Middle Georgia’s economy is getting a $290 million boost from Cox operations annually in Bibb, Houston and Peach counties, a recently released report concluded. That total includes the $11.8 million Cox pays in taxes to support local schools and governments, increasing their ability to provide vital services to our community.

Market Vice President Caryn Frey said Cox commissioned the study in 2021 to track how the company’s local purchasing, wage, tax and philanthropic investments benefit local businesses, nonprofits, governments, schools and residents. 

“We’re proud to be impactful members of the communities we serve,” Frey said. “Not only do our team members live and work here, but we strive to make a difference in our communities because it’s our Cox culture. It’s engrained in our heritage dating all the way back to 1898 by our founder, Governor James M. Cox.”

Applied Analysis, an economic research and analysis consultancy that conducted the study, examined Cox operational data during the years 2019 and 2020. It used the IMPLAN model, one of three nationally recognized impact analysis software tools, to generate a comprehensive description of economic activity attributable to Cox.

The model includes the direct economic effects such as wages and other operating expenditures. It also sites indirect impacts such as the economic benefits the community accrues when employees spend their salaries at local restaurants, buy homes, pay property taxes or otherwise inject money into local coffers. Cox employs over 150 people in Middle Georgia and another 890 jobs have been created as a result of Cox’s spending here.

The final measure included in the study is Cox’s social impact, which measures its philanthropic outreach and includes cash, in-kind services and volunteer hours its employees contribute. During the 2019-2020 study period, Cox donated an average of more than $500,000 in cash and in-kind services to Middle Georgia non-profits and logged thousands of volunteer hours during the two-year period.