DeKalb County vs Fulton County
DeKalb County, Georgia versus Fulton County, Georgia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Fulton County edges out DeKalb County on overall objective livability (42 vs 37 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | DeKalb County | Fulton County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $76k | $86k |
| Cost of Living | $63k | $65k |
| Home Value | $301k | $398k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $165k | $242k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.95% | 0.91% |
| Income Tax | 5.50% | 5.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.38% | 7.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.69% | 12.14% |
| Unemployment | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 43°F | 43°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.8 in | 51.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.9 in | 0.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 232 days | 254 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 86 days | 86 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 94.3 | 95.8 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 56.5 | 67.3 |
| Violent Crime | 2830/100k | 1406/100k |
| Property Crime | 3403/100k | 2563/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 761,209 | 1,061,944 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 36.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.61 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+68 | D+47 |
| White (%) | 29.0% | 38.4% |
| Black (%) | 52.4% | 43.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.5% | 7.3% |
| Asian (%) | 6.2% | 7.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 3.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 31 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 10.9/20 | 11.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 17 mi | 14 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.8% | 91.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 2.44 | 4.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is DeKalb County or Fulton County more affordable?
- DeKalb County has the lower cost of living: its index is $63k, compared with DeKalb County's $63k and Fulton County's $65k. Median rent is $1k in DeKalb County versus $2k in Fulton County.
- Is DeKalb County or Fulton County safer?
- Fulton County has the lower violent crime rate. DeKalb County reports 2830/100k and Fulton County reports 1406/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in DeKalb County or Fulton County?
- The median home value is $301k in DeKalb County and $398k in Fulton County, so homes are more affordable in DeKalb County.