Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is Georgia a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in Georgia.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Peach State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Georgia, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 159 counties in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 Best Counties To Live In Georgia For 2024
Oconee County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Georgia. And you should avoid Macon County if you can — at least according to the data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Georgia. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Georgia and the cheapest places to live in Georgia.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Best Counties To Live In Georgia For 2024
1. Oconee County
Biggest Place: Watkinsville
Population: 41,978
Median Income: $116,221 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $498,559 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.9% (14th best)
More on Oconee County: Data
2. Forsyth County
Biggest Place: Cumming
Population: 253,225
Median Income: $131,660 (best)
Median Home Price: $589,738 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.7% (3best)
More on Forsyth County: Data
3. Fayette County
Biggest Place: Peachtree City
Population: 119,259
Median Income: $105,910 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $462,945 (5th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.9% (37th best)
More on Fayette County: Data
4. Cherokee County
Biggest Place: Woodstock
Population: 268,567
Median Income: $100,824 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $445,503 (6th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.7% (29th best)
More on Cherokee County: Data
5. Coweta County
Biggest Place: Newnan
Population: 147,449
Median Income: $90,031 (8th best)
Median Home Price: $374,080 (17th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.8% (12th best)
More on Coweta County: Data
6. Morgan County
Biggest Place: Madison
Population: 20,171
Median Income: $81,524 (17th best)
Median Home Price: $408,265 (10th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.9% (15th best)
More on Morgan County: Data
7. Paulding County
Biggest Place: Dallas
Population: 169,898
Median Income: $89,237 (9th best)
Median Home Price: $337,871 (25th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.1% (42nd best)
More on Paulding County: Data
8. Columbia County
Biggest Place: Evans
Population: 156,921
Median Income: $92,571 (6th best)
Median Home Price: $303,923 (38th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.1% (78th best)
More on Columbia County: Data
9. Lee County
Biggest Place: Leesburg
Population: 32,968
Median Income: $83,632 (14th best)
Median Home Price: $238,375 (58th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.4% (5best)
More on Lee County: Data
10. Bryan County
Biggest Place: Richmond Hill
Population: 44,995
Median Income: $90,627 (7th best)
Median Home Price: $370,606 (18th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.5% (96th best)
More on Bryan County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Georgia county is the best?
To give you the best county in Georgia, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Georgia across each of the criteria from one to 159, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Georgia.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Peach State.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best counties to live in Georgia.
Read on to see why Oconee County is the best county, while Macon County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Georgia.
Summary: The Best Counties In Georgia To Call Home For 2024
Living in Georgia can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in Georgia are Oconee County, Forsyth County, Fayette County, Cherokee County, Coweta County, Morgan County, Paulding County, Columbia County, Lee County, and Bryan County.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in Georgia according to the data:
- Macon County
- Treutlen County
- Webster County
For more Georgia reading, check out:
- Best Places To Retire In Georgia
- Safest Places In Georgia
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Georgia
- Best Counties To Live In Georgia
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Georgia
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oconee County | 41,978 | $116,221 | $498,559 |
| 2 | Forsyth County | 253,225 | $131,660 | $589,738 |
| 3 | Fayette County | 119,259 | $105,910 | $462,945 |
| 4 | Cherokee County | 268,567 | $100,824 | $445,503 |
| 5 | Coweta County | 147,449 | $90,031 | $374,080 |
| 6 | Morgan County | 20,171 | $81,524 | $408,265 |
| 7 | Paulding County | 169,898 | $89,237 | $337,871 |
| 8 | Columbia County | 156,921 | $92,571 | $303,923 |
| 9 | Lee County | 32,968 | $83,632 | $238,375 |
| 10 | Bryan County | 44,995 | $90,627 | $370,606 |
| 11 | Harris County | 34,914 | $85,936 | $324,723 |
| 12 | Cobb County | 765,813 | $94,244 | $416,585 |
| 13 | Fulton County | 1,061,944 | $86,267 | $426,151 |
| 14 | Jackson County | 77,033 | $82,056 | $374,993 |
| 15 | Henry County | 240,853 | $79,663 | $331,168 |
| 16 | Effingham County | 65,314 | $79,474 | $305,745 |
| 17 | Catoosa County | 68,052 | $68,896 | $268,424 |
| 18 | Union County | 24,880 | $59,783 | $359,696 |
| 19 | Houston County | 164,117 | $76,968 | $231,263 |
| 20 | Dawson County | 27,355 | $84,516 | $425,476 |
| 21 | Jones County | 28,382 | $66,288 | $227,696 |
| 22 | Rabun County | 16,915 | $57,261 | $391,933 |
| 23 | Camden County | 55,105 | $68,104 | $282,042 |
| 24 | Monroe County | 28,287 | $74,867 | $293,288 |
| 25 | Pike County | 19,145 | $83,866 | $337,375 |
| 26 | White County | 28,165 | $66,256 | $317,555 |
| 27 | Gwinnett County | 957,977 | $82,296 | $398,967 |
| 28 | Pickens County | 33,439 | $72,558 | $360,087 |
| 29 | Putnam County | 22,206 | $60,825 | $396,448 |
| 30 | Lumpkin County | 33,405 | $67,592 | $348,704 |
| 31 | Walton County | 97,752 | $79,425 | $363,471 |
| 32 | Barrow County | 84,399 | $75,053 | $329,335 |
| 33 | Oglethorpe County | 14,974 | $66,672 | $286,511 |
| 34 | Lamar County | 18,676 | $64,966 | $255,346 |
| 35 | Dekalb County | 761,209 | $76,044 | $390,812 |
| 36 | Douglas County | 144,735 | $76,930 | $305,228 |
| 37 | Gilmer County | 31,519 | $70,334 | $390,248 |
| 38 | Bartow County | 109,410 | $74,812 | $304,509 |
| 39 | Dade County | 16,239 | $59,531 | $232,950 |
| 40 | Haralson County | 30,178 | $65,940 | $242,577 |
| 41 | Hart County | 26,110 | $61,765 | $296,672 |
| 42 | Butts County | 25,522 | $60,076 | $269,687 |
| 43 | Banks County | 18,381 | $69,096 | $310,087 |
| 44 | Chatham County | 296,266 | $66,171 | $312,460 |
| 45 | Greene County | 19,020 | $77,527 | $577,590 |
| 46 | Rockdale County | 93,641 | $68,999 | $307,896 |
| 47 | Jasper County | 14,882 | $57,374 | $286,026 |
| 48 | Glynn County | 84,566 | $65,970 | $330,097 |
| 49 | Newton County | 113,298 | $70,732 | $292,218 |
| 50 | Towns County | 12,546 | $55,574 | $369,357 |
| 51 | Glascock County | 2,903 | $60,469 | $154,299 |
| 52 | Pierce County | 19,822 | $54,861 | $166,325 |
| 53 | Fannin County | 25,436 | $54,857 | $463,701 |
| 54 | Mcduffie County | 21,715 | $54,752 | $168,618 |
| 55 | Long County | 16,804 | $56,819 | $254,798 |
| 56 | Troup County | 69,527 | $53,599 | $208,695 |
| 57 | Habersham County | 46,326 | $61,292 | $269,231 |
| 58 | Hall County | 204,953 | $74,153 | $368,358 |
| 59 | Liberty County | 65,550 | $55,149 | $222,555 |
| 60 | Bleckley County | 12,413 | $56,021 | $159,092 |
| 61 | Carroll County | 120,060 | $66,895 | $277,863 |
| 62 | Lincoln County | 7,726 | $50,754 | $210,608 |
| 63 | Floyd County | 98,541 | $57,868 | $210,403 |
| 64 | Schley County | 4,565 | $53,274 | $164,677 |
| 65 | Heard County | 11,489 | $62,965 | $232,252 |
| 66 | Gordon County | 57,785 | $57,555 | $251,537 |
| 67 | Chattahoochee County | 9,402 | $52,943 | $108,239 |
| 68 | Clarke County | 128,864 | $48,692 | $301,243 |
| 69 | Peach County | 28,054 | $60,940 | $214,275 |
| 70 | Burke County | 24,337 | $50,321 | $139,415 |
| 71 | Walker County | 68,065 | $52,276 | $215,146 |
| 72 | Upson County | 27,638 | $48,740 | $164,340 |
| 73 | Lowndes County | 118,257 | $52,821 | $197,064 |
| 74 | Stephens County | 26,732 | $52,901 | $204,671 |
| 75 | Thomas County | 45,665 | $55,958 | $196,927 |
| 76 | Spalding County | 67,415 | $57,367 | $231,955 |
| 77 | Muscogee County | 204,572 | $54,561 | $164,096 |
| 78 | Twiggs County | 7,955 | $50,446 | $88,712 |
| 79 | Bulloch County | 79,829 | $53,675 | $243,713 |
| 80 | Echols County | 3,707 | $61,184 | $146,324 |
| 81 | Mcintosh County | 11,183 | $51,262 | $223,833 |
| 82 | Tift County | 41,247 | $52,561 | $181,173 |
| 83 | Polk County | 43,019 | $51,956 | $199,462 |
| 84 | Talbot County | 5,793 | $48,065 | $145,375 |
| 85 | Murray County | 40,063 | $60,617 | $217,832 |
| 86 | Pulaski County | 9,887 | $42,545 | $152,722 |
| 87 | Taliaferro County | 1,635 | $45,881 | $133,731 |
| 88 | Dodge County | 19,977 | $46,091 | $127,414 |
| 89 | Richmond County | 206,153 | $50,605 | $174,242 |
| 90 | Baldwin County | 43,778 | $54,699 | $177,532 |
| 91 | Screven County | 14,026 | $49,941 | $157,336 |
| 92 | Clayton County | 296,312 | $56,207 | $245,495 |
| 93 | Whitfield County | 103,033 | $59,659 | $226,993 |
| 94 | Madison County | 30,378 | $53,626 | $283,780 |
| 95 | Clay County | 2,855 | $43,264 | $147,741 |
| 96 | Wilkes County | 9,610 | $51,780 | $133,310 |
| 97 | Montgomery County | 8,687 | $49,138 | $166,410 |
| 98 | Lanier County | 9,964 | $39,971 | $185,081 |
| 99 | Laurens County | 49,407 | $46,776 | $160,108 |
| 100 | Franklin County | 23,480 | $52,597 | $261,724 |