Smyrna receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Forest Park
Smyrna
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 32%
vs90 · Top 1%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs77 · Top 8%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 19%
vs77 · Bottom 44%
Schools
12 · Bottom 3%
vs49 · Bottom 46%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs86 · Bottom 33%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 13%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Forest Park | Smyrna | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,504 | 56,633 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $41,211 | $100,061 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $20,263 | $64,689 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,115/sq mi | 3,503/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $143,400 | $449,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,189 | $1,739 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 40.3% | 59.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.4% | 59.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.3% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 382 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -61.1% | 226.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.4" | 48.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 31.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.1 | 35.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.46 | 13.76 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 8.7% | 27.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 14.9% | 34.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 99.5% | 58.8% | 2024-25 school 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Forest Park
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Smyrna
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Forest Park
52
Your Score
51
Area Score
Smyrna
73
Your Score
74
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Forest Park, GA · Smyrna, GA · How this is calculated: methodology