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Living in
Riverdale.
About
Life in Riverdale
If you're considering Riverdale, you're looking at a compact, truly urban suburb just 12 miles south of downtown Atlanta and practically next door to the airport—which is both a blessing and something to think through. The city itself is small (4.5 square miles), so you won't find sprawl here, but that also means you're car-dependent to access most of what the metro area offers, with an average commute around 30 minutes. Housing is genuinely affordable compared to broader Atlanta; median home values hover around $179,000 and median rent sits at $1,360 monthly, which feels doable on the median household income of $63,455, though the job market locally is modest—most work opportunities mean heading toward the airport corridor or central Atlanta.
Riverdale at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.4%
Foreign-Born
16.4%
Broadband Internet
92.5%
of households
Population Growth
-2.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics16.4% foreign-born, most often from Nigeria
Who lives in Riverdale: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Riverdale, the largest foreign-born group is from Nigeria (29.9%), and 9.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.2%
of residents
65 and Older
11.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.6%
of households
Married Couples
31.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.55
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for GA
Rent, home values, and income in Riverdale
In Riverdale, home values are 41% below the GA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
32.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,798
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
50.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $214,038 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1 pts above GA average
Unemployment in Riverdale and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Clayton County, which includes Riverdale, is 1 percentage points higher than the GA average.
Unemployment rate
Riverdale: Clayton County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Clayton County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Riverdale is about 5% of Clayton County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Riverdale Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area
Commute28.3 min avg
How Riverdale residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Riverdale, most residents drive alone to work (65%), and 61% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 5 mi
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Major hub51.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safety
Crime rates
Crime data not available
The FBI has no complete year of crime data between 2018 and 2025 for the Riverdale Police Department, so there's no reliable local crime rate to show for Riverdale.
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 6 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
86.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Clayton County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Clayton County, which includes Riverdale, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 6 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $18,000 |
| 2024 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1,000 |
| 2022 | 2 | Strong Wind | $10,000 |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $315,000 |
| 2020 | 5 | Flash Flood | $96,000 |
| 2019 | 8 | Drought | $95,000 |
| 2018 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $64,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Clayton County, county-wide
Riverdale is about 5% of Clayton County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality48 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Clayton County, which includes Riverdale, is typically good.
Median AQI
48
Clayton County, county-wide
Riverdale is about 5% of Clayton County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate88°F summers, 34°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Riverdale has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and mild winters (avg low 34°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/69°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
55°/34°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
53.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.8"
Hot Days/Year
59
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
49
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
113
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 32°F | 5.02" |
| Feb | 57°F | 35°F | 4.86" |
| Mar | 65°F | 42°F | 4.95" |
| Apr | 73°F | 49°F | 4.19" |
| May | 81°F | 59°F | 3.47" |
| Jun | 87°F | 67°F | 4.59" |
| Jul | 90°F | 70°F | 5.09" |
| Aug | 89°F | 69°F | 4.42" |
| Sep | 83°F | 63°F | 3.56" |
| Oct | 73°F | 52°F | 3.62" |
| Nov | 62°F | 41°F | 4.19" |
| Dec | 55°F | 35°F | 4.96" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Riverdale
Riverdale has 2 hospitals, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
14.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
Southern Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Riverwoods Behavioral Health System
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
So Crescent Beh Hlth Sys - Anchor Hospital Campus
Psychiatric · 4 mi away · College Park
Piedmont Fayette Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.6 mi away · Fayetteville
Georgia Regional Hospital Atlanta
Psychiatric · 12 mi away · Decatur
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Riverdale
Riverdale's student/teacher ratio is 17.1:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 17.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
17.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Riverdale (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 26,623 students · in-state tuition $8,664 · 56% graduate · median earnings $51,903 (10 yrs after entry)
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
14.4 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 18,785 students · in-state tuition $12,008 · 93% graduate · median earnings $114,210 (10 yrs after entry)
Georgia State University-Perimeter College
13.1 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 13,693 students · in-state tuition $3,200 · 24% graduate · median earnings $51,903 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,603 students · in-state tuition $30,270 · 45% graduate · median earnings $46,867 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,414 students · in-state tuition $32,470 · 76% graduate · median earnings $65,773 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,844 students · in-state tuition $34,030 · 57% graduate · median earnings $62,169 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, 13 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Riverdale
Riverdale has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park (13 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park
National Historical Park
13 mi awayKennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
29 mi awayChattahoochee River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
31 mi awayOcmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
National Historical Park
69 mi awayFreedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
86 mi awayHorseshoe Bend National Military Park
National Military Park
87 mi awayLittle River Canyon National Preserve
National Preserve
91 mi awayAndersonville National Historic Site
National Historic Site
96 mi awayPublic Libraries in Riverdale
Riverdale Branch Library
420 Valley Hill Road, Riverdale
Cities Near Riverdale
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Riverdale?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Riverdale FAQ
Is Riverdale, Georgia affordable?⌄
Riverdale's median rent is $1,360/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $63,455/year. Median home value is $178,800.
What is the job market like in Riverdale, Georgia?⌄
Clayton County, which includes Riverdale, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Riverdale, Georgia?⌄
The cost of living in Riverdale is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,360/month and median household income is $63,455/year. The median home value is $178,800. About 58% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Riverdale, Georgia?⌄
The average commute in Riverdale is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from