Are you looking at your watch, wondering when 5 PM will finally come? Sometimes, work can be fun, fulfilling, and precisely what you hoped for when you were a kid, but other times, retirement is the best option. And if you’re looking to retire in Georgia, we have you covered.
Georgia has a town for everyone. You can live a more active retirement somewhere like Alpharetta. Or you can start taking classes at Emory, get another degree, or even learn a new language. What about going on long hikes with your dogs on the Appalachian Trail.
If you envision a retirement like that, going to Georgia is the perfect place. You’ll find beautiful beaches, mountains, iced tea, and sunshine. Georgia also has Atlanta for the city people and miles upon miles of small towns for everyone else.
To help you feel secure in your decision of where to retire in Georgia, we looked at the most recent Census and FBI data, among others, to find affordable places with plenty to do that are also safe — a retirement paradise.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Georgia For 2026
The best place to retire in Georgia for 2026? Congratulations Decatur, the best place for retirees in Georgia. For those living near Atlanta, it is hardly surprising that this suburb ranks first on our list.
Most of our top ten are located near Atlanta.
Interested to see how your favorite city stacked up? Read on.
Why did Decatur take the top spot? And where are Columbus and Savannah?
For more Georgia state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Georgia
- Cheapest Places To Live In Georgia
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Georgia
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Georgia For 2026
/10
Population: 24,518
Median Income: $139,397
Median Home Price: $279,470
Median Rent: $1,655
Distance to Closest Airport: 11 miles
More on Decatur: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 147,898
Median Income: $57,137
Median Home Price: $326,508
Median Rent: $1,382
Distance to Closest Airport: 9 miles
More on Savannah: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 14,990
Median Income: $109,828
Median Home Price: $416,352
Median Rent: $1,074
Distance to Closest Airport: 58 miles
More on Jefferson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 10,752
Median Income: $49,370
Median Home Price: $184,384
Median Rent: $794
Distance to Closest Airport: 70 miles
More on Vidalia: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 24,074
Median Income: $84,437
Median Home Price: $323,099
Median Rent: $1,229
Distance to Closest Airport: 42 miles
More on Cartersville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 28,466
Median Income: $91,766
Median Home Price: $351,154
Median Rent: $1,671
Distance to Closest Airport: 3 miles
More on Pooler: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 16,831
Median Income: $91,897
Median Home Price: $321,970
Median Rent: $1,479
Distance to Closest Airport: 11 miles
More on Fairburn: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 62,263
Median Income: $72,725
Median Home Price: $471,587
Median Rent: $1,586
Distance to Closest Airport: 22 miles
More on Marietta: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 18,512
Median Income: $63,140
Median Home Price: $297,596
Median Rent: $1,318
Distance to Closest Airport: 25 miles
More on Conyers: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 14,404
Median Income: $45,422
Median Home Price: $172,159
Median Rent: $791
Distance to Closest Airport: 81 miles
More on Bainbridge: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Peach State for 2026
To create our ranking of the best places in Georgia to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Peach State — 620 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 72 places from across the state.
For these 72, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 72, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Decatur, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2026. This list reflects our eleventh time ranking the best places to retire in Georgia.
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Georgia Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Georgia goes to Decatur.
The best places to retire in Georgia are Decatur, Savannah, Jefferson, Vidalia, Cartersville, Pooler, Fairburn, Marietta, Conyers, and Bainbridge.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Chamblee
- Doraville
- Warner Robins
For more Georgia reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In Georgia
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Decatur | 24,518 | $139,397 | $279,470 | $1,655 |
| 2 | Savannah | 147,898 | $57,137 | $326,508 | $1,382 |
| 3 | Jefferson | 14,990 | $109,828 | $416,352 | $1,074 |
| 4 | Vidalia | 10,752 | $49,370 | $184,384 | $794 |
| 5 | Cartersville | 24,074 | $84,437 | $323,099 | $1,229 |
| 6 | Pooler | 28,466 | $91,766 | $351,154 | $1,671 |
| 7 | Fairburn | 16,831 | $91,897 | $321,970 | $1,479 |
| 8 | Marietta | 62,263 | $72,725 | $471,587 | $1,586 |
| 9 | Conyers | 18,512 | $63,140 | $297,596 | $1,318 |
| 10 | Bainbridge | 14,404 | $45,422 | $172,159 | $791 |