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 2026
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 2026
1. Oconee County
Biggest Place: Watkinsville
Population: 43,551
Median Income: $121,217 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $549,858 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.0% (2best)
More on Oconee County: Data
2. Forsyth County
Biggest Place: Cumming
Population: 267,287
Median Income: $143,784 (best)
Median Home Price: $617,619 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.5% (39th best)
More on Forsyth County: Data
3. Fayette County
Biggest Place: Peachtree City
Population: 122,244
Median Income: $111,978 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $516,925 (4th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.8% (52nd best)
More on Fayette County: Data
4. Coweta County
Biggest Place: Newnan
Population: 152,852
Median Income: $95,548 (10th best)
Median Home Price: $389,088 (22nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.1% (24th best)
More on Coweta County: Data
5. Cherokee County
Biggest Place: Woodstock
Population: 281,032
Median Income: $108,115 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $473,570 (6th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2% (3best)
More on Cherokee County: Data
6. Morgan County
Biggest Place: Madison
Population: 21,078
Median Income: $78,111 (29th best)
Median Home Price: $461,164 (7th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.4% (8th best)
More on Morgan County: Data
7. Lee County
Biggest Place: Leesburg
Population: 33,626
Median Income: $89,168 (14th best)
Median Home Price: $262,789 (59th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.3% (32nd best)
More on Lee County: Data
8. Bryan County
Biggest Place: Richmond Hill
Population: 48,263
Median Income: $103,408 (5th best)
Median Home Price: $401,105 (16th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.3% (98th best)
More on Bryan County: Data
9. Monroe County
Biggest Place: Forsyth
Population: 29,664
Median Income: $83,183 (20th best)
Median Home Price: $331,065 (33rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.7% (14th best)
More on Monroe County: Data
10. Dawson County
Biggest Place: Dawsonville
Population: 30,242
Median Income: $92,991 (12th best)
Median Home Price: $451,202 (8th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.5% (40th best)
More on Dawson 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 2026. This report is our eleventh 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 2026
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, Bryan County, Monroe County, and Dawson 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
- Stewart County
- Jeff Davis County
For more Georgia reading, check out:
- Cheapest Places To Live In Georgia
- Safest Places In Georgia
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Georgia
- Best Places To Buy A House In Georgia
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Georgia
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oconee County | 43,551 | $121,217 | $549,858 |
| 2 | Forsyth County | 267,287 | $143,784 | $617,619 |
| 3 | Fayette County | 122,244 | $111,978 | $516,925 |
| 4 | Coweta County | 152,852 | $95,548 | $389,088 |
| 5 | Cherokee County | 281,032 | $108,115 | $473,570 |
| 6 | Morgan County | 21,078 | $78,111 | $461,164 |
| 7 | Lee County | 33,626 | $89,168 | $262,789 |
| 8 | Bryan County | 48,263 | $103,408 | $401,105 |
| 9 | Monroe County | 29,664 | $83,183 | $331,065 |
| 10 | Dawson County | 30,242 | $92,991 | $451,202 |
| 11 | Paulding County | 178,909 | $98,031 | $343,556 |
| 12 | Jackson County | 84,757 | $89,544 | $405,864 |
| 13 | Columbia County | 162,434 | $95,592 | $330,938 |
| 14 | Cobb County | 775,208 | $102,738 | $423,365 |
| 15 | Harris County | 36,086 | $97,302 | $370,750 |
| 16 | Fulton County | 1,076,561 | $95,292 | $420,013 |
| 17 | Pickens County | 34,951 | $78,930 | $389,761 |
| 18 | Oglethorpe County | 15,509 | $75,034 | $311,225 |
| 19 | Effingham County | 69,143 | $88,438 | $340,217 |
| 20 | Greene County | 20,109 | $86,272 | $625,073 |
| 21 | Jones County | 28,673 | $75,500 | $245,643 |
| 22 | Pike County | 19,903 | $86,719 | $377,607 |
| 23 | Henry County | 249,960 | $83,146 | $319,447 |
| 24 | Dade County | 16,165 | $64,568 | $250,675 |
| 25 | Catoosa County | 68,634 | $74,639 | $292,646 |
| 26 | Houston County | 169,649 | $80,698 | $253,969 |
| 27 | Camden County | 56,970 | $74,378 | $304,929 |
| 28 | Union County | 26,304 | $66,176 | $378,668 |
| 29 | Rabun County | 17,312 | $67,493 | $401,296 |
| 30 | Lamar County | 19,571 | $67,062 | $284,782 |
| 31 | Walton County | 103,313 | $84,945 | $383,943 |
| 32 | Towns County | 12,913 | $59,135 | $394,376 |
| 33 | Putnam County | 22,855 | $72,096 | $407,863 |
| 34 | Barrow County | 89,886 | $80,653 | $346,651 |
| 35 | Lumpkin County | 34,505 | $77,448 | $389,150 |
| 36 | Banks County | 19,264 | $77,063 | $356,293 |
| 37 | Gwinnett County | 979,864 | $87,890 | $409,565 |
| 38 | Glynn County | 85,447 | $69,799 | $359,653 |
| 39 | Gilmer County | 32,426 | $74,499 | $419,353 |
| 40 | Douglas County | 147,888 | $82,984 | $299,871 |
| 41 | Hart County | 26,939 | $59,385 | $314,969 |
| 42 | White County | 28,810 | $70,666 | $322,491 |
| 43 | Rockdale County | 95,281 | $77,247 | $302,272 |
| 44 | Dekalb County | 765,351 | $80,644 | $391,731 |
| 45 | Bartow County | 113,113 | $82,243 | $323,724 |
| 46 | Crawford County | 12,225 | $67,116 | $203,224 |
| 47 | Newton County | 118,152 | $77,179 | $291,876 |
| 48 | Pierce County | 20,202 | $60,517 | $225,378 |
| 49 | Fannin County | 25,742 | $57,073 | $495,868 |
| 50 | Butts County | 26,496 | $69,241 | $275,700 |
| 51 | Chatham County | 300,879 | $71,097 | $341,125 |
| 52 | Hall County | 212,705 | $80,901 | $389,658 |
| 53 | Haralson County | 31,285 | $72,127 | $273,586 |
| 54 | Mcduffie County | 21,718 | $56,733 | $205,409 |
| 55 | Lincoln County | 7,854 | $56,907 | $257,599 |
| 56 | Walker County | 68,762 | $59,469 | $240,508 |
| 57 | Habersham County | 47,793 | $67,309 | $320,308 |
| 58 | Liberty County | 67,397 | $60,456 | $245,158 |
| 59 | Troup County | 70,330 | $56,776 | $234,726 |
| 60 | Carroll County | 124,569 | $73,714 | $288,080 |
| 61 | Chattahoochee County | 8,887 | $61,042 | $147,432 |
| 62 | Jasper County | 15,929 | $60,134 | $323,013 |
| 63 | Thomas County | 45,777 | $60,736 | $225,975 |
| 64 | Heard County | 11,773 | $65,868 | $273,953 |
| 65 | Glascock County | 2,932 | $54,934 | $188,510 |
| 66 | Bleckley County | 12,430 | $62,008 | $180,888 |
| 67 | Peach County | 28,560 | $71,293 | $231,672 |
| 68 | Gordon County | 59,100 | $63,650 | $275,372 |
| 69 | Long County | 18,374 | $68,808 | $280,775 |
| 70 | Pulaski County | 9,939 | $50,406 | $184,216 |
| 71 | Floyd County | 99,693 | $65,565 | $231,489 |
| 72 | Mcintosh County | 11,312 | $50,273 | $282,131 |
| 73 | Madison County | 31,528 | $61,963 | $323,908 |
| 74 | Dooly County | 10,984 | $60,987 | $132,233 |
| 75 | Lowndes County | 119,965 | $58,541 | $227,597 |
| 76 | Clarke County | 129,609 | $53,625 | $330,455 |
| 77 | Murray County | 40,562 | $69,253 | $243,847 |
| 78 | Polk County | 43,785 | $58,515 | $221,062 |
| 79 | Bulloch County | 82,683 | $58,810 | $283,278 |
| 80 | Clay County | 2,850 | $49,147 | $163,622 |
| 81 | Schley County | 4,513 | $56,875 | $187,755 |
| 82 | Elbert County | 19,849 | $58,450 | $180,333 |
| 83 | Muscogee County | 203,711 | $58,073 | $186,078 |
| 84 | Tift County | 41,438 | $53,255 | $207,542 |
| 85 | Upson County | 28,029 | $55,429 | $182,588 |
| 86 | Echols County | 3,709 | $59,489 | $174,637 |
| 87 | Spalding County | 68,892 | $62,071 | $233,219 |
| 88 | Brantley County | 18,315 | $58,239 | $186,764 |
| 89 | Stephens County | 27,012 | $54,754 | $240,436 |
| 90 | Baldwin County | 43,642 | $54,403 | $235,708 |
| 91 | Screven County | 14,130 | $52,792 | $179,535 |
| 92 | Taliaferro County | 1,558 | $52,500 | $142,797 |
| 93 | Candler County | 11,043 | $49,581 | $219,367 |
| 94 | Miller County | 5,850 | $51,425 | $165,034 |
| 95 | Laurens County | 49,798 | $55,010 | $181,394 |
| 96 | Wilkinson County | 8,747 | $45,465 | $146,793 |
| 97 | Richmond County | 206,069 | $55,637 | $186,701 |
| 98 | Meriwether County | 20,929 | $57,340 | $210,136 |
| 99 | Whitfield County | 103,598 | $67,070 | $250,403 |
| 100 | Wilkes County | 9,549 | $52,043 | $170,173 |