Jimmy Carter Dead at 100: Former President Passed Away Inside Humble Georgia Home—the Only House He Ever Owned

Former President Jimmy Carter has passed away at the age of 100—two months after marking his milestone birthday and almost 44 years after he left the White House.

Carter, who served as president from January 1977 until January 1981, was a former peanut farmer from Plains, GA, who built a lasting legacy as a human rights advocate and humanitarian, ultimately earning a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his charitable works.

However, while he earned worldwide recognition both during and after his time as president, privately, Carter stayed true to his humble Georgia roots, passing away in a home located in the same town where he was born—and which was the only property he and his late wife, Rosalynn, ever owned.

“Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” said a statement shared by his nonprofit, the Carter Center, on Dec. 29.

The incredibly modest four-bedroom, three-bathroom ranch-style dwelling served as the primary residence for the Carter family from 1961, the year it was built, with the couple buying the home more than 10 years before Carter became president.

“This is the first and only home the Carters have owned, and it has been the permanent residence of the family since 1961,” the Library of Congress says of the 4,000-square-foot abode.

“The Carters’ residence in this modest 1960s ranch-style house corresponds with the highlights of Jimmy Carter’s political career from state senator (1963-71) to governor of Georgia (1971-75) to thirty-ninth president of the United States (1977-81).”

It was to this house that Carter returned after losing his bid for reelection in 1980—and where he lived alongside his wife until her death in November 2023 at the age of 96.

So significant was the home in the couple’s life that Rosalynn is buried on the property, and it is where Jimmy himself passed away, two years after he announced that he would spend his final days undergoing hospice care in the home.

Unlike other former presidents, who lived in and owned multimillion-dollar homes in some swanky locales, Jimmy Carter was happy to stay put in his Plains home, which was recently valued at just $167,000.

Plains, in Sumter County in Southwest Georgia, is a tiny town with a population of just under 600 as of the most recent census in 2020. The closest big city is Albany, about 37 miles to the south.

But small-town life suited the Carters, who would often enjoy dinners with their neighbors, where they dined on paper plates and drank inexpensive wine, before strolling home with their Secret Service detail following closely behind them.

It was a far cry from the hustle and bustle of Washington, DC, but it appears that was just one of the many things that the couple loved so much about their humble hometown.

Though Carter spent his presidency living in the opulent White House, he never forgot the lessons he learned as a young man who started his first business venture—selling peanuts—at age 5.

While many presidents own expansive properties across the U.S. and beyond, Carter instead dedicated his life not to the collection of homes, but to the work of his charities, launching his own nonprofit organization, the Carter Center, in 1982.

Carter’s modest Georgia home also fits his rather frugal personality. During his post-presidency life, he sought to downplay his fame, opting to skip well-paying board positions and speaking opportunities (or donating fees he’s received to charity).

The Nobel Peace Prize winner was also said to favor basic attire that he would find at dollar stores, routinely flew on commercial planes, and even used to make his own yogurt at home with Rosalynn.

In a tribute shared by the staff at the Carter Center, the former president’s “profound humility” was remembered fondly, as well as his “strong leadership” and unwavering commitment to his charity work.

“President Carter believed in giving every effort, as broadly as possible, to make a positive difference in the world,” the statement read. “His legacy will remain an ongoing inspiration to us at the Carter Center and to everyone who believes in compassion, justice, and human rights.

“We shall miss President Carter’s strong leadership and profound humility as we carry on his work of waging peace, fighting disease, and building hope.”