Atlanta, GA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Georgia·Atlanta

Why look at Atlanta?

  • Moderately priced housing. Median home is $388k.
  • Stable market. Home values -3.6% year-over-year — neither overheated nor falling.
  • Higher tax state. Top marginal income tax rate around 5.8% — factor into salary comparisons.
Atlanta, GA
Image: Wikipedia · Atlanta
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
50
Stable
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Atlanta stands

Home values down 3.6% in the last year.

Median home $387,752
1-year -3.6%
5-yr growth +1.6%
vs 5-yr peak -8.0%
Population +1.1%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2022-07$388k$216k$290k$364k$438k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
52/100
Somewhat walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
70/100
Good transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
70/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,873/mo$1,476$1,737$1,999202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent108119100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 17.3
Lean buy

At a 17.3 price-to-rent ratio, Atlanta is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
32 · w22%
Home 5-yr growth
44 · w22%
Distance from peak
51 · w18%
Population growth
66 · w16%
Rent YoY
61 · w12%
Home 10-yr growth
63 · w10%

About Atlanta (Wikipedia)

Atlanta is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the county seat of Fulton County and extends into neighboring DeKalb County. With a population of 498,715 at the 2020 census and an estimated 520,070 in 2024, Atlanta is the eighth-most populous city in the Southeast and the 36th-most populous city in the United States. Atlanta is classified as a Beta+ global city. The Atlanta metropolitan area has an estimated population of over 6.4 million and is the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Situated among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, Atlanta features a unique topography that includes rolling hills, lush greenery, and the densest urban tree coverage of any major city in the United States.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorAndre Dickens (D)
Area136.31 sq mi
Elevation1050 ft
Motto''Resurgens'' (Latin for ''Rising again'', alluding to the legendary phoenix)
Density3685.45/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Things to see in Atlanta(Tourism)

  • Martin Luther King Jr.
  • World of Coca-Cola
  • Georgia Aquarium
  • Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park
  • Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum
  • Battle of Atlanta
  • College Football Hall of Fame
  • National Center for Civil and Human Rights
  • Carter Center
  • Jimmy Carter
  • Margaret Mitchell House and Museum
  • Gone with the Wind

+17 more on Wikipedia.

Extracted from the Wikipedia article. Names linked in the source — open the city’s Wikipedia page for details.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Fulton County right now.

NWS active alerts (GA)Georgia Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Fulton County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Atlanta

190 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Tuxedo Park$2,882,305+4.0%
2Kingswood$2,654,384+4.2%
3Mt. Paran – Northside$2,319,186+1.6%
4Arden – Habersham$2,303,219+1.5%
5Wyngate$2,193,934+1.7%
6Peachtree Battle Alliance$2,049,492+6.5%
7Chastain Park$1,991,131+5.4%
8Brandon$1,934,936-0.5%
9Argonne Forest$1,848,885+7.1%
10Sherwood Forest$1,809,085+5.1%
11Pleasant Hill$1,793,404+4.3%
12Brookhaven$1,734,376+7.5%
13Whitewater Creek$1,686,180+8.7%
14West Paces Ferry – Northside$1,596,475+1.4%
15Wesley Battle$1,564,705+4.9%
16Castlewood$1,550,682+4.5%
17Randall Mill$1,494,408+7.1%
18Brookwood Hills$1,348,910+9.1%
19Memorial Park$1,310,867+4.2%
20Westminster – Milmar$1,302,553+0.8%
21Hanover West$1,276,207+5.5%
22Paces$1,260,742+3.5%
23Margaret Mitchell$1,223,619+1.1%
24Wildwood$1,184,493+4.3%

See the full neighborhood ranking →

Run the numbers for Atlanta

ToolCan I afford Atlanta?Income → city shortlistToolCompare Atlanta to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolAtlanta cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Georgia context

Schools

135 public schools94,934 students14.0:1 student-teacher

Atlanta is served by 135 public schools enrolling about 94,934 students, with a student-teacher ratio of 14.0:1 — about the same as the US average of ~15:1. Public-school facts are from the NCES Common Core of Data; check ratings and attendance boundaries by exact address below.

Ratings, districts & boundaries:

NCES school directory →School ratings →Georgia report card →

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
55° / 36°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
91° / 71°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
217
~59% of year
Annual precip
50″ rain
1″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Moderate
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Atlanta listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-28 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Filtered for Atlanta-specific coverage. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
70%
Humid climate
Median household income
$71,400
Georgia state median
Top industries (state-level)
Logistics/DistributionFilm/TVHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Find more cities like Atlanta

Open the matchmaker pre-filled to match Atlanta’s price band, region, and size — refine to taste.

Find more like Atlanta →

Cities similar to Atlanta

Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.

See all Georgia cities →    Browse best-of lists →

Cost-of-ownership at the median

Tax burden
5.8% top marginal
~28% all-in for a $150k earner
Property tax / yr
$3k
0.83% × median home $388k
Climate / hazard
limited data
Plan for the local hazard profile.

Snapshot assumes a $150k single earner buying at the median home. Your real numbers depend on bracket, deductions, school district, and HOA. Use the affordability calculator and net-pay calculator for your specific case.

Schools & crime context

Schools

School quality is district-by-district and varies dramatically within a city. Check GreatSchools or your state DOE rankings for specific schools before deciding. City-level school data coming soon.

Crime

Georgia: 350 violent crimes per 100K residents (state avg, FBI UCR). Neighborhood-level rates can vary 10× within one city — research specific areas via CrimeGrade or local police data.

Compare to where you live now

Set your current city once and we’ll show the cost delta on every city profile.

Getting here by train

Atlanta is served by an Amtrak train station — Amtrak Atlanta Station. Use the map to find it, and open its Google profile for photos, hours, and reviews.

📍 1688 Peachtree Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30309Station code ATLStation Building (with waiting room)

View Amtrak Atlanta Station on Google Maps →

Jobs & hiring

In Atlanta, unemployment sits around 5.9%, and hiring momentum has been modest. The strongest local sectors are tech, healthcare and remote-friendly roles.

5.9% unemployment40/100 hiring momentum$85,652 median household income55/100 remote-work fit

Search current openings:

Indeed →LinkedIn →Google Jobs →ZipRecruiter →USAJOBS (federal) →

See it on video

Get a feel for Atlanta before you visit — recent video tours and neighborhood walk-throughs from YouTube.

Browse Atlanta videos on YouTube →