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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but Atlanta pulls it off. At $81,938 median household income and a 108 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 6% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern across 5 cities in Georgia using 2026 data.
510,823 residents · Georgia
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.
200,884 residents · Georgia
Augusta earns its position at #2 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.
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. For dual-income households, this multiplies into serious savings.
147,748 residents · Georgia
In plain English: the #4 spot goes to Savannah, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,736/month — saving renters $1,908 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 94, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 106. The 37% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
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. 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 and homes at $332,919 round out a profile that ranks #5 for clear reasons.
#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
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but Atlanta pulls it off. At $81,938 median household income and a 108 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 6% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern across 5 cities in Georgia using 2026 data.
Atlanta: high income, low cost — a rare combo. Atlanta earns above the national median ($81,938 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 108 vs 112). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 36 of 288 cities share it.
Here's Atlanta by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 108. Rent: $1,888/month. Income: $81,938/year. Home price: $381,549. Population: 510,823. The strongest category is Utilities at 99; the most expensive is Housing at 119. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $84 per year vs. the national median. This stands out as genuinely impressive.
Tax burden isn't just income tax. We combine three layers: state income tax (5.49% in Atlanta), combined state+local sales tax (7.38%), and effective property tax (0.83%). At 5.49% state income tax, the real differentiator becomes sales and property tax rates. On a $75,000 salary, the estimated take-home in #1 Atlanta is $53,592/year.
Quietly competitive. The definition of value.
That said, 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: 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 (which, to be fair, is a metric that favors smaller cities).
Atlanta earns above the national median ($81,938 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 108 vs 112). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 36 of 288 cities share it.
The race is tight: Atlanta, Augusta, Macon, Savannah, Athens are all within 5 points of each other. At this level, differences in rent, taxes, or a single category can sway the decision.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Atlanta | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $58,092 |
2Augusta | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $58,092 |
3Macon | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $58,092 |
4Savannah | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $58,092 |
5Athens | 5.49% | 7.38% | 0.83% | $58,092 |
We combine state income tax rate, combined sales tax (state + local), and effective property tax rate into a total tax burden score. Cities are ranked by this combined metric — lower is better for your wallet. 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 Athens (ranked #5) has a cost index of 103 and rent of $1,720/mo — a 5-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.