What it's like to live in Chamblee
Chamblee is a small city in Georgia with unemployment below the national average, a highly educated workforce, a growing population, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Chamblee deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Above-average rainfall
How Chamblee compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Chamblee
Based on Chamblee's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,718
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $74,360 a year
- 47% of Chamblee renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$86,560
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $43,280
- Homes cost 5.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 32% above US
$1,859/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,859 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $432,800. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $432,800 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 40% below US
2.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.6%, well below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 29% above US
426 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 3196/100k · Chamblee Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
25 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% take public transit; 21% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 88°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 35°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 33% above US
48% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 48% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (8 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Chamblee's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and a highly educated workforce; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,859/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, remote workers (21% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Chamblee
All Georgia guides →Moving to Brookhaven →
2 mi away · pop. 57,855
Rent $1,882/mo · Income $117,663
Compare with Chamblee →Moving to North Druid Hills →
5 mi away · pop. 17,997
Rent $1,874/mo · Income $102,742
Compare with Chamblee →Not sure Chamblee is the one?
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