CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

32.81° N · 83.69° W · GEOID 1349008

Macon-Bibb County

Bibb County, Georgia · part of the Macon, GA metro

GeorgiaMacon-Bibb County, GAMacon-Bibb CountyMacon-Bibb County

The short answer

Macon-Bibb County is home to 156,578 people. Median household income is $51,234 a year and median rent is $1,066 a month, 25.0% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is moderate. The median home is valued at $174,500, about 3.4x annual median household income.

What sets Macon-Bibb County apart is how tight household budgets are. After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $40,600 a year, less than in 91% of cities its size. Also notable: 4% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 98% of cities its size.

21OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Weak

Macon-Bibb County scores better than 21% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 111th of 165 in Georgia.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%41
Economy 20%11
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%54
Education 10%38
Commute 10%68
Growth 5%32

Not rated: safety, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,066
22% below the median place
Median household income
$51,234
36% below the median place
Median home value
$174,500
45% below the median place
Unemployment
8.1%
66% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

01

Moving to Macon-Bibb County

Bibb County loses about 3.0 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in7,809
Moved out8,145
Net−336

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Houston County, GA9971,413−416
Jones County, GA459532−73
Monroe County, GA361500−139
Henry County, GA217271−54
Peach County, GA202266−64

Within Georgia, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within GeorgiaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$46K
Leavers$53K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Bibb County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
6.9% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.4% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Bibb County report $46,500 a year in income on average; those leaving, $53,400, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$42,600 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,066 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,427 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $174,500.
Getting to work
22 minutes each way on average; 9.5% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Longview, TX matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
6.9%
20% above the median place
Moved from another state1
2.4%
22% above the median place
Income of households moving in8
$46,479
34% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureMacon-Bibb CountyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year16.9%20% above
Moved from another state12.4%22% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-3.0400% below
Income of households moving in8County figure$46,47934% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$53,44024% below
02

What it costs to live here

The median household earns $51,234 a year, less than in 95% of the 256 cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people we track.

Macon-Bibb County25.0%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$42,640
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
25.0%
23% above the median place
Home price to income
3.4x
10% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
25%
just under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$40,400
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Macon-Bibb County, $1,066 a month, and local prices for everything else (94.6 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Macon-Bibb County, but easier on the budget

Places that match Macon-Bibb County on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Longview, TX9620.9% vs 25.0%$12,600Compare
San Angelo, TX9521.0% vs 25.0%$14,300Compare
Fort Smith, AR9519.4% vs 25.0%$7,100Compare
Wichita Falls, TX9320.4% vs 25.0%$10,400Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Macon-Bibb County.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Macon-Bibb County? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Vacant homes1
16.7%
137% above the median place
Homeownership1
51.4%
23% below the median place
Median home value1
$174,500
45% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureMacon-Bibb CountyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,06622% below
Rent to income125.0%23% above
Property tax rate11.0%13% above
Home price to income13.4x10% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure88.512% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,30919% below
HUD area median income4County figure$74,40031% below
Property tax paid (median)1$1,80145% below
Median home value1$174,50045% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure4.5%40% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure56.1%9% above
Homeownership151.4%23% below
Renters paying 30%+158.0%15% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,42724% below
Vacant homes116.7%137% above
Median year built119770% below
03

Work and pay

Compared with the 25 places most like it in size, age, education, housing and region (such as Augusta-Richmond County, GA, Columbus, GA and Hampton, VA), unemployment here is higher: 8.1% against a typical 6.3%.

Poverty rate1
24.7%
130% above the median place
Unemployment1
8.1%
66% above the median place
Median household income1
$51,234
36% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Income per person$31,699 −21%
Mean commute22 min −11%
Works from home9.5% −24%
Commutes by transit0.8% −9%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureMacon-Bibb CountyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$51,23436% below
Income per person1$31,69921% below
Unemployment18.1%66% above
Average annual pay6County figure$57,53213% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.9%5% above
Jobs6County figure79,94047% below
Poverty rate124.7%130% above
Mean commute122 min11% below
Works from home19.5%24% below
Commutes by transit10.8%9% below
04

Who lives here

24.7% of residents live below the poverty line, more than in 95% of the 256 cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people we track.

No health insurance1
13.6%
112% above the median place
Homes with broadband1
85.8%
7% below the median place
Born abroad1
3.8%
57% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

High school or higher87.4% −5%
Median age36.8 −6%
Bachelor's or higher26.3% −18%
Household size2.5 +0%
All 9 people measures
MeasureMacon-Bibb CountyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population1156,578173rd largest
Population change since 202070.1%89% below
Median age136.86% below
Bachelor's or higher126.3%18% below
High school or higher187.4%5% below
Household size12.50% above
Born abroad13.8%57% below
No health insurance113.6%112% above
Homes with broadband185.8%7% below
05

Life in Macon-Bibb County

OpenStreetMap shows 1.1 libraries per 10,000 residents, more than in 87% of the 256 cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people we track.

Founded or incorporated in 1823. 78 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents11.0 +8%
Playgrounds per 10k4.1 −57%
Grocery stores per 10k1.6 −25%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k12.3 +11%
Libraries per 10k1.1 +25%
Named paths and bike trails66 km 33.1×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.2 −24%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park 6 miles
  • Andersonville National Historic Site 49 miles
  • Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area 64 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars26.2 +26%
Shops48.5 +60%
Arts, recreation and fitness3.4 −17%
Doctors' offices and clinics29.1 +44%
Child care centers2.7 +17%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site11
5.9
81% below the median place
Shops per 10k9
48.5
60% above the median place
Restaurants and bars per 10k9
26.2
26% above the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureMacon-Bibb CountyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools13County figure41356% above
Public school students13County figure23,725384% above
Students per teacher13County figure14.56% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure26.226% above
Shops per 10k9County figure48.560% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure3.417% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure29.144% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure2.717% above
Parks per 10k1011.08% above
Playgrounds per 10k104.157% below
Grocery stores per 10k101.625% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k1012.311% above
Libraries per 10k101.125% above
Named paths and bike trails1066.2above (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi100.224% below
Nearest National Park Service site115.981% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles1120% above
National Register listings12County figure78above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

July average high is 92°F, 6% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Macon-Bibb County. Larger places are fetched first.

July average high14
92°F
6% above the median place
Good air days16
42.7%
38% below the median place
Average temperature14
64°F
17% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureMacon-Bibb CountyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high14County figure92°F6% above
January average low14County figure35°F37% above
Average temperature14County figure64°F17% above
Annual precipitation14County figure47.1 in8% above
Natural hazard risk15County figure78.515% below
Hurricane risk15County figure81.916% above
Tornado risk15County figure87.78% above
Wildfire risk15County figure73.019% above
Heat wave risk15County figure94.25% above
Median air quality index16County figure5221% above
Good air days16County figure42.7%38% below
08

Macon-Bibb County in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 25% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 25% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Macon-Bibb County does better than 41% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 46%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,066/mo (2024)$1,370/mo$1,120 to $1,670/mo+4.3%
Median household income$51,234 (2024)$65,000$55,000 to $77,000+4.0%
Median home value$174,500 (2024)$250,000$181,000 to $344,000+6.1%
Population157,556 (2025)159,130152,640 to 165,890+0.2%

The median home would be worth 3.8 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.4 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Macon-Bibb County

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Elizabeth City, NC$1,117$52,141Compare
Mount Healthy, OH$1,075$54,565Compare
Texarkana, TX$1,010$50,573Compare
Beech Grove, IN$1,091$49,973Compare
Beech Grove, INTexarkana, TXMount Healthy, OHElizabeth City, NCMacon-Bibb County, GAMacon-Bibb CountyElizabeth CityMount HealthyTexarkanaBeech GroveMacon-Bibb CountyElizabeth CityMount HealthyTexarkanaBeech Grove

Places built like Macon-Bibb County

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Macon-Bibb County performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Macon-Bibb County, GA25.0%4.4%/yr0.1%
Augusta-Richmond County, GA24.7%5.4%/yr-0.0%Compare
Columbus, GA22.9%4.6%/yr-2.3%Compare
Hampton, VA24.6%4.3%/yr0.1%Compare
Newport News, VA23.1%5.5%/yr-1.6%Compare
Gastonia, NC22.6%5.3%/yr8.2%Compare
Savannah, GA29.0%5.7%/yr1.1%Compare

Common questions

Is Macon-Bibb County a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 21 out of 100, better than 21% of the places we rate and 111th of 165 in Georgia. On cost, space and class size it scores 13 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Macon-Bibb County expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 25.0% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $174,500.

What salary do you need to live in Macon-Bibb County?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $42,640 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Macon-Bibb County?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Elizabeth City, NC, Mount Healthy, OH, Texarkana, TX and Beech Grove, IN.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  14. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  15. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  16. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Macon-Bibb County with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Macon-Bibb County itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/macon-bibb-county-georgia

Citytistics. “Macon-Bibb County, Georgia.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/macon-bibb-county-georgia/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.