Atlanta receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
McDonough
Atlanta
Opportunity
70 · Top 23%
vs81 · Top 6%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs65 · Top 24%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 29%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 24%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Schools
48 · Bottom 46%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs51 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | McDonough | Atlanta | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,947 | 505,268 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,343 | $85,652 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,041 | $65,718 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,313/sq mi | 3,734/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $314,600 | $439,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,792 | $1,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.8% | 46.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.5% | 59.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 16.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 116 | 5,975 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.7 | 11.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -47.5% | -16.9% | 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 | 21 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.7 min | 28.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.2 | 34.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 19 | 90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.58 | 12.53 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 28.4% | 24.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 38.5% | 31.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 57.8% | 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.
Full profiles: McDonough, GA · Atlanta, GA · How this is calculated: methodology