In Georgia, the median household income is $77,353 and 66% of homes are owner-occupied (ACS 2020 to 2024). A safe personal loan starts with a license check, three written offers compared on total cost, and a payment that fits your own budget.
On this page
- Georgia by the numbers
- What the numbers mean for Georgia borrowers
- Largest places in Georgia
- The next 20 places in Georgia
- Counties with the most residents
- How Georgia earns a living
- More context for Georgia budgets
- Checking a lender in Georgia
- Can Georgia residents use the questionnaire?
- Local guides in Georgia
- Frequently asked questions
Georgia by the numbers
The table compares Georgia with the United States on sixteen measures that shape household budgets, and ranks it against the other states and the District of Columbia. All figures are American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 five-year estimates.
| What we measured | Georgia | United States | Place among 51 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $77,353 | $80,734 | 27th |
| Gini index (inequality) | 0.477 | 0.483 | 16th |
| Households earning under $35,000 | 22% | 21% | 20th |
| Share of households at $100,000+ | 38% | 41% | 25th |
| Poverty rate | 13.4% | 12.5% | 14th |
| Jobless rate, 5-year ACS | 5.1% | 5.2% | 19th |
| Rent, median gross (monthly) | $1,393 | $1,413 | 21st |
| Rent-burdened renters (30%+) | 52% | 51% | 9th |
| Median home value | $303,300 | $332,700 | 26th |
| Homeownership rate | 66% | 65% | 39th |
| Cost-burdened owners with a mortgage | 26% | 28% | 27th |
| Home value to income ratio | 3.9x | 4.1x | 25th |
| Commutes of 45 minutes or longer | 20% | 17% | 5th |
| Workers who work from home | 16% | 15% | 17th |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 35% | 36% | 25th |
| Median age | 37.6 | 38.9 | 42nd |
What the numbers mean for Georgia borrowers
16% of the Georgia workforce works from home, while 20% face a one-way trip of 45 minutes or longer. Vehicle costs are a fixed line for long-distance commuters, so keep a repair cushion before taking on a new payment.
About 22% of households in Georgia take in less than $35,000 a year and 38% take in $100,000 or more; nationally the shares are 21% and 41%. Higher earners still need to compare offers: a large income does not make an expensive loan a good deal.
Ranked by median household income, Georgia comes in 27th with $77,353, 4% below the country's $80,734. Use it as a yardstick: if your income sits well below the median, keep the loan smaller and the term shorter.
A Georgia renter pays $1,393 a month at the median, and 52% of renters carry a rent burden of 30 percent or more, above the 51% U.S. rate. If rent already takes a third of your pay, a new payment needs a stress test: could you make it in a month with a surprise bill?
Largest places in Georgia
The 12 most populous places in Georgia, with Census income, rent and home value for each. Linked names have their own local guide on this site.
| City or town | County | Residents | Household income (median) | Median gross rent | Home value (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Fulton County, DeKalb County | 505,268 | $85,652 | $1,711 | $439,600 |
| Columbus | Muscogee County | 203,711 | $58,073 | $1,106 | $193,900 |
| Augusta | Richmond County | 201,528 | $55,485 | $1,142 | $178,400 |
| Macon-Bibb County | Bibb County | 156,578 | $51,234 | $1,066 | $174,500 |
| Savannah | Chatham County | 147,898 | $57,137 | $1,382 | $248,900 |
| Athens | Clarke County | 127,345 | $52,974 | $1,219 | $299,200 |
| South Fulton | Fulton County | 110,471 | $82,324 | $1,702 | $309,800 |
| Sandy Springs | Fulton County | 107,087 | $104,340 | $1,870 | $619,800 |
| Roswell | Cobb County, Fulton County | 92,621 | $128,654 | $1,810 | $567,100 |
| Warner Robins | Houston County, Peach County | 82,990 | $66,970 | $1,212 | $185,700 |
| Johns Creek | Fulton County | 81,988 | $160,093 | $2,257 | $629,400 |
| Mableton | Cobb County | 77,678 | $77,980 | $1,472 | $313,100 |
Size first: 20 Georgia places pass 50,000 residents and 112 pass 10,000. Income next: among those over 20,000, Griffin sits lowest at $43,632 and Milton highest at $171,295. Median rent in that group ranges from $931 in Albany to $2,257 in Johns Creek.
The next 20 places in Georgia
Continuing down the population list from Albany to Canton.
| Community | Population | Median income | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | 67,224 | $47,240 | $931 |
| Alpharetta | 66,855 | $147,612 | $1,948 |
| Marietta | 62,263 | $72,725 | $1,586 |
| Stonecrest | 60,501 | $64,591 | $1,601 |
| Brookhaven | 57,855 | $117,663 | $1,882 |
| Smyrna | 56,633 | $100,061 | $1,739 |
| Valdosta | 55,252 | $45,925 | $1,054 |
| Dunwoody | 51,758 | $121,903 | $1,859 |
| Gainesville | 45,032 | $66,974 | $1,299 |
| Newnan | 44,235 | $82,292 | $1,542 |
| Peachtree Corners | 42,373 | $82,139 | $1,701 |
| Milton | 41,546 | $171,295 | $2,065 |
| Peachtree City | 39,576 | $113,987 | $2,086 |
| East Point | 38,335 | $68,598 | $1,364 |
| Rome | 38,189 | $54,435 | $1,032 |
| Douglasville | 37,536 | $79,107 | $1,582 |
| Woodstock | 37,381 | $103,496 | $1,821 |
| Tucker | 37,123 | $80,317 | $1,647 |
| Evans | 36,998 | $125,098 | $1,617 |
| Canton | 35,741 | $80,091 | $1,680 |
Measured as a year of median rent against median household income, housing weighs most in Stonecrest (30%) and least in Milton (14%) among these 20 places.
Counties with the most residents
Georgia county data, largest first (16 shown of 159).
| County | Population | Median household income | Median gross rent | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton County | 1,076,561 | $95,292 | $1,732 | $458,800 |
| Gwinnett County | 979,864 | $87,890 | $1,810 | $380,900 |
| Cobb County | 775,208 | $102,738 | $1,730 | $407,200 |
| DeKalb County | 765,351 | $80,644 | $1,692 | $357,800 |
| Chatham County | 300,879 | $71,097 | $1,471 | $302,700 |
| Clayton County | 298,924 | $59,806 | $1,433 | $222,300 |
| Cherokee County | 281,032 | $108,115 | $1,799 | $435,100 |
| Forsyth County | 267,287 | $143,784 | $2,090 | $550,400 |
| Henry County | 249,960 | $83,146 | $1,674 | $313,900 |
| Hall County | 212,705 | $80,901 | $1,341 | $350,400 |
| Richmond County | 206,069 | $55,637 | $1,141 | $178,500 |
| Muscogee County | 203,711 | $58,073 | $1,106 | $193,900 |
| Paulding County | 178,909 | $98,031 | $1,772 | $326,300 |
| Houston County | 169,649 | $80,698 | $1,208 | $219,800 |
| Columbia County | 162,434 | $95,592 | $1,409 | $305,300 |
| Bibb County | 156,578 | $51,234 | $1,066 | $174,500 |
Forsyth County posts the highest county median income in Georgia at $143,784, while Randolph County posts the lowest at $28,380.
How Georgia earns a living
Top four employers of Georgia residents by industry, with the gap to the U.S. mix.
| Industry | Share of Georgia workers | U.S. share | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education, health care and social assistance | 21% | 24% | -2.5 pts |
| Professional, scientific and administrative services | 14% | 13% | +1.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 11% | 11% | +0.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 10% | 10% | +0.2 pts |
Relative to the nation, transportation, warehousing and utilities is overrepresented in Georgia (7% vs 6%). Industry matters to a borrower because it decides how easy income is to document: salaried and public jobs verify quickly, while tips, commission, seasonal and contract pay need more records.
More context for Georgia budgets
Jobs and hardship: an average 5.1% unemployment rate in the 2020 to 2024 survey, and 13.4% of people below the federal poverty line. If your job is seasonal or hourly, lenders may ask for more months of statements to see a steady pattern.
Georgia's Gini index of income inequality is 0.477 (U.S.: 0.483; higher means more unequal), 35% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree, and the median resident is 37.6 years old.
About 66% of Georgia homes are owner-occupied (39th of 51; U.S. 65%), and the median home is valued at $303,300, or 3.9 times the median household income. Among owners with a mortgage, 26% spend 30 percent or more of income on housing (U.S.: 28%). Owners can also compare a home-equity line against a personal loan, keeping in mind that equity borrowing puts the house at risk.
Checking a lender in Georgia
License checks come first. Georgia's banking agency, per the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, is the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, and many consumer lenders also show their state licenses on NMLS Consumer Access.
- CFPB complaints reach the lender and are tracked by a federal regulator.
- Confirm the license on NMLS Consumer Access before you upload documents.
- Report fee-first offers at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Can Georgia residents use the questionnaire?
Partner coverage varies by state. If no lending partner is accepting Georgia matches yet, the questionnaire says so on the location step and offers an email waitlist instead of asking for anything else. The guides and calculators work for everyone.
Local guides in Georgia
Open a local guide for a closer look at your own city (9 in Georgia):
Frequently asked questions
How do I verify a lender in Georgia?
Start with the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, Georgia's banking agency in the CSBS directory. NMLS Consumer Access lists many lenders' licenses, and the CFPB accepts complaints from every state.
What do households in Georgia earn?
$77,353 a year in the 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, 27th among the 50 states and DC; the national median is $80,734.
What is the median rent in Georgia?
The typical renter pays $1,393; the U.S. median is $1,413. In Georgia, 52% of renting households spend 30 percent or more of income on housing.
Do home values in Georgia change how I should borrow?
The median home in Georgia is valued at $303,300, about 3.9 times the median household income of $77,353. Where housing takes a big share of income, keep new payments modest and compare total cost rather than stretching the term.