Between paying for parking, paying for meals, our sky-high rent, and other costs, it might not feel like Atlanta is a very affordable place to live. But actually, it’s one of the most affordable cities in the entire country. Here’s what we know!
Where does Atlanta rank on the list of most affordable cities in the U.S.?
According to a new study conducted by Motley Fool Money, Atlanta ranks #9 on the list of ‘most affordable cities’ in the United States.
The other top ten cities are:
- McKinney, TX
- Morristown, NJ
- Edmond, OK
- Midland, TX
- Austin, TX
- Plano, TX
- Joliet, IL
- Kansas City metropolitan area
- Atlanta, GA
- Charleston, SC
Here’s what they have to say about Atlanta
Atlanta is the ninth-most affordable city in the United States and only state capital to make the top 10. Relatively cheap housing is enough to push Atlanta’s cost-of-living index down, and the median household income in the city being 5% above the national median puts the city into the top 10 most affordable nationwide.
The city is a desirable destination thanks to its robust economy and multi-faceted cultural scene. Numerous large corporations are headquartered in Georgia, perhaps most famously Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, and Chick-Fil-A.
Wait, how’d they come up with this ranking?
Each city’s affordability was determined, in short, by analyzing cost of living and the median household income in each city. The study says,
Each city’s cost-of-living index was taken from the Council for Community and Economic Research Q4 2024 Annual Average Cost of Living Index. The index is based on metro-level price data for 61 goods and services in 254 urban areas.
They gathered their data from:
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024)
- Census Bureau (2024)
- Council for Community and Economic Research (2025)
You can learn more about this study and the other cities that rank on the list on their website, here!