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 2025
- Oconee County
- Forsyth County
- Fayette County
- Coweta County
- Cherokee County
- Morgan County
- Lee County
- Columbia County
- Paulding County
- Cobb County
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 2025
1. Oconee County
Biggest Place: Watkinsville
Population: 42,788
Median Income: $115,925 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $425,100 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.0% (13th best)
More on Oconee County:
2. Forsyth County
Biggest Place: Cumming
Population: 260,062
Median Income: $138,000 (best)
Median Home Price: $493,800 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.4% (2best)
More on Forsyth County:
3. Fayette County
Biggest Place: Peachtree City
Population: 120,689
Median Income: $108,986 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $405,600 (4th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.7% (36th best)
More on Fayette County:
4. Coweta County
Biggest Place: Newnan
Population: 150,071
Median Income: $94,142 (9th best)
Median Home Price: $321,900 (12th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.8% (8th best)
More on Coweta County:
5. Cherokee County
Biggest Place: Woodstock
Population: 274,539
Median Income: $105,442 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $389,800 (5th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2% (14th best)
More on Cherokee County:
6. Morgan County
Biggest Place: Madison
Population: 20,614
Median Income: $85,692 (14th best)
Median Home Price: $323,100 (11th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.9% (12th best)
More on Morgan County:
7. Lee County
Biggest Place: Leesburg
Population: 33,337
Median Income: $88,024 (13th best)
Median Home Price: $226,900 (44th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.6% (33rd best)
More on Lee County:
8. Columbia County
Biggest Place: Evans
Population: 159,638
Median Income: $96,122 (6th best)
Median Home Price: $287,400 (20th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.8% (70th best)
More on Columbia County:
9. Paulding County
Biggest Place: Dallas
Population: 174,292
Median Income: $94,557 (7th best)
Median Home Price: $289,000 (19th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.5% (62nd best)
More on Paulding County:
10. Cobb County
Biggest Place: Roswell
Population: 769,152
Median Income: $98,712 (5th best)
Median Home Price: $373,700 (6th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.5% (63rd best)
More on Cobb County:
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 2025. 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 2025
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, Coweta County, Cherokee County, Morgan County, Lee County, Columbia County, Paulding County, and Cobb 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
- Wheeler County
- Stewart County
For more Georgia reading, check out:
- Best Counties To Live In Georgia
- Safest Places In Georgia
- Richest Cities In Georgia
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Georgia
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Georgia
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oconee County | 42,788 | $115,925 | $425,100 |
| 2 | Forsyth County | 260,062 | $138,000 | $493,800 |
| 3 | Fayette County | 120,689 | $108,986 | $405,600 |
| 4 | Coweta County | 150,071 | $94,142 | $321,900 |
| 5 | Cherokee County | 274,539 | $105,442 | $389,800 |
| 6 | Morgan County | 20,614 | $85,692 | $323,100 |
| 7 | Lee County | 33,337 | $88,024 | $226,900 |
| 8 | Columbia County | 159,638 | $96,122 | $287,400 |
| 9 | Paulding County | 174,292 | $94,557 | $289,000 |
| 10 | Cobb County | 769,152 | $98,712 | $373,700 |
| 11 | Jackson County | 80,640 | $85,012 | $312,700 |
| 12 | Bryan County | 46,681 | $94,234 | $317,100 |
| 13 | Fulton County | 1,068,507 | $91,490 | $431,200 |
| 14 | Harris County | 35,509 | $89,184 | $278,700 |
| 15 | Henry County | 245,417 | $81,612 | $277,400 |
| 16 | Catoosa County | 68,356 | $72,425 | $214,200 |
| 17 | Monroe County | 28,919 | $82,863 | $243,200 |
| 18 | Lamar County | 19,098 | $68,457 | $201,400 |
| 19 | Jones County | 28,526 | $68,259 | $174,600 |
| 20 | Effingham County | 67,265 | $85,465 | $245,300 |
| 21 | Dawson County | 28,704 | $88,986 | $351,900 |
| 22 | Houston County | 166,902 | $80,743 | $205,600 |
| 23 | Camden County | 56,036 | $72,399 | $233,900 |
| 24 | Towns County | 12,739 | $58,400 | $311,900 |
| 25 | Union County | 25,598 | $65,697 | $272,600 |
| 26 | Pickens County | 34,197 | $75,293 | $289,600 |
| 27 | Pike County | 19,540 | $84,184 | $265,700 |
| 28 | Oglethorpe County | 15,221 | $69,784 | $198,700 |
| 29 | Rabun County | 17,107 | $61,466 | $272,600 |
| 30 | Gwinnett County | 966,972 | $84,823 | $345,700 |
| 31 | Walton County | 100,361 | $82,381 | $300,500 |
| 32 | Greene County | 19,586 | $84,530 | $342,200 |
| 33 | White County | 28,454 | $69,747 | $262,200 |
| 34 | Barrow County | 86,982 | $77,477 | $255,200 |
| 35 | Dade County | 16,196 | $58,936 | $166,600 |
| 36 | Gilmer County | 31,976 | $72,542 | $278,900 |
| 37 | Douglas County | 146,141 | $80,764 | $262,200 |
| 38 | Bartow County | 111,153 | $79,431 | $262,200 |
| 39 | Banks County | 18,757 | $68,830 | $251,700 |
| 40 | Dekalb County | 762,105 | $77,683 | $331,400 |
| 41 | Putnam County | 22,524 | $64,163 | $222,000 |
| 42 | Chatham County | 298,143 | $69,575 | $273,300 |
| 43 | Schley County | 4,539 | $59,647 | $152,900 |
| 44 | Lumpkin County | 33,931 | $72,388 | $277,200 |
| 45 | Rockdale County | 94,293 | $72,349 | $256,600 |
| 46 | Newton County | 115,530 | $73,732 | $233,300 |
| 47 | Hart County | 26,484 | $57,241 | $206,500 |
| 48 | Glynn County | 84,987 | $68,546 | $268,300 |
| 49 | Fannin County | 25,605 | $58,073 | $274,600 |
| 50 | Habersham County | 46,948 | $65,622 | $212,000 |
| 51 | Long County | 17,512 | $64,747 | $196,500 |
| 52 | Glascock County | 2,913 | $55,250 | $122,800 |
| 53 | Butts County | 26,074 | $59,221 | $227,800 |
| 54 | Hall County | 208,395 | $77,430 | $313,600 |
| 55 | Liberty County | 66,826 | $59,013 | $180,200 |
| 56 | Jasper County | 15,345 | $59,574 | $219,700 |
| 57 | Haralson County | 30,720 | $65,016 | $210,400 |
| 58 | Floyd County | 98,985 | $62,540 | $194,100 |
| 59 | Peach County | 28,269 | $68,365 | $186,100 |
| 60 | Crawford County | 12,183 | $60,905 | $144,800 |
| 61 | Chattahoochee County | 9,181 | $59,221 | $99,800 |
| 62 | Carroll County | 122,187 | $72,327 | $227,500 |
| 63 | Mcduffie County | 21,687 | $54,058 | $155,100 |
| 64 | Troup County | 69,821 | $54,905 | $187,800 |
| 65 | Gordon County | 58,336 | $61,997 | $205,600 |
| 66 | Thomas County | 45,696 | $60,140 | $185,300 |
| 67 | Muscogee County | 204,383 | $56,622 | $182,300 |
| 68 | Pierce County | 19,996 | $56,691 | $132,100 |
| 69 | Upson County | 27,856 | $50,904 | $149,500 |
| 70 | Lincoln County | 7,773 | $50,688 | $163,600 |
| 71 | Clarke County | 129,267 | $52,267 | $271,900 |
| 72 | Spalding County | 68,215 | $60,217 | $196,600 |
| 73 | Walker County | 68,449 | $55,887 | $173,900 |
| 74 | Murray County | 40,282 | $67,880 | $173,300 |
| 75 | Lowndes County | 119,055 | $55,887 | $197,900 |
| 76 | Heard County | 11,616 | $62,907 | $161,000 |
| 77 | Mcintosh County | 11,187 | $50,348 | $173,900 |
| 78 | Bulloch County | 81,372 | $56,832 | $191,600 |
| 79 | Baldwin County | 43,669 | $55,413 | $164,700 |
| 80 | Tift County | 41,322 | $53,165 | $143,100 |
| 81 | Stephens County | 26,842 | $52,264 | $168,200 |
| 82 | Screven County | 14,057 | $53,017 | $122,300 |
| 83 | Echols County | 3,705 | $61,723 | $112,600 |
| 84 | Bleckley County | 12,414 | $53,005 | $132,900 |
| 85 | Clay County | 2,853 | $48,715 | $92,500 |
| 86 | Madison County | 30,914 | $58,784 | $198,800 |
| 87 | Twiggs County | 7,869 | $55,439 | $104,500 |
| 88 | Richmond County | 206,040 | $53,197 | $163,300 |
| 89 | Lanier County | 10,094 | $44,361 | $161,100 |
| 90 | Whitfield County | 103,118 | $64,262 | $198,900 |
| 91 | Clayton County | 298,771 | $58,507 | $194,500 |
| 92 | Toombs County | 26,943 | $54,130 | $127,100 |
| 93 | Pulaski County | 9,893 | $47,688 | $144,300 |
| 94 | Bacon County | 11,129 | $50,310 | $104,100 |
| 95 | Wilkes County | 9,553 | $52,542 | $105,000 |
| 96 | Washington County | 19,893 | $44,009 | $115,600 |
| 97 | Polk County | 43,365 | $55,308 | $163,500 |
| 98 | Wilkinson County | 8,795 | $46,673 | $90,800 |
| 99 | Seminole County | 9,117 | $49,559 | $111,600 |
| 100 | Worth County | 20,575 | $57,201 | $112,400 |