Georgia · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Pickens County, GA

Prices around Pickens County, GA run 0.1% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $78,930 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,820 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $72,800 a year.

Pickens County, GA at a glance

Median household income

$78,930$6,578 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,820HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)100.1+0.1% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity16.4¢per kWh · EIA Residential GA
Population34,951Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Pickens 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$1,820Monthly market rent
Share of gross income27.7%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$72,800To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,973At 30% of $78,930
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Pickens County, GA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,585$19,020$63,40024.1%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,660$19,920$66,40025.2%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,820$21,840$72,80027.7%
3-Bedroom Home$2,182$26,184$87,28033.2%
4-Bedroom Home$2,605$31,260$104,20039.6%

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

What a typical income covers in Pickens County, GA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $78,930 a year ($6,578 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,289/moRent ($1,820 2-BR), utilities (~$147/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,973/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,316/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $78,930 leaves after Georgia taxes

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

$78,930
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$78,930
Net 77%
Fed 11%
GA 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$61,167After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,097Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,353Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.5%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,535 / yr
Georgia state income tax$3,190 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,038 / yr

Living in Pickens County, GA: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Pickens County, GA is $78,930 per year (approximately $6,578 per month).

What is the average rent in Pickens County, GA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,585 for a studio, $1,660 for one bedroom, $1,820 for two, $2,182 for three and $2,605 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 Pickens County, GA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 0.1% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 100.1, 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 Pickens County, GA?

To keep a $1,820 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $72,800 a year, or $6,067 a month. That is 92% of what the typical household in Pickens County, GA earns.

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

On the local median income of $78,930 ($6,578 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,289 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,973 for everything else and $1,316 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,820 takes 55% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Pickens 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.