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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Atlanta breaks the usual trade-off between income and cost of living. That alone makes it worth considering. Most affordable cities pay less — but Atlanta delivers a median household income of $81,938 — for better or worse — (2% above the national median) while keeping costs 4 points below national…
#1 Ranked: Atlanta — cost index 108, rent $1,888/mo, income $81,938
Atlanta: high income, low cost — a rare combo
5 of 5 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Atlanta breaks the usual trade-off between income and cost of living. That alone makes it worth considering. Most affordable cities pay less — but Atlanta delivers a median household income of $81,938 — for better or worse — (2% above the national median) while keeping costs 4 points below national average. That's a rare combination shared by only 36 of the 288 cities we track.
Why Atlanta ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 108 on the cost index, residents save roughly 4% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,888/month while the median household pulls in $81,938/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 99, though Housing (119) lags behind. Home prices average $381,549 — $85,821 below the national median.
The ranking uses a composite of 2026 data from Census Bureau population/income surveys, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary benchmarks, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Atlanta (index 108, rent $1,888); Savannah (index 102, rent $1,736); Augusta (index 89, rent $1,321). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Bottom line: Atlanta 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.
510,823 residents · Georgia
A closer look at Atlanta: the cost index of 108 breaks down to a Utilities index of 99 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 119 (weakest). Median rent is $1,888/month — 0% above the national median — while household income sits at $81,938, meaning locals spend about 28% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
147,748 residents · Georgia
Why Savannah ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 102 on the cost index, residents save roughly 10% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,736/month — this is the part where it gets real — while the median household pulls in $56,782/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 94, though Healthcare (106) lags behind. Home prices average $322,470 — $144,900 below the national median (your mileage may vary — literally).
200,884 residents · Georgia
Augusta earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 89 cost index sits 23 points below the national baseline, and the $53,134 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $173,222 — $294,148 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 73, while Healthcare trails at 92.
128,628 residents · Georgia
What does daily life actually cost in Athens? Start with the 40% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. You get the picture. On the category level, Utilities (index 94) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 107) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $51,655 — we had to double-check this one — and homes at $332,919 round out a profile that ranks #4 for clear reasons.
156,512 residents · Georgia
Here's Macon by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 87. 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 ratio is hard to beat anywhere else.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Atlanta | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $58,092 |
2Savannah | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $58,092 |
3Augusta | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $58,092 |
4Athens | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $58,092 |
5Macon | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $58,092 |
Cities are ranked by median household income from Census ACS data. We also show cost-adjusted purchasing power (income ÷ cost index) to reveal which high-income cities actually deliver the most real-world spending power. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Atlanta ranks #1 in Georgia for this analysis with a cost index of 108 and median income of $81,938.
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.
Atlanta (ranked #1) has a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,888/mo, while Macon (ranked #5) has a cost index of 87 and rent of $1,207/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 Atlanta is $1,888/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $7 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Atlanta is $381,549, which is 4.7× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. 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.