What it's like to live in Holly Springs
Holly Springs is a small city in Georgia with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Holly Springs deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
How Holly Springs compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Holly Springs
Based on Holly Springs's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,700
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $74,000 a year
- 67% of Holly Springs renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$89,680
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $44,840
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 31% above US
$1,850/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,850 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 $448,400. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $448,400 · 67% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
2.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Cherokee County is 2.8%, 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.
Cherokee County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 100% below US
0 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 351/100k · Holly Springs Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 25% above US
33 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 32.5 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 23% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 31°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 27% above US
46% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 46% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
1 public school inside the boundary
There is 1 public school inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below 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 (16 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Holly Springs's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,850/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (23% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Holly Springs
All Georgia guides →Moving to Woodstock →
5 mi away · pop. 37,381
Rent $1,821/mo · Income $103,496
Compare with Holly Springs →Moving to Canton →
5 mi away · pop. 35,741
Rent $1,680/mo · Income $80,091
Compare with Holly Springs →Moving to Milton →
10 mi away · pop. 41,546
Rent $2,065/mo · Income $171,295
Compare with Holly Springs →Moving to Roswell →
12 mi away · pop. 92,621
Rent $1,810/mo · Income $128,654
Compare with Holly Springs →Not sure Holly Springs is the one?
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