Kennesaw receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Kennesaw
Atlanta
Opportunity
89 · Top 1%
vs81 · Top 6%
Growth
80 · Top 5%
vs65 · Top 24%
Climate
77 · Top 24%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 32%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Schools
69 · Top 29%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs51 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Kennesaw | Atlanta | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,605 | 505,268 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,356 | $85,652 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,172 | $65,718 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,544/sq mi | 3,734/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $335,400 | $439,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,845 | $1,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.6% | 46.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.3% | 59.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 16.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 354 | 5,975 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.2 | 11.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 444.6% | -16.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.1" | 48.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 29 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 28.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 34.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.57 | 12.53 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.9% | 24.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 47.6% | 31.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 39.4% | 72.5% | 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
Kennesaw
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Atlanta
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Kennesaw, GA · Atlanta, GA · How this is calculated: methodology