Alpharetta receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Powder Springs
Alpharetta
Opportunity
88 · Top 1%
vs90 · Top 1%
Growth
72 · Top 14%
vs74 · Top 11%
Climate
74 · Top 32%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs84 · Top 18%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs84 · Top 44%
Schools
62 · Top 36%
vs91 · Top 3%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs77 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs78 · Top 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Powder Springs | Alpharetta | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,009 | 66,855 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $105,070 | $147,612 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,998 | $73,509 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,264/sq mi | 2,485/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $332,900 | $649,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,583 | $1,948 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.4% | 65.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.0% | 70.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.6% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 438 | 520 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 24.3 | 7.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -19.6% | 58.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.1" | 51.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.6 min | 28.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 41.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.44 | 14.91 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 33.7% | 65.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.8% | 70.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 55.4% | 14.7% | 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
Powder Springs
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Alpharetta
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Powder Springs
75
Your Score
77
Area Score
Alpharetta
82
Your Score
84
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Powder Springs, GA · Alpharetta, GA · How this is calculated: methodology