by Kristen Carney
Updated: June 20, 2024
The richest county in Georgia is Forsyth County with an average household income of $158,520 as of 2022 and 272,887 people as of 2023 according to the most current Census data available (citation).
Rank | County | Population | Average Income | Median Income |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Forsyth County | 272,887 | $158,520 | $131,660 |
2 | Oconee County | 44,182 | $156,856 | $116,221 |
3 | Fayette County | 123,351 | $138,756 | $105,910 |
4 | Fulton County | 1,079,105 | $134,949 | $86,267 |
5 | Greene County | 20,722 | $126,105 | $77,527 |
6 | Cobb County | 776,743 | $126,092 | $94,244 |
7 | Cherokee County | 286,602 | $121,950 | $100,824 |
8 | Bryan County | 49,739 | $117,553 | $90,627 |
9 | Columbia County | 165,162 | $114,331 | $92,571 |
10 | DeKalb County | 762,992 | $111,453 | $76,044 |
11 | Coweta County | 155,892 | $111,379 | $90,031 |
12 | Harris County | 36,654 | $109,995 | $85,936 |
13 | Gwinnett County | 983,526 | $107,962 | $82,296 |
14 | Dawson County | 31,732 | $107,051 | $84,516 |
15 | Monroe County | 30,625 | $105,763 | $74,867 |
16 | Paulding County | 183,164 | $102,401 | $89,237 |
17 | Hall County | 217,267 | $101,102 | $74,153 |
18 | Jackson County | 88,615 | $101,089 | $82,056 |
19 | Pike County | 20,461 | $100,838 | $83,866 |
20 | Morgan County | 21,460 | $100,742 | $81,524 |
We usually suggest using median income data – either instead of or in addition to – average income data as a true indicator of wealth. If you haven’t thought about median versus average since your last standardized test, you aren’t alone. Here’s what they are:
Now let’s say you had the following simplified set of income data.
Household 1: $30,000
Household 2: $50,000
Household 3: $1,000,000
The average income for this set is $360,000. The outlier data point ($1,000,000) skews the average WAY up. Conversely, the average income would be skewed WAY down if someone had an income of $500. The median income for the same data set is $50,000. Outlier data doesn’t skew the median.
So most business owners should use the median income as a true indicator of wealth, because it provides a more accurate representation of a typical income, especially in areas with significant income disparity.
If your target market is high-income households, the average income may be more relevant. This is because the average income can highlight the presence of a higher concentration of wealthy individuals, which is beneficial for luxury goods and services marketing. We’re using average income on this page because using the Census’s highest reported median value of $250,001 could result in multiple ties for the richest geography.
The Census' American Community Survey uses $250,000+ as a jam value for median income estimates to protect privacy, ensure data consistency, and simplify reporting. A "jam value" in survey data refers to a placeholder or default value used when actual data points are unavailable, incomplete, or exceed certain thresholds. We represent this jam value as $250,001 to make it easy for you to sort.
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United States Census Bureau. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Web. May 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B01001 SEX BY AGE, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B19013 Median Household Income, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. “DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS.” 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 07 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
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