Cost of Living
per year
per month
How Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance)'s prices compare to the US city average across major spending categories.
How far does your salary go in Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance)?
Your $100,000 in Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance) has the same purchasing power as $109,123 in the average US city. You'd need $9,123 less here to maintain that standard of living.
Demographics and workforce data from the US Census ACS 5-Year.
bachelor's or higher
Climate, safety, and walkability indicators.
See a side-by-side breakdown of cost of living, housing, and salaries.
Popular comparisons
Sorted by affordability — most affordable first.
Within 10 points of Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance)'s cost index of 92, sorted by closest match.
Wondering whether you should move to Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance)? It depends on what you're optimizing for, but the city has real arguments in its favor: your dollar carries more weight here and bike infrastructure that actually exists, plus 2 more things worth knowing. The data behind each is below.
Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance) sits at 92 on the composite cost-of-living index — about 8% under the national average. Not the cheapest place in the country, but enough of a discount to notice on rent and groceries every month. Median rent in town runs about $1,045/mo against a typical household income of $47,798, which is the kind of ratio that leaves room to save.
Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance)'s Bike Score is 62/100 — the kind of number you only get when a city has built real bike infrastructure (protected lanes, connected routes, drivers who expect cyclists). For commuting or just for getting around, the bike is a serious option here, not a hobby.
The average one-way commute in Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance) is about 21 minutes — short by US standards (the national average is closer to 27). Over a year of working days, that's hundreds of hours that don't get spent in traffic, which is the kind of thing you notice in the weekend rather than the weekday.
48% of adults 25 and over in Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance) hold a bachelor's degree or higher — meaningfully above the US average of around 36%. That correlates with the things you'd expect: stronger schools, more white-collar employers, more bookstores than the population alone would predict.
Reasons are pulled from Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance)'s actual data — Census ACS, BLS, BEA, NOAA, EPA AQS, FBI, and Walk Score. We don't list positives that aren't supported by the numbers, which is why different cities show different sections.
Now and then. Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance)'s winters are cool rather than truly cold — about 38°F on average — so most of the precipitation falls as rain. A snowy morning happens a few times a season; sustained accumulation is rare.
Mild on the cold side. Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance)'s winter average of about 38°F is the kind of weather where you want a jacket but the heating bill is manageable. Snow is rare, frost is occasional, and the lawn never really browns out.
Hot, but not desert-hot. Summer in Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance) runs about 89°F on average, with afternoons in the 90s and humidity that varies by region. AC is standard rather than optional.
Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance) falls in roughly USDA Zone 9. The zone classification is based on average annual minimum temperatures, so it's the right lookup for whether perennials and trees will overwinter here. Note that this is approximate from our winter-temperature data — check the USDA map for the exact zone before betting an expensive plant on it.
Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance) is at about 663 feet (202 m) above sea level. High enough to be solidly above any coastal concern, low enough that altitude isn't a factor.
Hurricane season covers June through November, with peak activity in late summer and early fall. For Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance), the practical advice is: have a few days of water and supplies on hand from August onward, know your evacuation route, and don't wait for the news to tell you a storm is "probably nothing" — track the cone yourself.
Average for an American city. Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance)'s reported crime rate of about 3,285 per 100,000 residents sits roughly in line with the US baseline of ~3,500. Like anywhere else, the citywide number masks real differences between neighborhoods — worth looking at specific areas before deciding.
Roughly average. Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance)'s cost-of-living index is 92, putting it in the band where rent, groceries, and utilities track the national norm. Not a bargain, not a premium.
Mostly car-dependent. Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance)'s Walk Score of 49/100 means a handful of errands work on foot — depending on the neighborhood — but most residents still need a car for the rest.
Roughly $64,148 a year would match the lifestyle of someone earning $70,000 in an average US city. That's a starting point, not a target — negotiate higher when you can. Median rent in Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance) runs about $1,045/mo — keeping housing under 30% of gross income points to a similar floor on what you'd want to earn.