Residential comparison · 13 facts
Athens, GA vs Savannah, GA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Athens needs about $91,000 in Savannah to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Savannah, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $79,000 in Athens.
A few differences
- Athens is lower on property tax rate (0.9% vs 1.1%).
- Savannah is lower on sales tax (7% vs 7.4%).
- Athens is lower on groceries index (98 vs 99).
Athens vs Savannah · facet by facet
| Facet | Athens, GA | Savannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $299,200 | $330,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,241/mo | $1,600/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| State & local income tax | 3.94% | 3.94% |
| Sales tax | 7.4% | 7% |
| Cost of living index | 91 | 95 |
| Groceries index | 98 | 99 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $170/mo |
| Median household income | $52,974 | $55,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.6% |
| Crime index | 50/100 | 53/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 218 days | 216 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Athens, GA · Savannah, GA
Questions & answers
- Is Athens cheaper than Savannah?
- Athens has the lower day-to-day cost index (91 vs 95 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Savannah equals $85,000 in Athens?
- A household earning $85,000 in Athens needs about $91,000 in Savannah to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Savannah lifestyle costs about $79,000 in Athens.