Best Cities to Live in Georgia

Ranked on live listing data, the top 10 are Macon ($175,000 median asking), Lithonia ($239,950 median asking), Stone Mountain ($269,900 median asking), Decatur ($278,000 median asking), Conyers ($319,950 median asking), Brunswick ($325,145 median asking), Atlanta ($340,000 median asking), Douglasville ($350,000 median asking), Covington ($317,000 median asking), Griffin ($312,000 median asking). 29 Georgia places qualified with at least 60 homes for sale; the score blends estimated cost to own (including the county's property tax), the share of homes under contract, and inventory depth, all printed in the table.

Georgia's 29 largest markets, ranked

Place	Score	Median asking	Est. cost to own / mo	Median DOM	Pending share	Homes for sale
1. Macon Bibb	58.6	$175,000	$1,190	31	11%	519
2. Lithonia DeKalb	58.5	$239,950	$1,658	26	16%	350
3. Stone Mountain DeKalb	58.0	$269,900	$1,846	41	17%	263
4. Decatur DeKalb	56.3	$278,000	$1,897	38	12%	611
5. Conyers Rockdale	56.1	$319,950	$2,201	31	16%	316
6. Brunswick Glynn	55.7	$325,145	$2,081	108	15%	368
7. Atlanta Fulton	55.6	$340,000	$2,190	37	10%	3,139
8. Douglasville Douglas	54.9	$350,000	$2,314	34	15%	386
9. Covington Newton	54.5	$317,000	$2,032	32	13%	384
10. Griffin Spalding	54.0	$312,000	$2,081	33	13%	285
11. Lawrenceville Gwinnett	53.5	$397,000	$2,548	33	13%	575
12. Newnan Coweta	53.5	$424,000	$2,608	33	15%	359
13. Mcdonough Henry	53.4	$385,000	$2,497	32	13%	527
14. Rome Floyd	53.1	$315,000	$2,044	33	12%	271
15. Dallas Paulding	52.9	$370,000	$2,321	46	13%	361
16. Acworth Cobb	50.8	$439,450	$2,805	37	14%	284
17. Marietta Cobb	50.2	$475,000	$3,019	32	10%	747
18. Loganville Walton	50.1	$419,900	$2,702	42	12%	267
19. Athens Clarke	49.7	$369,900	$2,433	36	9%	333
20. Woodstock Cherokee	49.1	$459,900	$2,866	37	12%	265
21. Canton Cherokee	47.3	$549,999	$3,398	40	12%	347
22. Fayetteville Fayette	47.2	$492,000	$3,060	40	11%	276
23. Gainesville Hall	46.5	$529,900	$3,211	42	9%	445
24. Smyrna Cobb	46.5	$450,000	$2,868	30	9%	258
25. Buford Gwinnett	44.5	$539,000	$3,405	36	9%	342

Georgia rows use live listing data only (our feeds do not carry recorded sales or income for most of Georgia yet): median asking price of current listings, an estimated cost to own (principal and interest on 80% of the asking median at 6.65%, county property tax at 40% assessment and the county’s typical millage, $150 a month insurance), median days on market of current listings, and the share of active-plus-pending homes under contract as the demand signal. Score = 50 + 10 × (0.5 affordability + 0.3 demand + 0.2 inventory depth), each as a capped z-score. Inputs are prices, costs and supply only; nothing about the people who live there. Data as of 2026-11-07; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

The top 10, in detail

1. Macon, Bibb County

519 homes for sale at a $175,000 median asking price, 11% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 31 days on market; estimated cost to own about $1,190 a month at the county’s 24.2 mills.

2. Lithonia, DeKalb County

350 homes for sale at a $239,950 median asking price, 16% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 26 days on market; estimated cost to own about $1,658 a month at the county’s 34.4 mills.

3. Stone Mountain, DeKalb County

263 homes for sale at a $269,900 median asking price, 17% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 41 days on market; estimated cost to own about $1,846 a month at the county’s 34.4 mills.

4. Decatur, DeKalb County

611 homes for sale at a $278,000 median asking price, 12% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 38 days on market; estimated cost to own about $1,897 a month at the county’s 34.4 mills.

5. Conyers, Rockdale County

316 homes for sale at a $319,950 median asking price, 16% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 31 days on market; estimated cost to own about $2,201 a month at the county’s 38.3 mills.

6. Brunswick, Glynn County

368 homes for sale at a $325,145 median asking price, 15% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 108 days on market; estimated cost to own about $2,081 a month at the county’s 24.1 mills.

7. Atlanta, Fulton County

3,139 homes for sale at a $340,000 median asking price, 10% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 37 days on market; estimated cost to own about $2,190 a month at the county’s 25.9 mills.

8. Douglasville, Douglas County

386 homes for sale at a $350,000 median asking price, 15% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 34 days on market; estimated cost to own about $2,314 a month at the county’s 31.4 mills.

9. Covington, Newton County

384 homes for sale at a $317,000 median asking price, 13% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 32 days on market; estimated cost to own about $2,032 a month at the county’s 24.1 mills.

10. Griffin, Spalding County

285 homes for sale at a $312,000 median asking price, 13% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 33 days on market; estimated cost to own about $2,081 a month at the county’s 31.6 mills.

Questions people ask

What is the best place to live in Georgia's big cities by the numbers?

Macon ranks first: $175,000 median asking, about $1,190 a month to own, 11% of homes under contract. Economics only; commute and lifestyle are yours to weigh.

What is the cheapest place to live in Georgia's big cities?

Macon at about $1,190 a month to own the $175,000 median listing, including Bibb County property tax.

Where is demand strongest in Georgia's big cities?

Stone Mountain: 17% of active-plus-pending homes are under contract, with a median 41 days on market.

How is this ranking calculated?

Score = 50 + 10 times a weighted sum of capped z-scores: estimated cost to own (50%), share of homes under contract (30%) and inventory depth (20%), from live listing data. Inputs are prices, costs and supply only; Georgia sold and income data will be added as our feeds expand.

Every ranking in this series

Homes for sale in Georgia by city and county

Rankings are computed from the published data sources and the formula stated on this page, with no editorial scoring; the inputs are prices, costs, incomes, growth and supply, and the rankings describe housing economics, not the character of any community. Figures are as of 2026-11-07 and change as new sales record. Momentum Realty LLC is a licensed Georgia real estate brokerage. Listing data deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Equal Housing Opportunity.