What it's like to live in Kennesaw
Kennesaw is a small city in Georgia with unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a highly educated workforce, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Kennesaw deals with rent well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and above-average rainfall.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
How Kennesaw compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Kennesaw
Based on Kennesaw's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,690
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $73,800 a year
- 52% of Kennesaw renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$67,080
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $33,540
- Homes cost 4.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 31% above US
$1,845/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,845 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 $335,400. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $335,400 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 26% below US
3.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.2%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 42% below US
190 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 722/100k · Kennesaw Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 10% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.6 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 22% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 33°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 31% above US
47% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 47% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, 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 Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (5 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Kennesaw's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,845/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (22% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
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