You’re in luck if you’re searching for the most affordable places in Georgia.
To spot exactly where you’ll find the cheapest places to live the Peach State, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze Census data on home prices, rents, and incomes. It turns out this Southern state is full of peaches, boiled peanuts, and cheap places to live.
With cities like Savannah and Atlanta offering a lower cost of living than bigger coastal cities you dont sacrafice on quality of life for quality of wallet. You’ll find plenty of cheap things to do, like the Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon or the Atlanta Jazz Festival.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 most affordable places to live in Georgia
What is the cheapest place to live in Georgia? The cheapest place to live in Georgia for 2024 is Waynesboro based on affordability metrics.
If you want to live near all the action in Georgia, it turns out you can do that on the cheap. Most of the cheapest places in Georgia are in the surrounding regions of Atlanta and Savannah.
Check out some more reading about Georgia and the cheapest places in the country:
The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Georgia For 2024
/10
Population: 5,720
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 75
Median Income: $41,932
Median Home Price: $149,567
Median Rent: $724
Waynesboro makes onto the list of affordable cities in Georgia. With a median home value of $149,567 and a median rent of $724, the cost of living is quite low compared to other cities in Georgia. The overall cost of living in Waynesboro is also 20% lower than the national average, making it an ideal location for budget-conscious individuals and families.
Despite its affordability, Waynesboro still offers a high quality of life. The city has easy access to nearby amenities, including the Augusta metropolitan area.
More on Waynesboro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 7,542
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 76
Median Income: $44,491
Median Home Price: $106,598
Median Rent: $767
In Georgia’s Emanuel County, you’ll find Swainsboro, the second most affordable city in Georgia. It ranks well thanks to its low 76 cost of living index, 17.4% lower than the state average.
The big driver in the cost of living across Georgia is home prices, and Swainsboro has an average home price you’ll swoon over – $106,598. Those prices leave more in your pocket for a weekend trip to Augusta or Savannah.
More on Swainsboro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 16,020
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 79
Median Income: $36,498
Median Home Price: $110,914
Median Rent: $806
Americus, home to a population of 16,020, ranks as the third cheapest place to live in the Peach State. With a median home value of $110,914, buying here is considerably cheaper than in the rest of Georgia.
In the heart of Sumter County, the city’s cost of living index of 79 ensures residents enjoy a budget filled with extra peaches, pimento cheese, and boiled peanuts.
More on Americus: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 6,929
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 79
Median Income: $30,284
Median Home Price: $157,051
Median Rent: $751
LaFayette, part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA Metropolitan area, is an affordable gem. With an 79 overall cost of living index, the city ranks fourth in Georgia.
LaFayette is a great small town with low-cost attractions such as Pettyjohn Cave and Joe Stock Memorial Park. That means you can save more of your $30,284 average income.
More on Lafayette: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 5,163
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 79
Median Income: $27,306
Median Home Price: $128,968
Median Rent: $733
Next up comes Camilla, Georgia. Although this town comes last on our list, don’t underestimate its affordability. You can rent apartments for under $400 a month in Camilla. Is that possible where you live now? We didn’t think so.
Camilla is also home to famous NFL player Danny Copeland of the Washington Redskins.
More on Camilla: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 8,821
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $31,807
Median Home Price: $140,206
Median Rent: $703
Next on our list is Fort Valley, a city In the middle of Peach County. A median rent of $703 won’t break the bank, allowing its 8,821 residents more to enjoy the perks of budget-friendly living.
A 30-minute drive to Warner Robins, Fort Valley’s cost of living is 12 points better than the state average. You’ll spend less on groceries and utilities and more on weekend trips to downtown Macon.
More on Fort Valley: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
I lived in fort valley for almost 20yrs. Crime in these small farming towns- Good one… LOL
I’d rather walk through any of these small towns at night compared to Macon, ATL, Albany and Columbus.
/10
Population: 6,839
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $42,793
Median Home Price: $168,618
Median Rent: $903
Forty-five miles west of Augusta, you’ll crash into the next place on our list, Thomson. The son of Thom ranks as the seventh cheapest in Georgia.
The city of 6,839 people hosts many affordable events to keep your wallet in check. Those events include the Blind Willie McTell Music Festival and Bethe lle Meade Hunt Opening Meet. Or take a free hike in Clarks Hill Lake.
More on Thomson: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 5,635
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $41,213
Median Home Price: $130,583
Median Rent: $726
The eighth most affordable city in Georgia is Eastman, Georgia. When you are looking for the most affordable place in Georgia, look no further because Eastman easily takes the cake on this one. Located an hour outside of Macon, Eastman is perfect families looking for a small town vibe with a larger urban center nearby for weekend trips. Plus, Eastman is cheap.
What else could you ask for?
More on Eastman: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Take a city like Eastman.. 20 years ago lots of people there carpooled to work at Robins AFB.. There was a shirt factory and the Lithonia Lighting Factory in Eastman employed people. Plus people did a lot of farming all over South GA. Lithonia has since closed its doors, folks were paid to plant pine trees instead of farming and probably most of the folks who worked at Robins are retired. It is sad to see the decline of so many cities in our state.
/10
Population: 5,622
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 80
Median Income: $48,599
Median Home Price: $138,016
Median Rent: $819
If you’re looking for an affordable place to live in Georgia, you may want to consider Sylvester. With a median home value of $138,016 and median rent of $819, this city offers reasonable housing prices that won’t break the bank. Additionally, the cost of living in Sylvester is low, with a score of 80.
Sylvester also has plenty to offer its residents. As the Peanut Capital of the World, it’s known for its peanut production and hosts an annual Peanut Festival. The city also boasts a charming downtown area with locally-owned shops and restaurants.
More on Sylvester: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 14,533
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 81
Median Income: $41,228
Median Home Price: $124,960
Median Rent: $716
The tenth most affordable city in Georgia is Moultrie. Housing is a bargain with $124,960 median home prices below the state median and $716 median rent.
A long weekend trip to Tallahassee, Moultrie has a low 81 overall cost of living index, which is 12.0% lower than the Georgian average.
More on Moultrie: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Cheapest places to live in Georgia FAQs
The county in Georgia with the lowest cost of living is Appling County. The average living wage in Appling County is $76,261 according to MIT data. Appling County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to Georgia as a whole. Childcare costs $9,594 a year in Appling County for two children compared to the Georgia average of $13,033. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $7,776 per year in Appling County compared to $12,094 on average in Georgia.
The cost of living in Georgia is 5.2% lower than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in Georgia is $85,101 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a Georgia household is $61,224.
The cheapest housing market in Georgia is Waycross. The average home value in Waycross is $71,700, the lowest in the state. The average home value in Georgia is $190,200, almost 2.7 times higher than Waycross.
Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Peach State for 2024
Determining affordability for places in Georgia boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 for Georgia using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Georgia to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 124 places in Georgia that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in Georgia with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Waynesboro.
We updated this article for 2024. This report reflects our tenth time ranking the cheapest places to live in Georgia.
Georgia Affordabilility Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Georgia for 2024, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Georgia.
The cheapest cities in Georgia are Waynesboro, Swainsboro, Americus, LaFayette, Camilla, Fort Valley, Thomson, Eastman, Sylvester, and Moultrie.
Here’s a look at the most expensive cities in Georgia according to the data:
- Milton
- Sandy Springs
- Brookhaven
For more Georgia reading, check out:
Cheapest Places To Live In Georgia
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waynesboro | 5,720 | 75 | $41,932 | $149,567 | $724 |
| 2 | Swainsboro | 7,542 | 76 | $44,491 | $106,598 | $767 |
| 3 | Americus | 16,020 | 79 | $36,498 | $110,914 | $806 |
| 4 | LaFayette | 6,929 | 79 | $30,284 | $157,051 | $751 |
| 5 | Camilla | 5,163 | 79 | $27,306 | $128,968 | $733 |
| 6 | Fort Valley | 8,821 | 80 | $31,807 | $140,206 | $703 |
| 7 | Thomson | 6,839 | 80 | $42,793 | $168,618 | $903 |
| 8 | Eastman | 5,635 | 80 | $41,213 | $130,583 | $726 |
| 9 | Sylvester | 5,622 | 80 | $48,599 | $138,016 | $819 |
| 10 | Moultrie | 14,533 | 81 | $41,228 | $124,960 | $716 |
| 11 | Waycross | 13,856 | 81 | $36,818 | $119,877 | $766 |
| 12 | Cordele | 10,210 | 81 | $33,166 | $124,602 | $756 |
| 13 | Cedartown | 10,166 | 81 | $30,655 | $182,273 | $801 |
| 14 | Fitzgerald | 8,972 | 81 | $32,500 | $109,147 | $631 |
| 15 | Sandersville | 5,727 | 81 | $45,502 | $125,457 | $635 |
| 16 | Albany | 68,926 | 82 | $43,724 | $120,704 | $889 |
| 17 | Statesboro | 33,185 | 82 | $38,845 | $241,680 | $895 |
| 18 | Eatonton | 6,369 | 82 | $53,870 | $384,922 | $821 |
| 19 | Blakely | 5,299 | 82 | $43,008 | $116,893 | $876 |
| 20 | Milledgeville | 17,021 | 83 | $40,672 | $186,766 | $840 |
| 21 | Brunswick | 15,243 | 83 | $29,781 | $227,011 | $838 |
| 22 | Vidalia | 10,732 | 83 | $47,124 | $169,711 | $641 |
| 23 | Temple | 5,395 | 83 | $71,917 | $278,708 | $1,214 |
| 24 | Dalton | 34,358 | 84 | $57,163 | $220,313 | $866 |
| 25 | Dublin | 15,985 | 84 | $37,734 | $172,018 | $694 |
| 26 | Austell | 8,109 | 84 | $64,071 | $295,883 | $1,443 |
| 27 | Adel | 5,571 | 84 | $26,800 | $147,659 | $886 |
| 28 | Forest Park | 19,619 | 85 | $41,837 | $177,768 | $1,042 |
| 29 | Riverdale | 14,933 | 85 | $61,622 | $236,180 | $1,154 |
| 30 | Jesup | 9,820 | 85 | $53,096 | $176,163 | $762 |
| 31 | Thomaston | 9,720 | 85 | $30,298 | $160,205 | $773 |
| 32 | Barnesville | 6,200 | 85 | $46,116 | $189,049 | $896 |
| 33 | Villa Rica | 17,354 | 86 | $82,373 | $312,462 | $1,296 |
| 34 | Douglas | 11,694 | 86 | $39,716 | $152,646 | $717 |
| 35 | Garden City | 10,352 | 86 | $46,063 | $212,631 | $1,046 |
| 36 | Fort Oglethorpe | 10,203 | 86 | $49,789 | $226,881 | $884 |
| 37 | Cairo | 10,091 | 86 | $39,784 | $158,232 | $791 |
| 38 | Toccoa | 9,055 | 86 | $49,860 | $200,804 | $821 |
| 39 | Stone Mountain | 6,638 | 86 | $44,950 | $281,949 | $1,356 |
| 40 | Rome | 37,621 | 87 | $48,512 | $208,496 | $851 |
| 41 | Perry | 21,279 | 87 | $68,507 | $242,812 | $1,009 |
| 42 | Calhoun | 17,184 | 87 | $54,927 | $252,141 | $746 |
| 43 | Tifton | 17,059 | 87 | $42,200 | $183,657 | $765 |
| 44 | Grovetown | 16,049 | 87 | $67,222 | $287,518 | $1,301 |
| 45 | Clarkston | 14,553 | 87 | $51,122 | $273,169 | $1,227 |
| 46 | Bainbridge | 14,234 | 87 | $42,093 | $158,360 | $767 |
| 47 | Jackson | 5,497 | 87 | $43,824 | $279,727 | $826 |
| 48 | Warner Robins | 80,374 | 88 | $63,678 | $194,094 | $1,094 |
| 49 | Union City | 26,869 | 88 | $46,696 | $247,142 | $1,186 |
| 50 | Carrollton | 26,622 | 88 | $46,722 | $269,476 | $972 |
| 51 | Thomasville | 18,744 | 88 | $45,789 | $203,661 | $1,008 |
| 52 | Monroe | 15,036 | 88 | $45,307 | $342,225 | $1,100 |
| 53 | Dallas | 14,126 | 88 | $60,032 | $346,508 | $1,245 |
| 54 | Lovejoy | 10,429 | 88 | $59,184 | $287,995 | $1,522 |
| 55 | Griffin | 23,485 | 89 | $42,047 | $236,940 | $1,026 |
| 56 | Cartersville | 23,103 | 89 | $75,407 | $304,822 | $1,096 |
| 57 | Commerce | 7,391 | 89 | $58,763 | $296,250 | $1,107 |
| 58 | Bremen | 7,209 | 89 | $88,545 | $263,114 | $808 |
| 59 | Hapeville | 6,566 | 89 | $62,117 | $273,382 | $1,293 |
| 60 | Morrow | 6,563 | 89 | $64,890 | $227,622 | $1,225 |
| 61 | Valdosta | 55,266 | 90 | $41,365 | $182,356 | $932 |
| 62 | East Point | 38,113 | 90 | $59,602 | $262,257 | $1,241 |
| 63 | LaGrange | 31,173 | 90 | $41,030 | $192,745 | $962 |
| 64 | Fairburn | 16,469 | 90 | $67,245 | $331,795 | $1,428 |
| 65 | Savannah | 147,583 | 91 | $54,748 | $296,777 | $1,216 |
| 66 | Hinesville | 34,732 | 91 | $54,447 | $217,324 | $1,147 |
| 67 | Winder | 18,414 | 91 | $57,365 | $326,583 | $1,072 |
| 68 | Covington | 14,190 | 91 | $47,278 | $292,367 | $1,153 |
| 69 | Locust Grove | 9,367 | 91 | $67,143 | $329,824 | $1,252 |
| 70 | Centerville | 8,220 | 91 | $74,250 | $209,922 | $1,182 |
| 71 | Auburn | 7,794 | 91 | $77,896 | $334,190 | $1,056 |
| 72 | Gainesville | 42,780 | 92 | $64,163 | $349,432 | $1,167 |
| 73 | Newnan | 42,689 | 92 | $74,606 | $356,203 | $1,304 |
| 74 | Douglasville | 35,252 | 92 | $72,753 | $307,358 | $1,344 |
| 75 | Acworth | 22,318 | 92 | $74,643 | $400,640 | $1,419 |
| 76 | Kingsland | 18,563 | 92 | $73,839 | $277,021 | $1,125 |
| 77 | Conyers | 17,415 | 92 | $53,500 | $303,333 | $1,163 |
| 78 | Powder Springs | 16,930 | 92 | $88,311 | $358,104 | $1,673 |
| 79 | Hampton | 8,244 | 92 | $67,808 | $330,762 | $1,243 |
| 80 | Columbus | 204,572 | 93 | $54,561 | $151,024 | $1,038 |
| 81 | College Park | 14,113 | 93 | $47,706 | $292,210 | $1,047 |
| 82 | Kennesaw | 33,360 | 94 | $81,467 | $401,282 | $1,673 |
| 83 | Lawrenceville | 30,465 | 94 | $55,608 | $374,957 | $1,341 |
| 84 | St. Marys | 18,507 | 94 | $68,199 | $288,009 | $1,178 |
| 85 | Buford | 17,222 | 94 | $68,165 | $468,970 | $1,147 |
| 86 | Port Wentworth | 11,103 | 94 | $61,409 | $269,354 | $1,465 |
| 87 | Byron | 5,687 | 94 | $83,996 | $247,988 | $814 |
| 88 | McDonough | 29,134 | 95 | $77,804 | $347,529 | $1,441 |
| 89 | Jefferson | 13,496 | 95 | $95,850 | $376,132 | $1,059 |
| 90 | Stockbridge | 28,858 | 96 | $72,175 | $298,450 | $1,356 |
| 91 | Norcross | 17,530 | 96 | $74,921 | $314,441 | $1,580 |
| 92 | Doraville | 10,691 | 96 | $59,636 | $352,077 | $1,528 |
| 93 | Canton | 33,499 | 97 | $75,414 | $478,892 | $1,460 |
| 94 | Snellville | 20,895 | 97 | $88,586 | $350,856 | $1,840 |
| 95 | Lilburn | 14,741 | 97 | $61,347 | $385,612 | $1,464 |
| 96 | Pooler | 26,264 | 99 | $89,812 | $340,383 | $1,550 |
| 97 | Sugar Hill | 24,947 | 99 | $94,520 | $443,468 | $1,497 |
| 98 | Loganville | 14,287 | 99 | $77,750 | $382,369 | $1,448 |
| 99 | Dacula | 6,906 | 99 | $81,322 | $445,387 | $1,285 |
| 100 | Flowery Branch | 9,700 | 100 | $93,684 | $413,457 | $1,448 |