Thomaston is the seat of Upson County, located in the Southern Piedmont region of west-central Georgia about 40 miles west of Macon. The city's housing stock spans from early 20th-century cottages and brick ranches near downtown to newer builds in subdivisions like Country Village, Davis Hills, and Golfview on the outskirts. Upson County's terrain is more varied than the flat coastal plain to the south — gently rolling hills, ridge tops, and creek drainages create sites where grading and excavation work has to account for slope and drainage. The county's soil is a Piedmont mix that includes clay-heavy subsoil, which holds moisture and can create drainage problems on lots that are cleared without proper grading. Thomaston also has a stock of older commercial and industrial buildings tied to its textile manufacturing history, some of which have reached the end of their useful life.