CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

34.09° N · 84.03° W · GEOID 1374180

Sugar Hill

Gwinnett County, Georgia · part of the Atlanta, GA metro

GeorgiaSugar Hill, GASugar HillSugar Hill

The short answer

Sugar Hill is home to 26,128 people. Median household income is $107,389 a year and median rent is $1,862 a month, 20.8% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $413,400, about 3.9x annual median household income.

Sugar Hill is defined by its growth. The population grew 16.8% since 2020, faster than in 91% of places its size. The growth shows signs of strain: rent is outrunning pay, home prices are pulling away from incomes, few homes stand empty and many renters are cost-burdened. Also notable: Home values rose 12.2% a year between the 2019 and 2024 surveys while incomes rose 4.3%, a wider gap than in 94% of places its size.

53OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Average

Sugar Hill scores better than 53% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 46th of 165 in Georgia.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%48
Economy 20%73
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%26
Education 10%77
Commute 10%11
Growth 5%75

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
$1,862
36% above the median place
Median household income
$107,389
34% above the median place
Median home value
$413,400
29% above the median place
Unemployment
4.0%
19% below 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.

What stands out about Sugar Hill

  • GrowthCompared with the 25 places most like it in size, age, education, housing and region (such as Gainesville, VA, Oviedo, FL and Apopka, FL), home value growth here is higher: 12.2% a year against a typical 9% a year.
01

Moving to Sugar Hill

Gwinnett County loses about 6.4 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in53,193
Moved out58,237
Net−5,044

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

DeKalb County, GA9,8437,162+2,681
Fulton County, GA5,9605,477+483
Hall County, GA1,6513,416−1,765
Barrow County, GA1,1303,413−2,283
Cobb County, GA2,0252,126−101
Walton County, GA1,1572,935−1,778
Forsyth County, GA1,5141,781−267

Within Georgia, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within GeorgiaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$63K
Leavers$67K

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

Who moves here
6.7% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.9% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Gwinnett County report $63,100 a year in income on average; those leaving, $67,500, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$74,500 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,862 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,314 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $413,400.
Getting to work
33 minutes each way on average; 23.5% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Sachse, TX matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
2.9%
46% above the median place
Moved here in the past year1
6.7%
17% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
-6.4
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureSugar HillAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year16.7%17% above
Moved from another state12.9%46% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-6.4below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$63,12911% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$67,4794% below
02

What it costs to live here

Vacant homes is 2.5%, 64% below the median place.

Sugar Hill20.8%
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
$74,480
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
20.8%
2% above the median place
Home price to income
3.9x
1% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
21%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$86,500
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Sugar Hill, $1,862 a month, and local prices for everything else (97.8 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Sugar Hill, but easier on the budget

Places that match Sugar Hill 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
Sachse, TX9416.4% vs 20.8%$23,200Compare
Gainesville, VA9415.7% vs 20.8%$59,700Compare
Katy, TX9216.7% vs 20.8%$11,300Compare
Buckhall, VA9116.5% vs 20.8%$63,000Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Sugar Hill.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Sugar Hill? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Vacant homes1
2.5%
64% below the median place
Median year built1
2003
1% above the median place
Homeownership1
79.9%
20% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureSugar HillAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,86236% above
Rent to income120.8%2% above
Property tax rate11.0%7% above
Home price to income13.9x1% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure100.11% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,7629% above
HUD area median income4County figure$117,80010% above
Property tax paid (median)1$3,99322% above
Median home value1$413,40029% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure1.7%47% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure66.9%30% above
Homeownership179.9%20% above
Renters paying 30%+156.5%12% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$2,31424% above
Vacant homes12.5%64% below
Median year built120031% above
03

Work and pay

OpenStreetMap shows 0 bus and rail stops per square mile, fewer than in 88% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 166 Georgia places we track.

Mean commute1
33 min
33% above the median place
Works from home1
23.5%
89% above the median place
Median household income1
$107,389
34% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Poverty rate7.3% −32%
Unemployment4.0% −19%
Income per person$42,359 +6%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureSugar HillAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$107,38934% above
Income per person1$42,3596% above
Unemployment14.0%19% below
Average annual pay6County figure$68,2994% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure2.6%30% below
Jobs6County figure390,169159% above
Poverty rate17.3%32% below
Mean commute133 min33% above
Works from home123.5%89% above
Commutes by transit1County figure0.5%47% below
04

Who lives here

Population change since 2020 is 16.8%, above the median place (median 1.1%).

Population change since 20207
16.8%
above the median place (median 1.1%)
Household size1
3.0
19% above the median place
Born abroad1
23.7%
169% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Homes with broadband96.3% +4%
Bachelor's or higher48.5% +51%
No health insurance10.4% +63%
Median age35.6 −9%
High school or higher94.0% +2%
All 9 people measures
MeasureSugar HillAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population126,1281775th largest
Population change since 2020716.8%above (median 1.1%)
Median age135.69% below
Bachelor's or higher148.5%51% above
High school or higher194.0%2% above
Household size13.019% above
Born abroad123.7%169% above
No health insurance110.4%63% above
Homes with broadband196.3%4% above
05

Life in Sugar Hill

OpenStreetMap shows 0 libraries per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 95% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 166 Georgia places we track.

17 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents5.4 −47%
Playgrounds per 10k26.0 2.8×
Grocery stores per 10k1.1 −46%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k8.4 −24%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails6 km 3.0×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

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

  • Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area 18 miles
  • Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area 30 miles
  • Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park 30 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars23.2 +12%
Shops31.3 +3%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.1 +0%
Doctors' offices and clinics22.5 +11%
Child care centers2.2 −4%

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

Public schools13
6
33% below the median place
Nearest National Park Service site11
17.9
42% below the median place
Public school students13
8,229
68% above the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureSugar HillAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools13633% below
Public school students138,22968% above
Students per teacher1314.84% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure23.212% above
Shops per 10k9County figure31.33% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure4.10% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure22.511% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure2.24% below
Parks per 10k105.447% below
Playgrounds per 10k1026.0177% above
Grocery stores per 10k101.146% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k108.424% below
Libraries per 10k100.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails105.9195% above
Transit stops per sq mi100.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1117.942% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles114100% above
National Register listings12County figure1731% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Annual precipitation is 53.1 in, 21% 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 Sugar Hill. Larger places are fetched first.

Annual precipitation14
53.1 in
21% above the median place
Tornado risk15
97.5
20% above the median place
Average temperature14
61°F
11% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureSugar HillAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high14County figure89°F2% above
January average low14County figure33°F29% above
Average temperature14County figure61°F11% above
Annual precipitation14County figure53.1 in21% above
Natural hazard risk15County figure95.43% above
Hurricane risk15County figure71.41% above
Tornado risk15County figure97.520% above
Wildfire risk15County figure46.125% below
Heat wave risk15County figure93.03% above
Median air quality index16County figure479% above
Good air days16County figure58.3%15% below
08

Sugar Hill in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 22% of the median income in 2030, up from 21% 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, Sugar Hill does better than 43% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 89%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,862/mo (2024)$2,430/mo$2,000 to $2,970/mo+4.6%
Median household income$107,389 (2024)$135,500$114,500 to $160,000+3.9%
Median home value$413,400 (2024)$615,000$447,000 to $847,000+6.8%
Population29,280 (2025)32,06030,750 to 33,420+1.8%

The median home would be worth 4.5 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.8 now.

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

09

Places like Sugar Hill

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

PlaceRentIncome
Laurel, MD$1,873$100,504Compare
Woodstock, GA$1,821$103,496Compare
Ballenger Creek, MD$1,987$108,944Compare
Spring Hill, TN$1,844$112,013Compare
Spring Hill, TNBallenger Creek, MDWoodstock, GALaurel, MDSugar Hill, GASugar HillLaurelWoodstockBallenger CreekSpring HillSugar HillLaurelWoodstockBallenger CreekSpring Hill

Places built like Sugar Hill

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 Sugar Hill performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Sugar Hill, GA20.8%4.3%/yr16.8%
Gainesville, VA15.7%4.3%/yrn/aCompare
Oviedo, FL20.0%4.1%/yr3.2%Compare
Apopka, FL24.4%8.0%/yr19.4%Compare
Buckhall, VA16.5%4.6%/yrn/aCompare
Ilchester, MD16.7%3.7%/yrn/aCompare
Waxhaw, NC16.7%3.4%/yr12.6%Compare

Common questions

Is Sugar Hill a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 53 out of 100, better than 53% of the places we rate and 46th of 165 in Georgia. Compared with the 25 places most like it in size, age, education, housing and region (such as Gainesville, VA, Oviedo, FL and Apopka, FL), home value growth here is higher: 12.2% a year against a typical 9% a year. On cost, space and class size it scores 80 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Sugar Hill expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 20.8% 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 $413,400.

What salary do you need to live in Sugar Hill?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $74,480 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Sugar Hill?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Laurel, MD, Woodstock, GA, Ballenger Creek, MD and Spring Hill, TN.

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 Sugar Hill with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Sugar Hill itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/sugar-hill-georgia

Citytistics. “Sugar Hill, Georgia.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/sugar-hill-georgia/

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