Georgia By The Numbers

How does Georgia’s post-pandemic economy compare to other states?

The COVID-19 pandemic sent economic shockwaves through the U.S. economy, tripling the monthly unemployment to nearly 15% and leading to a more than 30% quarterly decline in GDP -- by far the largest economic contraction in U.S. history. No corner of the country was untouched by the pandemic's economic consequences -- but some states have emerged better off than others. A range of factors, including industrial diversity, labor force education levels, household income, and long-term GDP growth, have an effect on a state's overall economic strength -- and its ability to withstand the impact of the pandemic. To determine the…

Buying a house? This is the cheapest zip code in Georgia

The COVID-19 pandemic had devastating economic consequences in the United States, grinding entire industries to a halt. One sector that did not suffer, however, was real estate. Driven by the pandemic, existing home sales hit their highest level in nearly a decade and a half in 2020. The median home sale price in the United States was $265,000 in 2020 -- $30,000 more than it was the previous year. A quarter of a million dollars, however, is not affordable for many Americans. Still, for those on a tight budget, there are many parts of the country where most homes are…

Georgia ranked one of the 10 worst states to retire in

Retirement may mark the end of a career, but it's also the start of a new chapter of adulthood. Ideally, as retirees, people have fewer responsibilities and more opportunities for fulfilling activities. Most people have an idea of when they will retire. Where to retire, however, may be a more complex decision to make. Georgia ranks as the ninth worst state for a physically and socially active retirement. States that have relatively large 65 and older populations are likely to also have plenty of retirement homes and communities. In Georgia, 14.3% of the population is 65 or older, the fourth…

Here’s how much Georgia residents spend on gambling

The 465 commercial casinos operating in the United States at the end of 2019 reported a combined revenue of $43.6 billion -- an all-time high. Gambling in the United States is by no means limited to casinos, either. All but six states had lottery games in 2019, and lottery ticket sales totalled $81.6 billion that year. Between both lotteries and commercial casinos, Americans and tourists spent $125.2 billion on gambling in 2019 -- or about $491 for every adult in the country. Of course, gambling laws, which can restrict gambling opportunities, vary by state, as does interest in gambling. And…

The average tax refund in Georgia is $3,162

Americans paid in 2019 more than $3.5 trillion in taxes. Nearly half of all tax returns filed by individuals, corporations, and estates received a refund. Altogether, the Internal Revenue Service issued nearly 122 million refunds totaling $452.1 billion, or $3,709 per refund. There are a number of variables that affect the amount that is refunded, one of which is location. The average refund can vary by state from under $2,500 to more than $8,700. For the fiscal year 2019, the average tax refund for Georgia was $3,162. This ranks as the 16th highest among all 50 states and is lower…

Here’s how much teachers are paid in Georgia

The U.S. Constitution does not guarantee the right to an education. Though the federal government has set some academic standards, education policy is set largely at the state and local levels. State governments have authority over public school curriculums, teaching methods, instructional materials, and, in conjunction with local districts, teacher pay. Without national compensation standards, average salaries for teachers across the country vary considerably. Depending on the state, the average teacher salary varies from as little as $45,300 to more than $85,000. The disparity in average teacher salary is less stark after adjusting for cost of living, yet it is…

What is Georgia’s favorite conspiracy theory?

Whether you believe them wholeheartedly, hate them, or just read about them for entertainment, conspiracy theories have become a hot topic in American life. An explosion in content about conspiracy theories — including the recent documentary Viral: The 5G Conspiracy —inspired the USDirect team to do some research and find which conspiracy theory Georgia residents are curious about. Our data shows that Georgia wants to know about the New World Order theory the most. Georgians are not alone in their curiosity. Our neighboring states Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina,Tennessee, and Alabama all google the New World Order the most as well.The majority of…

Atlanta named one of the top 5 cities for urban gardening

If it seems everyone has a green thumb, it’s because millions of Americans fell in love with gardening during the pandemic. Community gardens, container gardens, and vertical plant walls are sprouting all over. But not every concrete jungle is ripe for urban gardening, so where can city-dwelling green thumbs find their slice of paradise? To mark Lawn and Garden Month, LawnStarter ranked 2021’s Best Cities for Urban Gardening by comparing the 150 biggest U.S. cities across 12 key factors. The dataset ranges from the average amount of sunshine between spring and fall to community-garden access to the availability of regional gardening clubs. …

Which Georgia college is the best value?

Georgia Tech provides the best value among the Peach State’s public and private universities, according to a new study by a New York-based financial technology company. The Atlanta school scored a college education value index of 83.71, well above the second-highest score of 57.90 posted by the University of Georgia, the report by SmartAsset found. The scores were based on factors including student living and tuition costs, student retention rates, the average starting salary of graduates and the availability of scholarships and grants. The main category that separated Georgia Tech from the rest of the pack was the average starting…

This city is home to the most billionaires in Georgia

There are nearly 2,400 people worldwide whose individual net worth exceeds $1 billion -- and more than one-quarter of them live in the United States. All told, there are over 250 cities and towns across the country that at least one of the world's ultra wealthy calls home. Using data from Forbes' Real Time Billionaires list, 24/7 Wall St. identified the city in every state with the most billionaires. The combined net worth of the billionaires in some U.S. cities exceeds the entire annual GDP of many states. The U.S. cities that are home to the most billionaires are often…

What is Georgia’s most dangerous city?

(The Center Square) – Violent crimes in Georgia numbered 340.7 per every 100,000 residents of the state as of 2019, the 26th-highest rate among the 50 states, according to a new analysis from the website 24/7 Wall St. The total number of murders in Georgia in 2019 came in at 654, according to the 24/7 Wall St. analysis of FBI crime data, while the state’s poverty rate was estimated at 13.3%. The study’s authors pegged College Park as the most dangerous city in the state. Nationwide, the violent crime rate for 2019 was found to be 366.7 incidents per 100,000 Americans,…

What is Atlanta’s favorite dog breed?

This past year, The French Bulldog took over Atlanta’s top spot in the American Kennel Club’s 2020 ranking of the most popular AKC-recognized dog breeds in the U.S. The French Bulldog was also recognized as the No. 1 pup in Chicago and Dallas. Although the Frenchie moved up to the top spot, Atlanta’s top five favorite breeds remain the same as last year. Last year the Dachshund rounded out the top 10 breeds, but this year fell two spots to 12th place. Although it fell out of the top ranks, it shows promise that it may return to the top…

Here’s what Atlanta men are known for on Tinder

For Valentine's Day, Kingsman Beard Club recently analyzed more than 3,500 Tinder profiles of men living in 31 of the largest American cities to learn more about single men in America and what the typical dating profile looks like. This research gives insight into what men throughout Atlanta are known for on dating apps. Kingsman focused their attention on the main profile picture compiling insights into more than a dozen characteristics, including smiles, facial hair, attire, selfies, kids and cars. So, what reputation to men in Atlanta have on Tinder? Let's take a look at the results. Atlanta ranks 10th…

Who pays the most taxes in Georgia?

As April 15 draws closer, taxes will be on everyone's mind and millions of taxpayers in the Peach State will find out if they owe or if they get a refund. A new study by SmartAsset finds the places in Georgia where people owe the most in taxes. This study analyzed IRS data to determine how much money was owed per taxpayer in each U.S. county. The places with the largest tax amount owed were the places that ranked highest in the study. In Georgia, Fulton County residents owed the most in taxes, which shouldn't come as a surprise. What could come…

Here’s Georgia’s most Googled question about online dating

The world of online dating adds new wrinkles to romance and with it more questions for people to ask Google about. Just in time for Valentine's Day, the team at ViasatSavings.com put together a list of the most-Googled online dating questions for each state. While Georgia's neighbors Alabama and Tennessee are asking "How to break up over text," for Georgia residents it is all about Tinder. According to the data, Georgians are googling "How to get verified on Tinder" the most when it comes to online dating. Looking at more of the SouthEast, Mississippi, Virginia, Louisiana and South Carolina residents…