Forsyth County tops the list of Georgia’s richest counties, with Fulton County ranking fifth despite having the highest investment income in the state.
💰 Why It Matters: Where you live in Georgia significantly impacts your financial environment. These wealth rankings show the economic disparities across the state and can influence everything from property values to local government services.
🏡 The Rankings: SmartAsset’s annual study measured wealth across Georgia counties using three key metrics:
Forsyth County claimed the top spot with a median income of 138,000 and median home value of $566,079.
Oconee County ranked second, followed by Fayette, Cherokee and Fulton counties rounding out the top five.
Fulton County stands out with the highest investment income at $114,539 – nearly triple that of Forsyth County.
| Rank | County, State | Median Income | Investment Income | Median Home Value | Wealth Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forsyth | $138,000 | $39,880 | $566,079 | 41.43 |
| 2 | Oconee | $115,925 | $65,049 | $482,127 | 34.93 |
| 3 | Fayette | $108,986 | $53,066 | $443,375 | 31.68 |
| 4 | Cherokee | $105,442 | $39,547 | $433,396 | 29.81 |
| 5 | Fulton | $91,490 | $114,539 | $417,337 | 29.29 |
| 6 | Greene | $84,530 | $96,467 | $550,794 | 28.62 |
| 7 | Cobb | $98,712 | $49,703 | $405,853 | 27.92 |
| 8 | Bryan | $94,234 | $54,602 | $346,435 | 25.88 |
| 9 | Dawson | $88,986 | $45,861 | $413,954 | 25.06 |
| 10 | Coweta | $94,142 | $33,711 | $361,482 | 25.06 |
📊 Between the Lines: The wealth index doesn’t just measure who has the most money. It combines income, investment returns, and property values to create a more complete picture of economic prosperity.
Greene County, ranked sixth overall, has the second-highest investment income and home values that rival top-ranked Forsyth, suggesting a concentration of wealthy retirees or investors.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
