Atlanta: what paychecks leave after rent
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area: 2,889,670 jobs, median pay of $51,170 across all occupations, and a $1,619 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent.
The typical worker in Atlanta, earning the all-occupations median of $51,170, takes home about $3,608 a month after federal taxes. A one-bedroom at HUD's Fair Market Rent would take 45% of that. The median wage is 0.79× the income needed to keep that rent at 30% of gross pay, which falls short of the guideline.
Of the 10 jobs covered here, software developers have the most room (19% of take-home on a 1BR). Fast Food and Counter Workers are the most squeezed (79%).
Census figures add context: the ACS 2020–2024 5-year median gross rent paid by all renter households in the metro was $1,672 (±$7), and median household income was $89,724 (±$630).
Rent share of take-home pay, by job
All jobs in Atlanta
| Job | Median pay | Take-home / mo | Hours of work | 1BR share | Left after 1BR | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $132,960 | $8,512 | 25.3 h | 19% | $6,893 | 2.05× |
| Registered Nurse | $100,490 | $6,627 | 33.5 h | 24% | $5,008 | 1.55× |
| Accountant or Auditor | $85,820 | $5,767 | 39.2 h | 28% | $4,148 | 1.32× |
| Elementary School Teacher | $76,570 | $5,225 | — h | 31% | $3,606 | 1.18× |
| Police Officer | $60,910 | $4,260 | 55.3 h | 38% | $2,641 | 0.94× |
| Truck Driver | $59,100 | $4,139 | 57.0 h | 39% | $2,520 | 0.91× |
| Electrician | $58,650 | $4,109 | 57.4 h | 39% | $2,490 | 0.91× |
| Medical Assistant | $46,060 | $3,266 | 73.1 h | 50% | $1,647 | 0.71× |
| Retail Salesperson | $32,850 | $2,381 | 102.5 h | 68% | $762 | 0.51× |
| Fast Food Worker | $27,780 | $2,041 | 121.2 h | 79% | $422 | 0.43× |
HUD rent areas in this metro
| HUD FMR area | Population | 1BR | 2BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area | 6,122,084 | $1,619 | $1,762 |
| Lumpkin County, GA HUD Metro FMR Area | 34,505 | $1,055 | $1,148 |
| Haralson County, GA HUD Metro FMR Area | 31,285 | $782 | $1,023 |
| Butts County, GA HUD Metro FMR Area | 26,496 | $920 | $1,002 |
| Morgan County, GA HUD Metro FMR Area | 21,078 | $1,219 | $1,327 |
| Meriwether County, GA HUD Metro FMR Area | 20,929 | $766 | $1,002 |
HUD splits this metro into several rent areas. Highlighted is the most populous one, which this site uses for every comparison.
Sources & method
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — metropolitan areas — vintage: May 2025 estimates. File:
oesm25ma.zip, retrieved 2026-10-06. - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD USER), Fair Market Rents, FY2027 — vintage: FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). File:
FY27_FMRs.xlsx, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median gross rent (B25064) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median household income (B19013) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026 brackets, $16,100 standard deduction) and SSA's $184,500 wage base, used for the take-home estimate.
Take-home = annual wage − 2026 federal income tax (single filer, standard deduction) − Social Security and Medicare. State and local income taxes are not deducted. Wages are May 2025 estimates; rents are HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). Full details on the methodology page. Page data last rebuilt 2026-10-06.