Atlanta vs Sandy Springs
Atlanta, Georgia versus Sandy Springs, Georgia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Atlanta and Sandy Springs score about the same overall (44 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Atlanta | Sandy Springs |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $78k | $93k |
| Cost of Living | $65k | $65k |
| Home Value | $396k | $556k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.94% | 0.96% |
| Income Tax | 5.50% | 5.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.38% | 7.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.70% | 13.67% |
| Unemployment | 5.8% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 44°F | 43°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8 in | 54.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5 in | 0.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 258 days | 258 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 86 days | 85 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 7.1 | 9.0 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 95.2 | 52.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1857/100k | 646/100k |
| Property Crime | 3767/100k | 1505/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 494,838 | 107,221 |
| Median Age | 33.6 | 37.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.60 | 0.56 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | D+47 | D+47 |
| White (%) | 38.9% | 57.3% |
| Black (%) | 47.1% | 20.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.4% | 10.4% |
| Asian (%) | 4.9% | 7.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 26 min |
| Walkability | 12.3/20 | 10.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 21 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.2% | 93.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 22.65 | 30.31 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Atlanta or Sandy Springs more affordable?
- Sandy Springs has the lower cost of living: its index is $65k, compared with Atlanta's $65k and Sandy Springs's $65k. Median rent is $2k in Atlanta versus $2k in Sandy Springs.
- Is Atlanta or Sandy Springs safer?
- Sandy Springs has the lower violent crime rate. Atlanta reports 1857/100k and Sandy Springs reports 646/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Atlanta or Sandy Springs?
- The median home value is $396k in Atlanta and $556k in Sandy Springs, so homes are more affordable in Atlanta.