Macon-Bibb County, GA
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
affordable
Price to income
2.96×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Georgia
- 3.16×-0.19
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-0.47
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
moderate
Rent to income
27.0%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Georgia
- 24.5%
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
deal-by-deal
Cap rate proxy
5.92%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Georgia
- 4.77%+1.15
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%+1.57
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.13%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Georgia
- 0.11%+0.02
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%+0.11
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
normal
Permit pipeline
2.17
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Georgia
- 6.01
- vs U.S.
- 3.52
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
healthy
Unemployment
3.9%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Georgia
- 3.4%
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%=
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+61.7%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+6.9%
Median home value
$172,300
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $1,158 | $13,896 | 23.9% |
| 2 BR | $1,307 | $15,684 | 27.0% |
| 3 BR | $1,567 | $18,804 | 32.3% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
3.9%
Median household income
$58,127
What's being built
Total TTM
506
+12.3% YoY
Single-family
506
2–4 unit
0
5+ unit
0
All 5 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bibb County | 156,554 | $165,800 | $50,747 | 141 | +12.8% |
| Jones County | 28,382 | $174,600 | $68,259 | 71 | 0.0% |
| Monroe County | 28,287 | $243,200 | $82,863 | 254 | +11.4% |
| Crawford County | 12,156 | $144,800 | $60,905 | 27 | |
| Twiggs County | 7,955 | $104,500 | $55,439 | 13 | +160.0% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Macon | 233,334 | $58,127 | 2.96× | 5.92% | +61.7% | 2.17 | 3.9% |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | 224,515 | $59,895 | — | — | +61.0% | — | 2.3% |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | 245,475 | $56,717 | — | — | +60.8% | — | 4.4% |
| Las Cruces, NM | 219,870 | $55,663 | — | — | +49.2% | — | 4.9% |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | 214,229 | $55,799 | — | — | +46.1% | — | 4.9% |
| Charleston, WV | 257,927 | $58,089 | — | — | +36.3% | — | 4.4% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+315
+0.13% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Houston County, GA | 769 |
| Bibb County, GA | 597 |
| Jones County, GA | 300 |
| Henry County, GA | 270 |
| Monroe County, GA | 191 |
| Peach County, GA | 162 |
Who lives in Macon
- Median age
- 39
- Bachelor's+
- 24.2%
- Owner-occupancy
- 62.3%
- Vacancy rate
- 15.5%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 50.8%
- Median household income
- $58,127
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.