What it's like to live in Calhoun
Calhoun is a small city in Georgia with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Calhoun deals with household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Short commutes
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Calhoun compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Calhoun
Based on Calhoun's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,746
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $34,920 a year
- 45% of Calhoun renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$50,200
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $25,100
- Homes cost 4.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 38% below US
$873/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $873 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $251,000. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $251,000 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.2% county unemployment
Unemployment in Gordon County is 3.2%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Gordon County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 23% below US
307 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 2639/100k · Calhoun Police Department · 2022 data
Getting around▼ 20% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 34°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 44% below US
20% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 20%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park (37 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Calhoun's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and college degree attainment below the national average. A year of median rent ($873/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Calhoun
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