How “Stranger Things” Saved a Small Georgia Town

The fictional town of Hawkins may exist only on Netflix, but its real home in Jackson, Georgia, has experienced a transformation as dramatic as anything in “Stranger Things.”

Once marked by shuttered storefronts and declining foot traffic, Jackson began a dramatic turnaround in 2015 when the Duffer Brothers selected its Main Street to stand in for 1980s Indiana.

Fans soon began arriving from around the world, eager to visit locations like Melvald’s General Store, the Hawkins Library and the alleys where early fight scenes unfolded. Local entrepreneurs seized the moment, opening shops, cafés and memorabilia stores to meet demand, while guided “Stranger Tours” became a daily staple.

Butts County reports that tourism spikes by as much as 12% during years when new seasons stream, bringing millions into a community where one in five residents previously lived below the poverty line.

Some fans even host themed weddings and events in town, underscoring how deeply the show resonates.

As Netflix releases the final season, Jackson is preparing for life beyond the finale, betting that Hawkins will remain a long-term cultural landmark, much like the towns tied to “Gilmore Girls,” “Dawson’s Creek” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty.”