No economy has generated as much wealth for as many people as that of the United States. According to the 2023 Global Wealth Report from the Swiss investment bank UBS, most adults worldwide have less than $10,000 in total wealth. Meanwhile, the typical American adult is worth nearly $108,000. The same report found that the U.S. is home to 38% of the world’s millionaires, many times more than any other country — and incomes in the U.S. are currently rising at a historic pace.
The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey shows that the typical American household earned nearly $75,000 in 2022, up from about $69,700 in 2021. The 7.2% increase was the largest recorded year-over-year since at least the mid-1990s.
In Georgia, a state home to 19 Fortune 500 companies, the typical household earns $71,355 annually. And in some parts of the state, household incomes exceed that amount by tens of thousands of dollars.
Using five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 29 richest counties in Georgia. Counties in the state are ranked on median household income. Supplemental data on population, unemployment, and median home values are also five-year estimates from the 2022 ACS.
Among the counties on this list, median household incomes are anywhere from about $1,200 to $60,300 higher than what the typical Georgia household earns. In many of these counties, high incomes are underpinned by a strong job market. According to the ACS, the five-year average jobless rate in all but eight of Georgia’s richest counties is below the 5.2% statewide average.
Home values are often a reflection of what residents can afford, and high incomes in these counties are often evidenced by the local real estate markets. In all but nine counties on this list, the typical home is worth more than the $245,900 median home value across the state.
These are the richest counties in Georgia.
29. Pickens County
> Median household income: $72,558
> Median home value: $263,200
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.5%
> Population: 33,439
28. Hall County
> Median household income: $74,153
> Median home value: $277,900
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.9%
> Population: 204,953
27. Bartow County
> Median household income: $74,812
> Median home value: $237,000
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.4%
> Population: 109,410
26. Monroe County
> Median household income: $74,867
> Median home value: $204,100
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.8%
> Population: 28,287
25. Barrow County
> Median household income: $75,053
> Median home value: $228,400
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.0%
> Population: 84,399
24. DeKalb County
> Median household income: $76,044
> Median home value: $301,100
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.4%
> Population: 761,209
23. Douglas County
> Median household income: $76,930
> Median home value: $227,800
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.6%
> Population: 144,735
22. Houston County
> Median household income: $76,968
> Median home value: $189,500
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.6%
> Population: 164,117
21. Greene County
> Median household income: $77,527
> Median home value: $308,000
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.4%
> Population: 19,020
20. Walton County
> Median household income: $79,425
> Median home value: $267,400
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.2%
> Population: 97,752
19. Effingham County
> Median household income: $79,474
> Median home value: $219,000
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.2%
> Population: 65,314
18. Henry County
> Median household income: $79,663
> Median home value: $245,200
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.3%
> Population: 240,853
17. Morgan County
> Median household income: $81,524
> Median home value: $293,300
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.9%
> Population: 20,171
16. Jackson County
> Median household income: $82,056
> Median home value: $280,600
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.6%
> Population: 77,033
15. Gwinnett County
> Median household income: $82,296
> Median home value: $307,300
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.1%
> Population: 957,977
14. Lee County
> Median household income: $83,632
> Median home value: $208,800
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.3%
> Population: 32,968
13. Pike County
> Median household income: $83,866
> Median home value: $234,700
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.5%
> Population: 19,145
12. Dawson County
> Median household income: $84,516
> Median home value: $312,600
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.6%
> Population: 27,355
11. Harris County
> Median household income: $85,936
> Median home value: $273,200
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.6%
> Population: 34,914
10. Fulton County
> Median household income: $86,267
> Median home value: $398,300
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.4%
> Population: 1,061,944
9. Paulding County
> Median household income: $89,237
> Median home value: $251,100
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.1%
> Population: 169,898
8. Coweta County
> Median household income: $90,031
> Median home value: $291,900
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.7%
> Population: 147,449
7. Bryan County
> Median household income: $90,627
> Median home value: $276,100
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.1%
> Population: 44,995
6. Columbia County
> Median household income: $92,571
> Median home value: $259,000
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.9%
> Population: 156,921
5. Cobb County
> Median household income: $94,244
> Median home value: $346,000
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.6%
> Population: 765,813
4. Cherokee County
> Median household income: $100,824
> Median home value: $358,400
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.7%
> Population: 268,567
3. Fayette County
> Median household income: $105,910
> Median home value: $369,700
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.9%
> Population: 119,259
2. Oconee County
> Median household income: $116,221
> Median home value: $389,200
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.9%
> Population: 41,978
1. Forsyth County
> Median household income: $131,660
> Median home value: $451,100
> 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.7%
> Population: 253,225
| Rank | County | Median household income ($) | Median home value ($) | Unemployment rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forsyth, Georgia | 131,660 | 451,100 | 3.7 |
| 2 | Oconee, Georgia | 116,221 | 389,200 | 2.9 |
| 3 | Fayette, Georgia | 105,910 | 369,700 | 3.9 |
| 4 | Cherokee, Georgia | 100,824 | 358,400 | 3.7 |
| 5 | Cobb, Georgia | 94,244 | 346,000 | 4.6 |
| 6 | Columbia, Georgia | 92,571 | 259,000 | 4.9 |
| 7 | Bryan, Georgia | 90,627 | 276,100 | 5.1 |
| 8 | Coweta, Georgia | 90,031 | 291,900 | 2.7 |
| 9 | Paulding, Georgia | 89,237 | 251,100 | 4.1 |
| 10 | Fulton, Georgia | 86,267 | 398,300 | 5.4 |
| 11 | Harris, Georgia | 85,936 | 273,200 | 5.6 |
| 12 | Dawson, Georgia | 84,516 | 312,600 | 4.6 |
| 13 | Pike, Georgia | 83,866 | 234,700 | 4.5 |
| 14 | Lee, Georgia | 83,632 | 208,800 | 4.3 |
| 15 | Gwinnett, Georgia | 82,296 | 307,300 | 4.1 |
| 16 | Jackson, Georgia | 82,056 | 280,600 | 3.6 |
| 17 | Morgan, Georgia | 81,524 | 293,300 | 2.9 |
| 18 | Henry, Georgia | 79,663 | 245,200 | 5.3 |
| 19 | Effingham, Georgia | 79,474 | 219,000 | 5.2 |
| 20 | Walton, Georgia | 79,425 | 267,400 | 5.2 |
| 21 | Greene, Georgia | 77,527 | 308,000 | 5.4 |
| 22 | Houston, Georgia | 76,968 | 189,500 | 4.6 |
| 23 | Douglas, Georgia | 76,930 | 227,800 | 6.6 |
| 24 | DeKalb, Georgia | 76,044 | 301,100 | 6.4 |
| 25 | Barrow, Georgia | 75,053 | 228,400 | 4.0 |
| 26 | Monroe, Georgia | 74,867 | 204,100 | 3.8 |
| 27 | Bartow, Georgia | 74,812 | 237,000 | 5.4 |
| 28 | Hall, Georgia | 74,153 | 277,900 | 3.9 |
| 29 | Pickens, Georgia | 72,558 | 263,200 | 4.5 |
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