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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. And roughly speaking, it's fine. Not great, not bad. On a $100K salary, 5 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 5 cities in Geo…
#1 Ranked: Macon — cost index 87, rent $1,207/mo, income $50,747
5 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
5 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Macon | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $69,807 |
2Augusta | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $69,807 |
3Athens | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $69,807 |
4Savannah | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $69,807 |
5Atlanta | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $69,807 |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. And roughly speaking, it's fine. Not great, not bad. On a $100K salary, 5 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 5 cities in Georgia using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Macon comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis. The math checks out.
5 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K. Standard stuff, really. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 5 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
Macon earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 87 cost index sits 25 points below the national baseline, and the $50,747 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $167,317 — $300,053 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. It's fine. Not great, not bad. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 67, while Healthcare trails at 90.
On a $100K salary, the key number is $2,500/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Macon ($1,207/mo, 14%), Augusta ($1,321/mo, 16%), Athens ($1,720/mo, 21%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $69,807 to $69,807/year across these top picks.
Surprising? Maybe. But the data's clear.
Flip the lens, and you get a different read: The 6 cities we track in Georgia paint a clearly affordable picture. Average cost index: 98. Median rent: $1,312/month. Household income: $62,676. Georgia is known for Atlanta's metro pull alongside rural affordability — and the data backs that reputation convincingly.
Bottom line: Macon leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers. Hard to argue with that.
156,512 residents · Georgia
Frankly, Here's Macon by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 87. Not the most exciting stat, but it matters. Rent: $1,207/month. Income: $50,747/year. Home price: $167,317. Population: 156,512. The strongest category is Housing at 67; the most expensive is Healthcare at 90. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $8,256 per year vs. the national median. That's a margin of safety most budgets don't have.
200,884 residents · Georgia
Dive into Augusta's numbers: cost index 89 (23 points below national average), rent $1,321/month, income $53,134, and a home price of $173,222. It lines up with what you'd expect. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 73, while Healthcare runs 92. With 200,884 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
128,628 residents · Georgia
Real talk: a closer look at Athens: the cost index of 103 breaks down to a Utilities index of 94 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 107 (weakest). Median rent is $1,720/month — 9% below the national median — while household income sits at $51,655, meaning locals spend about 40% of income on rent. Fairly typical for a city this size. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
147,748 residents · Georgia
Savannah comes in at #4. Rent is $1,736 a month. Household income is $56,782. The cost of living index is 102. Fairly typical for a city this size.
510,823 residents · Georgia
The #5 spot goes to Atlanta, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,888/month — saving renters $84 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 99, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 119. A 28% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
Macon ranks #1 in Georgia for this analysis with a cost index of 87 and median income of $50,747.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Macon, rent would consume about 14% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Macon (ranked #1) has a cost index of 87 and rent of $1,207/mo, while Atlanta (ranked #5) has a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,888/mo — a 21-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Macon is $1,207/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $688 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 5.49% state income tax, estimated take-home on $100K in Macon is approximately $69,807/year ($5,817/month). After median rent of $1,207/month, you'd have roughly $55,323/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Macon is $167,317, which is 3.3× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
Georgia has a 5.49% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.38%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.83%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.