State rankings

Best Counties to Live in Georgia

Compare counties in Georgia by affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and quality-of-life tradeoffs.

Use the county-size filter to compare large metro counties, mid-size counties, small counties, and rural areas separately. These modules are a starting point, then you can open the full rankings table or compare individual counties.

County size

County size helps compare places with similar scale. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.

Showing all 159 Georgia counties

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Georgia county rankings at a glance

Compact winners for common county-search priorities.

View full Georgia rankings

Top counties by category

Use these short lists to jump into the state rankings that match your priorities.

National rankings

Popular Georgia county comparisons

Put two counties side by side before you narrow the search.

How to choose a county in Georgia

The best county in Georgia depends on what you need most. Families may care more about schools and safety, budget-focused movers may care more about affordability and taxes, and quiet-living households may care more about density and peace & quiet. Large counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so use the county-size filter to compare places with similar scale.

Best for different needs

What to watch before moving to Georgia

Compare county scale carefully in Georgia; large metro counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.

Check town-level housing costs, commute patterns, school districts, and local services before making a final move decision.

Frequently asked questions about the best counties in Georgia

What is the best county to live in Georgia?

The best county depends on your priorities. In this ranking model, Oconee County currently scores highest overall, but families, budget-focused movers, and quiet-living households may prefer different counties.

What is the best county in Georgia for families?

Based on the family ranking blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet, Oconee County stands out in this model.

What is the most affordable county in Georgia?

Twiggs County scores highly on affordability in this model, but buyers should still compare home prices, taxes, insurance, commute costs, and local job access.

How should I compare large and small counties?

Use the county-size filter. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so comparing similar county sizes usually gives a more realistic shortlist.

Are these rankings based on reviews?

No. These rankings use public-data signals such as affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and peace & quiet. Local reviews and personal visits should still be part of a final decision.

Which Georgia counties score well for schools or taxes?

Forsyth County currently leads the school-score view, while Gilmer County stands out on the tax-score view. Use the rankings presets to compare those priorities separately.

All Georgia counties

Showing all 159 Georgia counties ranked by the default generated overall score.

RankCountyOverallEconomyAfford.SchoolsSafetyTaxesPeace & QuietTypical homeIncome
1Oconee County
FIPS 13219
78.392.344.199.490.769.775.8$549,859$121,217
2Bryan County
FIPS 13029
77.793.256.987.281.666.378$401,106$103,408
3Forsyth County
FIPS 13117
7690.64910091.365.816.9$617,620$143,784
4Cherokee County
FIPS 13057
75.590.847.890.793.967.138.6$473,571$108,115
5Effingham County
FIPS 13103
75.283.260.580.687.961.975.8$340,218$88,438
6Columbia County
FIPS 13073
747563.686.988.661.749.4$330,939$95,592
7Harris County
FIPS 13145
73.381.958.973.68564.783.3$370,750$97,302
8Jackson County
FIPS 13157
73.387.748.586.984.458.567.2$405,865$89,544
9Lee County
FIPS 13177
7379.773.769.670.357.887.1$262,790$89,168
10Fayette County
FIPS 13113
72.179.343.797.487.665.842.4$516,926$111,978
11Houston County
FIPS 13153
70.571.367.264.489.865.559.8$253,969$80,698
12Monroe County
FIPS 13207
70.572.759.665.885.172.785$331,065$83,183
13Bleckley County
FIPS 13023
69.95373.38178.562.483.2$180,888$62,008
14Schley County
FIPS 13249
68.852.673.776.773.367.383.8$187,756$56,875
15Dawson County
FIPS 13085
68.791.141.162.581.872.174.2$451,202$92,991
16Pierce County
FIPS 13229
68.255.163.482.469.974.184.6$225,378$60,517
17Walton County
FIPS 13297
6877.650.565.190.163.862.1$383,943$84,945
18Paulding County
FIPS 13223
67.986.266.256.168.661.343.1$343,557$98,031
19White County
FIPS 13311
67.87145.772.78971.671.5$322,492$70,666
20Oglethorpe County
FIPS 13221
67.58055.859.669.573.178.7$311,226$75,034
21Union County
FIPS 13291
6665.231.48586.478.680.1$378,668$66,176
22Bartow County
FIPS 13015
65.578.856.748.477.16969.1$323,724$82,243
23Jones County
FIPS 13169
65.364.572.941.881.562.382$245,644$75,500
24Coweta County
FIPS 13077
65.282.156.261.357.66563.7$389,088$95,548
25Morgan County
FIPS 13211
6581.826.670.584.27083.7$461,165$78,111
26Pike County
FIPS 13231
6579.152.846.684.861.677.2$377,607$86,719
27Heard County
FIPS 13149
64.652.454.868.976.485.580.3$273,954$65,868
28Habersham County
FIPS 13137
64.567.844.957.986.78074.6$320,309$67,309
29Carroll County
FIPS 13045
64.4715947.676.274.769.4$288,080$73,714
30Catoosa County
FIPS 13047
64.468.959.652.474.375.462.3$292,646$74,639
31Murray County
FIPS 13213
64.459.667.638.586.778.881.1$243,848$69,253
32Lumpkin County
FIPS 13187
64.370.839.769.976.673.777.1$389,150$77,448
33Banks County
FIPS 13011
63.579.148.35460.878.279.1$356,294$77,063
34Henry County
FIPS 13151
63.47561.537.410053.228.9$319,448$83,146
35Haralson County
FIPS 13143
63.27360.859.149.966.776.3$273,587$72,127
36Dade County
FIPS 13083
62.770.660.833.374.281.378.4$250,676$64,568
37Brantley County
FIPS 13025
62.559.17051.759.371.178.3$186,765$58,239
38Gordon County
FIPS 13129
62.466.953.647.178.172.478.4$275,373$63,650
39Barrow County
FIPS 13013
62.281.954.944.169.764.844$346,652$80,653
40Camden County
FIPS 13039
61.769.95480.231.159.182$304,930$74,378
41Gwinnett County
FIPS 13135
61.775.343.890.255.847.315.3$409,565$87,890
42Echols County
FIPS 13101
61.65475.324.48771.384$174,637$59,489
43Pickens County
FIPS 13227
61.57942.546.7727471.1$389,761$78,930
44Stephens County
FIPS 13257
61.253.853.753.684.969.878.2$240,436$54,754
45Cobb County
FIPS 13067
61.179.649.881.832.367.217.4$423,365$102,738
46Berrien County
FIPS 13019
6140.864.268.163.57386.4$195,312$52,876
47Madison County
FIPS 13195
60.470.240.460.862.672.678.6$323,909$61,963
48Floyd County
FIPS 13115
60.356.762.131.496.758.877.7$231,489$65,565
49Towns County
FIPS 13281
59.967.719.467.380.98875.2$394,376$59,135
50Ware County
FIPS 13299
59.937.270.458.568.965.886.8$144,548$47,448
51Glynn County
FIPS 13127
59.668.835.161.865.876.275.8$359,653$69,799
52Wilcox County
FIPS 13315
59.655.480.41674.175.575.1$130,769$54,138
53Douglas County
FIPS 13097
58.970.661.737.270.562.531.7$299,871$82,984
54Treutlen County
FIPS 13283
58.943.784.38.688.378.881.2$125,507$55,518
55Lowndes County
FIPS 13185
58.849.955.147.488.359.277.1$227,597$58,541
56Bacon County
FIPS 13005
58.544.564.146.376.164.385.2$160,409$44,694
57Crawford County
FIPS 13079
58.363.975.714.565.467.579.1$203,224$67,116
58Irwin County
FIPS 13155
58.149.676.220.677.864.987.4$152,066$51,384
59Evans County
FIPS 13109
57.858.166.515.589.560.382.4$178,331$53,259
60Hart County
FIPS 13147
57.764.239.438.28082.877.5$314,970$59,385
61Marion County
FIPS 13197
57.644.568.1209472.880.4$185,495$51,667
62Appling County
FIPS 13001
57.344.770.326.17382.383.4$158,111$46,651
63Walker County
FIPS 13295
57.365.76038.849.269.475.5$240,509$59,469
64Rabun County
FIPS 13241
5766.820.466.382.9-76.6$401,297$67,493
65Chattooga County
FIPS 13055
56.940.465.123.896.573.579.6$175,870$50,285
66Elbert County
FIPS 13105
56.956.671.312.177.165.986.5$180,334$58,450
67Jeff Davis County
FIPS 13161
56.942.263.93585.262.587.4$149,322$40,283
68Calhoun County
FIPS 13037
56.842.284.92.797.956.184.1$93,527$46,940
69Upson County
FIPS 13293
56.75363.924.582.960.781$182,589$55,429
70Long County
FIPS 13183
55.869.153.517.773.564.783$280,776$68,808
71Atkinson County
FIPS 13003
55.745.675.126.551.480.289.9$123,217$42,347
72Coffee County
FIPS 13069
55.74664.734.460.776.488.9$183,170$50,683
73Rockdale County
FIPS 13247
55.762.659.440.859.664.833$302,273$77,247
74Hall County
FIPS 13139
55.678.241.924.779.363.249.1$389,659$80,901
75Wilkes County
FIPS 13317
55.656.563.917.279.562.677.9$170,174$52,043
76Grady County
FIPS 13131
55.552.868.511.780.964.983.9$190,750$58,980
77Troup County
FIPS 13285
55.561.553.827.180.651.579.8$234,726$56,776
78Gilmer County
FIPS 13123
55.47727.629.871.39072.8$419,353$74,499
79Lamar County
FIPS 13171
55.464.355.211.585.165.777.6$284,782$67,062
80Early County
FIPS 13099
55.331.481.220.383.461.588.8$128,558$54,083
81Charlton County
FIPS 13049
55.255.170.215.757.477.985.8$209,363$61,276
82Laurens County
FIPS 13175
55.245.866.927.565.475.583.6$181,394$55,010
83Whitfield County
FIPS 13313
55.253.960.525.271.574.568.4$250,403$67,070
84Bulloch County
FIPS 13031
5554.441.535.487.268.281.4$283,278$58,810
85Franklin County
FIPS 13119
54.960.638.438.172.777.478.5$286,139$53,046
86Glascock County
FIPS 13125
54.951.963.719.377.667.574.3$188,511$54,934
87Miller County
FIPS 13201
54.946.871.59.293.949.289.7$165,035$51,425
88Newton County
FIPS 13217
54.965.162.715.67657.253.5$291,876$77,179
89Toombs County
FIPS 13279
54.845.665.713.889.864.786.1$169,068$52,621
90Decatur County
FIPS 13087
54.756.265.214.777.955.185.2$173,094$53,317
91Mitchell County
FIPS 13205
54.649.176.510.875.255.185.6$151,876$57,613
92Peach County
FIPS 13225
54.460.166.84.784.652.575.4$231,672$71,293
93Worth County
FIPS 13321
54.245.872.516.169.169.482$176,492$58,694
94Cook County
FIPS 13075
54.15069.211.676.464.881.7$165,418$53,651
95Warren County
FIPS 13301
5439.179.13.481.973.882.4$117,148$44,289
96Emanuel County
FIPS 13107
53.938.576.37.982.771.682$132,675$52,772
97Johnson County
FIPS 13167
53.842.18414.752.971.386.1$133,890$51,028
98Wheeler County
FIPS 13309
53.847.252.813.589.588.177.3$156,636$40,539
99Tattnall County
FIPS 13267
53.755.758.111.181.767.980.3$195,102$50,747
100Thomas County
FIPS 13275
53.757.758.91471.96687.4$225,976$60,736
101Butts County
FIPS 13035
53.666.659.815.15962.477.9$275,700$69,241
102Dooly County
FIPS 13093
53.638.882.31.290.95187.2$132,234$60,987
103Jefferson County
FIPS 13163
53.637.783.74.879.862.981.4$122,633$53,014
104Macon County
FIPS 13193
53.540.673.61.596.159.685.8$113,422$41,031
105Candler County
FIPS 13043
53.354.349.622.785.355.688$219,367$49,581
106Washington County
FIPS 13303
53.341.368.212.78562.786.6$148,255$46,023
107Taliaferro County
FIPS 13265
5352.176.51.963.87372$142,797$52,500
108Tift County
FIPS 13277
5352.957.423.767.665.180.8$207,542$53,255
109Webster County
FIPS 13307
5335.761.416.393.376.675.4$176,620$46,792
110Wilkinson County
FIPS 13319
5330.171.315.883.87883.3$146,794$45,465
111Crisp County
FIPS 13081
52.543.969.717.98240.183.9$133,709$45,105
112Twiggs County
FIPS 13289
52.533.891.92.166.168.578$106,112$56,324
113Dodge County
FIPS 13091
52.244.971.721.251.569.582$153,293$51,587
114Ben Hill County
FIPS 13017
52.141.774.79.577.149.990.4$123,699$41,758
115Putnam County
FIPS 13237
51.76529.336.261.279.575.1$407,863$72,096
116Fannin County
FIPS 13111
51.667.112.249.762.788.273$495,868$57,073
117Lincoln County
FIPS 13181
51.54643.343.568.86671.9$257,600$56,907
118Muscogee County
FIPS 13215
51.345.465.610.697.954.126.8$186,079$58,073
119Liberty County
FIPS 13179
50.755.151.820.870.152.680.3$245,159$60,456
120Seminole County
FIPS 13253
50.535.877.317.867.345.680.9$140,677$49,495
121Burke County
FIPS 13033
50.236.662.410.178.775.382$184,469$53,014
122Dougherty County
FIPS 13095
50.233.578.16.499.923.573.8$123,037$49,044
123Jasper County
FIPS 13159
49.966.341.516.560.565.480.6$323,013$60,134
124Greene County
FIPS 13133
49.874.913.417.683.678.277.3$625,073$86,272
125Taylor County
FIPS 13269
49.733.15811.48776.178.8$157,889$41,788
126Turner County
FIPS 13287
49.435.560.16.191.56385.8$144,328$36,799
127Spalding County
FIPS 13255
49.353.660.910.76949.565.6$233,219$62,071
128Clinch County
FIPS 13065
4938.9778.856.656.583$122,492$45,847
129Meriwether County
FIPS 13199
48.95364.84.354.165.778.4$210,136$57,340
130Wayne County
FIPS 13305
48.854.157.719.338.570.683.2$210,286$53,427
131Lanier County
FIPS 13173
48.438.149.329.970.358.183.8$218,116$47,186
132Montgomery County
FIPS 13209
48.140.770.47.852.366.684.4$173,124$51,941
133Telfair County
FIPS 13271
48.127.479.39.874.144.578.2$111,142$50,929
134Terrell County
FIPS 13273
47.924.777.22.686.646.585.5$113,694$46,171
135McDuffie County
FIPS 13189
47.832.561.211.37566.684.1$205,409$56,733
136Screven County
FIPS 13251
47.741.264.9965.856.277.6$179,535$52,792
137Talbot County
FIPS 13263
47.248.558.21.169.459.279$184,234$41,597
138Jenkins County
FIPS 13165
46.945.469.26.734.578.477.2$156,933$44,389
139Pulaski County
FIPS 13235
46.252.36114.334.158.581.5$184,216$50,406
140Chattahoochee County
FIPS 13053
4629.869.6114777.284.3$147,432$61,042
141Chatham County
FIPS 13051
45.466.439.612.358.15740.5$341,126$71,097
142Brooks County
FIPS 13027
45.140.758.88.160.253.384.7$187,113$46,807
143Randolph County
FIPS 13243
4527.960.81.291.447.383.3$99,266$28,380
144Baker County
FIPS 13007
44.632.675.81.342.566.385.5$143,666$46,012
145Fulton County
FIPS 13121
44.667.641.852.210.94317.3$420,013$95,292
146Baldwin County
FIPS 13009
44.249.547.16.151.973.774.4$235,709$54,403
147Stewart County
FIPS 13259
44.232.9786.544.242.686.3$88,692$33,250
148DeKalb County
FIPS 13089
43.764.548.213.951.942.513.3$335,859$80,644
149Clay County
FIPS 13061
43.618.365.25.268.474.778.9$163,622$49,147
150Polk County
FIPS 13233
43.654.961.319.2068.676.8$221,062$58,515
151Colquitt County
FIPS 13071
43.151.863.913.1072.985.7$171,205$49,341
152Sumter County
FIPS 13261
43.123.767.32.478.438.486$131,351$42,653
153McIntosh County
FIPS 13191
38.747.634.912.131.971.574.1$282,131$50,273
154Richmond County
FIPS 13245
38.634.8623.437.158.944.6$186,702$55,637
155Quitman County
FIPS 13239
38.524.5741.160.37.377.4$118,768$40,179
156Hancock County
FIPS 13141
35.913.336.30.980.677.670.3$215,406$40,082
157Clayton County
FIPS 13063
35.146.859.26.57.854.114.6$228,408$59,806
158Bibb County
FIPS 13021
32.634.763.94.24.741.944.8$168,283$51,234
159Clarke County
FIPS 13059
30.746.323.310.73547.324$330,455$53,625