Athens-Clarke County Savannah

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Should you move?

Moving from Athens-Clarke County to Savannah is less favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 93.3 to 95.2 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $349/mo.

+$1,469
BLS median salary higher in Savannah
300 to 300
violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
14.4:1 to 14.4:1
NCES student-teacher ratio
$0
DOL infant care higher / yr in Savannah

BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 93.3 → 95.2
Rent Delta: +$349/mo

Cons of Moving

  • - $349/mo more expensive rent (2BR)

Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 93.3 to 95.2 (ratio 1.02), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $349/mo ($4,188/yr) from $1,331 in Athens-Clarke County to $1,680 in Savannah.

The seven-dimension ledger splits (1 destination wins · 2 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Savannah sits #243 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Athens-Clarke County is #210/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Less Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.

BLS OEWS median salary moves $1,469 higher ($61,371 → $62,840). Labor-market size: 82,710 tracked jobs at origin vs 180,810 at destination.

Both metros sit in Georgia: state retirement score 68 (C, #10/51) - tax posture does not change with this move. Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.

Dimension
Athens-Clarke County
Savannah
Winner
Cost of Living
RPP 93.3
RPP 95.2
Athens-Clarke County
Rent (2BR)
$1,331/mo
$1,680/mo
Athens-Clarke County
Wages
$61,371
$62,840
Savannah
Crime
300 per 100K
300 per 100K
Tie
Schools
14.4:1
14.4:1
Tie
Childcare
$6,591/yr
$6,591/yr
Tie
Environment
2771 violations
2771 violations
Tie

State retirement friendliness

Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.

Origin state · Georgia
68 C #10/51
Income tax
88
Property tax
74
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
48

Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Athens-Clarke County to see what you'd need to earn in Savannah to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Savannah
-

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026