Fairburn receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fairburn
Sandy Springs
Opportunity
81 · Top 7%
vs87 · Top 2%
Growth
61 · Top 31%
vs72 · Top 14%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
86 · Top 15%
vs86 · Top 15%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 15%
vs64 · Bottom 26%
Access
90 · Bottom 42%
vs84 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 48%
vs72 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairburn | Sandy Springs | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,831 | 107,087 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,897 | $104,340 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,135 | $83,136 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 998/sq mi | 2,840/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $271,800 | $619,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,479 | $1,870 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.2% | 50.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.5% | 69.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.5% | 8.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 69 | 1,195 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 11.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -29.6% | 1657.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.4" | 51.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.4 min | 27.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 36.8 | 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.
Your best match
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Fairburn
78
Your Score
80
Area Score
Sandy Springs
76
Your Score
78
Area Score
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Full profiles: Fairburn, GA · Sandy Springs, GA · How this is calculated: methodology