If you’re pondering a Social Security-only retirement and have Georgia on your mind, we’ve done some of your homework for you.
GOBankingRates has compiled a list of 10 Geogia cities that offer monthly living costs in the neighborhood of average Social Security benefits for a couple, and also reasonable-to-strong livability scores from AreaVibes.
Why retire in Georgia? Pros include mild winters, a retiree-friendly tax structure, affordability and Southern charm. Possible cons to consider include humid summers, some severe weather and suboptimal healthcare in parts of the state.
The Peach State does pull in a fair share of retirees, with about 5.5 percent of retirees who switched states in 2022 picking Georgia — the fifth-highest percentage in a study by moving service Hire A Helper. (Florida was first with about 12 percent.)
In addition to AreaVibes, our list of suggested cities blends data from Sperling’s Best Places, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census, and the Zillow Observed Rental Index. Our full methodology is included at the end of the story.
The average monthly Social Security benefit for couples, according to the Social Security Administration, is about $3,600. Each of the cities on our list would actually exceed that average, so be sure to weigh all financial factors and plan carefully.
Lawrenceville is one of several cities on our list that may stretch Social Security-only budgets, but this Atlanta suburb offers historic sites such as the Gwinnett County Courthouse, ghost tours, minor league baseball and other attractions. Lawrenceville also boasts the second-highest livability score in our top 10. About 30,000 people make their home here.
Located just northwest of Atlanta, Marietta offers attractions such as the Gone With the Wind Museum, the Earl & Rachel Smith Strand Theatre and the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield and Park. The city’s roughly 61,000 residents also have easy access to four different historic districts. Marietta’s average monthly rent is the second lowest in our list.
8. Alpharetta
Average rent: $2,303.06
Average total monthly cost of living: $4,189.80
Livability score: 75
Another Atlanta suburb, Alpharetta had about 3,000 residents as recently as 1980 but has since swelled to about 66,000. Only 10 percent of those residents are age 65 or older. Residents enjoy a historic downtown, a weekly farmers market, and annual events such as the Brew Moon Fest.
7. Grayson
Average rent: $2,238.62
Average total monthly cost of living: $4,031.39
Livability score: 72
With about 4,500 residents, Grayson is the smallest city by population in our top 10. It’s located about an hour northeast of Atlanta and touts itself as offering easy access to the big city, combined with “the quiet charm of personalized, hometown living.” Grayson offers a senior center and three different parks.
6. Peachtree City
Average rent: $2,054.58
Average total monthly cost of living: $3,936.2
Livability score: 74
Many of Peachtree City’s residents and visitors travel by golf cart — the city has more than 100 miles of cart-friendly paths connecting points of interest. About 38,000 people live here, just southwest of Atlanta. Peachtree City’s other attractions include the Southern Hollywood Film Tour and the Commemorative Air Force Airbase Georgia.
5. Roswell
Average rent: $1,990.50
Average total monthly cost of living: $3,885.33
Livability score: 78
You’ll find Roswell and its roughly 93,000 residents north of Atlanta and a few miles southwest of Alpharetta. Roswell’s draws include a popular historic district, numerous annual festivals and plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation. Though Roswell only got a 78 livability score in AreaVibes’ most recent study, it was named one of the 100 best places to live in the U.S. by Livability.com earlier this year.
4. Braselton
Average rent: $2,246.04
Average total monthly cost of living: $4,003.16
Livability score: 74
Braselton is a town of about 13,000 residents, located about 45 minutes northeast of downtown Atlanta. It had only a few hundred residents as recently as 1990. About 15 percent of Braselton’s residents are age 65 and older. Attractions include a town trolley and a historic downtown.
3. Adairsville
Average rent: $1,934.72
Average total monthly cost of living: $3,708.48
Livability score: 71
Adairsville offers cost-conscious retired couples the lowest total monthly cost of living in our top 10. Located in northwest Georgia between Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tennessee, Adairsville has only about 5,000 residents, about a quarter of whom are age 65 and older. The entire town is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, with attractions including the Adairsville Depot History Museum.
2. St. Simons Island
Average rent: $2,809.72
Average total monthly cost of living: $4,500.43
Livability score: 69
St. Simons Island is located off the Georgia coast, about halfway between Savannah and Jacksonville, Florida. St. Simons makes our list based on its high concentration of retirees, with a whopping 34 percent of its 16,000 residents age 65 or older. Rent here is significantly higher than anywhere else in our top 10. Despite its high average monthly cost of living overall, St. Simons does offer our list’s lowest combined monthly expenditures minus rent — about $1,691. Livability comes in relatively low, but St. Simons does offer beaches, art and music scenes, and numerous historic sites.
1. Decatur
Average rent: $1,833.83
Average total monthly cost of living: $3,728.05
Livability score: 86
Decatur, which celebrated its bicentennial earlier this month, manages to combine the highest livability score and the lowest average monthly rent in our top 10. Another suburb northeast of Atlanta, Decatur boasts multiple festivals, a strong arts scene and numerous historic sites. About 25,000 people call Decatur home.
Methodology
To find the best places in Georgia to live on only a Social Security check if you are single (the original goal of the study), GOBankingRates analyzed cities in Georgia for a variety of factors including livability (sourced from AreaVibes), cost-of-living indexes (sourced from Sperling’s Best Places, average expenditure costs (sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey), total population, population aged 65 and over, and median household income (all sourced from the U.S. Census American Consumer Survey), average rent for October 2023 (sourced from the Zillow Observed Rental Index), and the average Social Security benefit for a retired worker aged 65 and over (sourced from the Annual Statistical Supplement from October 2023 from the Social Security Administration). The cost-of-living indexes and the average expenditure costs were used to calculate the average expenditure costs for each city. Using the national average Social Security benefit, the difference can be found for each place. The rental cost was included and added to the total expenditure cost to find and average monthly total cost to live in each city. The livability index was scored and weighted at 0.75, the median household income was scored and weighted at 0.75, the percent population 65 years and over was scored and weighted at 0.75, the monthly expenditure cost was scored and weighted at 1.00, and the total monthly cost was scored and weighted at 1.00. All the scores were added and sorted to show the best places in Georgia to live on only a Social Security check if you are single. No places came within the monthly income that the Social Security benefit provides for a single person. However, some places qualified when doubling to simulate a retired couple. All data was collected and is up to date as of December 6, 2023.
