Atlanta receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Atlanta
New York
Opportunity
85 · Top 1%
vs71 · Top 17%
Growth
64 · Top 25%
vs56 · Top 43%
Climate
74 · Top 32%
vs72 · Top 41%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 13%
vs75 · Top 22%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 42%
vs34 · Bottom 3%
Access
90 · Bottom 16%
vs99 · Top 22%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 38%
vs45 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Atlanta | New York | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 505,268 | 8,483,844 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,652 | $80,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $65,718 | $51,844 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,734/sq mi | 28,236/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $439,600 | $777,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,711 | $1,821 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.4% | 32.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | 0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.2% | 41.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 17.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5,975 | 28,513 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.0 | 3.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.9% | 54.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.1" | 49.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.3 min | 43.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.2 | 38.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Atlanta, GA · New York, NY · How this is calculated: methodology