What salary do you need to live in Athens, GA?

The cost side of living in Athens

Census figures put the median gross rent in the Athens-Clarke County, GA metro at $970 for a one-bedroom, $1,204 for a two-bedroom and $1,338 for a three-bedroom. Moving from one to two bedrooms adds $234 a month, and the third bedroom another $134.

On the ownership side, the typical owner-occupied home is valued at $310,200. With median household income at $65,608, a typical home costs 4.7× a typical income, close to the middle of the range across US metros.

BEA's Regional Price Parity for the metro is 93.3, where 100 is the US average. In plain terms, the full basket of goods, services and housing costs 6.7% less than average, so $100,000 here buys roughly what $107,132 would at average US prices.

How much you need to earn in Athens

The salary lines for a two-bedroom household land at $36,000 for Tight, $73,000 for Okay and $146,000 for Comfortable. The gap between the Okay and Comfortable lines alone is $73,000, which says how much extra income it takes to make housing feel roomy here rather than merely workable.

The Royal grade is within reach at $394,000 a year, where both rent and the median home price look small next to income.

Each figure is the lowest income, to the next $1,000, at which the calculator itself would show that grade for a two-bedroom in Athens.

Four salaries, three home sizes in Athens

At $75,000, a one-bedroom scores 49 (Okay), a two-bedroom 46 (Okay) and a three-bedroom 44 (Tight). The $4,416 a year between the smallest and largest home is what moves the grade.

Read down the two-bedroom column and the first Comfortable row is $150,000, consistent with the $146,000 line above.

Where Athens falls nationally

Ranked against all 387 metros, Athens sits 201st on overall price level and 158th on the two-bedroom rent median, counting from the most expensive. Its median home value ranks 136th.

Its nearest neighbors on the rent list are Watertown-Fort Drum, NY ($1,210) and Kenosha, WI ($1,203).

Comparing Athens with Georgia

How Athens stacks up against its state: $1,204 for a two-bedroom against Georgia's $1,326, $310,200 for the median home against $303,300, and a price level of 93.3 against 96.3.

On statewide medians, a two-bedroom budget reaches Comfortable at $163,000 — above Athens's $146,000 line.

The nearest matches in Georgia, judged on rent and price parity together, are Chattanooga, TN-GA, Hinesville, GA, and Warner Robins, GA.

Where the typical Athens household lands

The median household in the metro earns $65,608 (ACS 2020-2024). Run through the calculator with two bedrooms, that scores 42, Tight. Reaching Comfortable would take $80,392 more than the median household earns. Statewide, the Georgia median household ($77,353) grades Tight on the state's own medians. Since a household can have two or more earners, compare it with a combined income rather than one paycheck.

All figures are pre-tax estimates from public data, not financial advice.