Smyrna receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Marietta
Smyrna
Opportunity
83 · Top 4%
vs90 · Top 1%
Growth
70 · Top 17%
vs77 · Top 8%
Climate
74 · Top 32%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
52 · Bottom 12%
vs77 · Bottom 44%
Schools
79 · Top 15%
vs49 · Bottom 46%
Access
82 · Bottom 25%
vs86 · Bottom 33%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 46%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Marietta | Smyrna | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 62,263 | 56,633 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,725 | $100,061 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,683 | $64,689 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,617/sq mi | 3,503/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $448,500 | $449,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,586 | $1,739 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 47.2% | 59.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.4% | 59.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 165 | 382 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 60.2% | 226.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.1" | 48.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 31.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.8 | 35.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 60 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.88 | 13.76 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 47.1% | 27.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 50.4% | 34.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 45.0% | 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
Marietta
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Smyrna
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Marietta, GA · Smyrna, GA · How this is calculated: methodology