City comparison
Alpharetta, GA is about 20 miles (40 km) from Atlanta, GA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 30 miles, or about 29 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Alpharetta, GA to Atlanta, GA takes about 3 min, covering roughly 20 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Atlanta has a population of 494,838, vs 65,884 in Alpharetta — about 7.5× larger by population. By land area, Atlanta covers about 135 sq mi vs 27 sq mi for Alpharetta.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Alpharetta | Atlanta | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,767/mo | $1,512/mo | 16.9% higher in Alpharetta |
| Median home value | $562,000 | $395,600 | 42.1% higher in Alpharetta |
| Median household income | $141,402 | $77,655 | 82.1% higher in Alpharetta |
| Groceries index | 100.3 | 100.3 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 96.1 | 96.1 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 97.0 | 97.0 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 96.5 | 96.5 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Alpharetta, you'd need $99,263 in Atlanta to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Atlanta, GA is about 0.7% cheaper overall than Alpharetta, GA, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Alpharetta, you'd need about $79,410 in Atlanta to keep the same standard of living.