Best Cities to Live in Georgia

Ranked on live listing data, the top 10 are Macon ($170,000 median asking), Lithonia ($239,400 median asking), Decatur ($279,000 median asking), Stone Mountain ($269,500 median asking), Brunswick ($324,900 median asking), Conyers ($315,000 median asking), Atlanta ($345,000 median asking), Douglasville ($350,000 median asking), Mcdonough ($380,000 median asking), Griffin ($312,450 median asking). 30 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 30 largest markets, ranked

Place	Score	Median asking	Est. cost to own / mo	Median DOM	Pending share	Homes for sale
1. Macon Bibb	59.6	$170,000	$1,160	28	13%	537
2. Lithonia DeKalb	59.1	$239,400	$1,654	30	18%	342
3. Decatur DeKalb	57.0	$279,000	$1,903	32	14%	636
4. Stone Mountain DeKalb	56.8	$269,500	$1,843	37	16%	274
5. Brunswick Glynn	56.7	$324,900	$2,079	105	17%	365
6. Conyers Rockdale	55.9	$315,000	$2,170	29	17%	330
7. Atlanta Fulton	55.2	$345,000	$2,220	34	10%	3,309
8. Douglasville Douglas	55.2	$350,000	$2,314	27	16%	401
9. Mcdonough Henry	54.5	$380,000	$2,467	30	15%	541
10. Griffin Spalding	54.4	$312,450	$2,084	28	14%	300
11. Covington Newton	54.3	$325,000	$2,080	31	13%	393
12. Acworth Cobb	53.4	$428,950	$2,741	34	18%	304
13. Newnan Coweta	53.3	$434,900	$2,671	30	16%	386
14. Lawrenceville Gwinnett	52.8	$395,000	$2,535	29	12%	614
15. Rome Floyd	52.7	$339,950	$2,194	30	13%	280
16. Loganville Gwinnett	52.0	$420,000	$2,686	38	15%	275
17. Dallas Paulding	51.5	$370,000	$2,321	36	11%	410
18. Marietta Cobb	51.2	$480,000	$3,050	28	12%	784
19. Woodstock Cherokee	50.0	$460,000	$2,867	36	14%	275
20. Athens Clarke	49.4	$375,000	$2,464	35	9%	353
21. Snellville Gwinnett	49.0	$389,900	$2,505	34	10%	256
22. Fayetteville Fayette	48.7	$494,906	$3,077	36	13%	292
23. Canton Cherokee	47.7	$545,000	$3,369	37	13%	383
24. Gainesville Hall	46.9	$535,000	$3,240	35	10%	465
25. Buford Gwinnett	45.7	$515,000	$3,260	31	10%	352

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 2026-10-15; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

The top 10, in detail

1. Macon, Bibb County

537 homes for sale at a $170,000 median asking price, 13% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 28 days on market; estimated cost to own about $1,160 a month at the county’s 24.2 mills.

2. Lithonia, DeKalb County

342 homes for sale at a $239,400 median asking price, 18% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 30 days on market; estimated cost to own about $1,654 a month at the county’s 34.4 mills.

3. Decatur, DeKalb County

636 homes for sale at a $279,000 median asking price, 14% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 32 days on market; estimated cost to own about $1,903 a month at the county’s 34.4 mills.

4. Stone Mountain, DeKalb County

274 homes for sale at a $269,500 median asking price, 16% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 37 days on market; estimated cost to own about $1,843 a month at the county’s 34.4 mills.

5. Brunswick, Glynn County

365 homes for sale at a $324,900 median asking price, 17% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 105 days on market; estimated cost to own about $2,079 a month at the county’s 24.1 mills.

6. Conyers, Rockdale County

330 homes for sale at a $315,000 median asking price, 17% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 29 days on market; estimated cost to own about $2,170 a month at the county’s 38.3 mills.

7. Atlanta, Fulton County

3,309 homes for sale at a $345,000 median asking price, 10% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 34 days on market; estimated cost to own about $2,220 a month at the county’s 25.9 mills.

8. Douglasville, Douglas County

401 homes for sale at a $350,000 median asking price, 16% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 27 days on market; estimated cost to own about $2,314 a month at the county’s 31.4 mills.

9. Mcdonough, Henry County

541 homes for sale at a $380,000 median asking price, 15% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 30 days on market; estimated cost to own about $2,467 a month at the county’s 28.8 mills.

10. Griffin, Spalding County

300 homes for sale at a $312,450 median asking price, 14% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 28 days on market; estimated cost to own about $2,084 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: $170,000 median asking, about $1,160 a month to own, 13% 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 $1,160 a month to own the $170,000 median listing, including Bibb County property tax.

Where is demand strongest in Georgia's big cities?

Acworth: 18% of active-plus-pending homes are under contract, with a median 34 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 2026-10-15 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.