Georgia · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Chatham County, GA

Prices around Chatham County, GA run 4.8% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $71,097 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,680 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $67,200 a year.

Chatham County, GA at a glance

Median household income

$71,097$5,925 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,680HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)95.2-4.8% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity16.4¢per kWh · EIA Residential GA
Population300,879Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Chatham County, GA?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,680Monthly market rent
Share of gross income28.4%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$67,200To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,777At 30% of $71,097
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Chatham County, GA? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Savannah, GA MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Chatham County, GA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,455$17,460$58,20024.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,533$18,396$61,32025.9%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,680$20,160$67,20028.4%
3-Bedroom Home$2,235$26,820$89,40037.7%
4-Bedroom Home$2,547$30,564$101,88043%

Rent in Chatham County, GA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Chatham County, GA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $71,097 a year ($5,925 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,962/moRent ($1,680 2-BR), utilities (~$147/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,777/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,185/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $71,097 leaves after Georgia taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Georgia tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$71,097
$25,000$145,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$71,097
Net 79%
Fed 10%
GA 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$56,048After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,671Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,156Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$6,811 / yr
Georgia state income tax$2,799 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,439 / yr

Living in Chatham County, GA: common questions

What is the median household income in Chatham County, GA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Chatham County, GA is $71,097 per year (approximately $5,925 per month).

What is the average rent in Chatham County, GA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,455 for a studio, $1,533 for one bedroom, $1,680 for two, $2,235 for three and $2,547 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Chatham County, GA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 4.8% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 95.2, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Chatham County, GA?

To keep a $1,680 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $67,200 a year, or $5,600 a month. That is 95% of what the typical household in Chatham County, GA earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Chatham County, GA?

On the local median income of $71,097 ($5,925 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,962 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,777 for everything else and $1,185 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,680 takes 57% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Chatham County, GA?

Homes in Georgia paid 16.4¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $147. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.