Georgia · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Valdosta, GA

Prices around Valdosta, GA run 11.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $45,925 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,192 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $47,680 a year.

Valdosta, GA at a glance

Median household income

$45,925$3,827 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,192HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)88.3-11.7% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity16.4¢per kWh · EIA Residential GA
Population55,252Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Valdosta, GA?

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

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,192Monthly market rent
Share of gross income31.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$47,680To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,148At 30% of $45,925
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Valdosta, GA? By bedroom, 2026

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Valdosta, GA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$915$10,980$36,60023.9%
1-Bedroom Apartment$921$11,052$36,84024.1%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,192$14,304$47,68031.1%
3-Bedroom Home$1,583$18,996$63,32041.4%
4-Bedroom Home$1,915$22,980$76,60050%

Rent in Valdosta, GA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Valdosta, GA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $45,925 a year ($3,827 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$1,914/moRent ($1,192 2-BR), utilities (~$147/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,148/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$765/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $45,925 leaves after Georgia taxes

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

$45,925
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$45,925
Net 82%
Fed 7%
GA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$37,538After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,128Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,444Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,331 / yr
Georgia state income tax$1,543 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,513 / yr

Living in Valdosta, GA: common questions

What is the median household income in Valdosta, GA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Valdosta, GA is $45,925 per year (approximately $3,827 per month).

What is the average rent in Valdosta, GA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $915 for a studio, $921 for one bedroom, $1,192 for two, $1,583 for three and $1,915 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 Valdosta, GA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 11.7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 88.3, 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 Valdosta, GA?

To keep a $1,192 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $47,680 a year, or $3,973 a month. That is 104% of what the typical household in Valdosta, GA earns.

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

On the local median income of $45,925 ($3,827 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $1,914 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,148 for everything else and $765 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,192 takes 62% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Valdosta, 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.