospital

NO in-county hospital. Nearest: Phoebe Putney Memorial (Albany, ~35 mi NE) or Memorial Hospital & Manor (Bainbridge, ~40 mi west). Albany commuter potential partially compensates for hospital employment absence.

SCRA note

MCLB Albany (~35 mi east) creates SCRA exposure. Some tenants may be active-duty Marines or dependents. Include SCRA clause; verify status at SCRA.dmdc.osd.mil.

2026 rents

3BR SFR $600–$800; 4BR SFR $725–$950. Fill 5–7 weeks. Thin rural market with Albany commuter demand tier.

Security deposit

No cap. Mandatory checklist (§44-7-33). Return 30 days from termination AND forwarding address (§44-7-34). Bad faith 3× plus attorney fees (§44-7-35(d)).

Related Georgia landlord resources

  • Albany GA rent increase 2026 — Dougherty County seat; Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital (Southwest Georgia medical hub; ~5,000+ employees); MCLB Albany; Albany State University; primary employment center ~35 mi east of Morgan
  • Colquitt GA rent increase 2026 — Miller County seat; Swamp Gravy Capital; Mayhaw Capital; NO in-county hospital; thin rural market comparison (~35 mi east of Fort Gaines)
  • Fort Gaines GA rent increase 2026 — Clay County seat; Lake Eufaula; NO in-county hospital; Southwest Georgia thin market comparison
  • Bainbridge GA rent increase 2026 — Decatur County seat; Memorial Hospital & Manor; Lake Seminole; Southwest Georgia commercial hub; ~40 mi west of Morgan
  • Calhoun GA rent increase 2026 — GORDON COUNTY SEAT (NOT Calhoun County; Calhoun GA is in Gordon County; county seat of Calhoun County is Morgan GA); North Georgia I-75 corridor; carpet industry; different market, different court, ~230 mi north
  • RentCeiling blog — Georgia landlord guides by county cluster