What it's like to live in Lilburn
Lilburn is a small city in Georgia with county unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a population that has grown fast since 2020, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lilburn deals with rent well above the national average, household incomes below the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Low crime rates
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Below-average household incomes
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
How Lilburn compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lilburn
Based on Lilburn's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,556
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $71,120 a year
- 59% of Lilburn renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$65,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $32,970
- Homes cost 5.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 26% above US
$1,778/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,778 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $329,700. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $329,700 · 59% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.2% county unemployment
Unemployment in Gwinnett 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.
Gwinnett County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 56% below US
143 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 1171/100k · Lilburn Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 23% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.9 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. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% 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▼ 23% below US
28% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 3 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 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (11 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lilburn's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,778/mo) equals 34% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low) and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone who doesn't drive.
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