Atlanta, GA vs Charlotte, NC
Side-by-side comparison · Updated Jun 2026
Report card
| Category | AtlantaAtlanta, GA | CharlotteCharlotte, NC | Same grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReloScoreOverall grade | Same | ||
| Affluence | Average | Average | Same |
| Cost of Living | |||
| Crime | High Risk | High Risk | |
| Education | |||
| Quality of Life | Good | Good | |
| Sovereignty | Self-Reliant | Self-Reliant | |
| Strategic | Vulnerable | Vulnerable |
Grades rate each place against all US places. How grades work →
Comparison summary
At 17.9%, Atlanta, GA had a higher poverty rate than Charlotte, NC's 11.7% in 2023 Census figures. The two cities also diverge on household composition: Charlotte's average household size of 2.4 was 20% larger than Atlanta's 2.0, placing Charlotte in the 47th percentile and Atlanta in the 6th percentile. Educational attainment differs as well, with 58.4% of Atlanta adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher, 11.0 percentage points higher than Charlotte's 47.4%, ranking Atlanta in the 87th percentile versus Charlotte's 76th.
Commuting patterns show Atlanta's average commute of 26.8 minutes was 2 minutes longer than Charlotte's 25 minutes, with Atlanta in the 73rd percentile and Charlotte in the 60th. Traffic safety also varies: Charlotte had 18 traffic deaths per 100,000 people, 28% higher than Atlanta's 14, placing Charlotte in the 58th percentile and Atlanta in the 43rd. State and local tax burdens differ, with Charlotte's 9.9% being 1.0 percentage points higher than Atlanta's 8.9%, ranking Charlotte in the 48th percentile and Atlanta in the 20th.
Geographic positioning shows Atlanta's distance to an international border of 646 miles was 21% higher than Charlotte's 532 miles, with Atlanta in the 86th percentile and Charlotte in the 73rd. While both cities share an F grade for national disaster risk, Charlotte's tap water received an A+ grade compared to Atlanta's F.
AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them. Generated Oct 2026.
Looking at homes in Atlanta or Charlotte?
Get a property report for a specific address.
Free account required. Your first report is free.
Where they differ most
Cost of living
| Metric | Atlanta, GA | Charlotte, NC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL indexCost of living index (100 = US) | 14375th pctl | 12766th pctl | Cost of living index (100 = US): Atlanta, GA 143; Charlotte, NC 127; Atlanta is 13% higher. |
| Home valueMedian home value | $420,60074th pctl | $351,50065th pctl | Median home value: Atlanta, GA $420,600; Charlotte, NC $351,500; Atlanta is 20% higher. |
| Median rent | $1,61775th pctl | $1,50471st pctl | Median rent: Atlanta, GA $1,617; Charlotte, NC $1,504; Atlanta is 8% higher. |
| Household incomeMedian household income | $81,93862nd pctl | $78,43857th pctl | About the same |
| Comfortable (single)Comfortable income (single) | $81,71575th pctl | $68,29065th pctl | Comfortable income (single): Atlanta, GA $81,715; Charlotte, NC $68,290; Atlanta is 20% higher. |
| Comfortable (family)Comfortable income (family of 4) | $120,12175th pctl | $100,38765th pctl | Comfortable income (family of 4): Atlanta, GA $120,121; Charlotte, NC $100,387; Atlanta is 20% higher. |
| AffordabilityHousing affordability | Stretched | Affordable | Housing affordability: Atlanta, GA C+; Charlotte, NC B+; Charlotte is graded higher. |
Housing-adjusted salary
the same housing budget in Charlotte needs about
$66,600
Based only on local housing costs and incomes (cost-of-living index 143 vs 127). Leaves out taxes, groceries and transport. How it works →
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
Jobs & income
| Metric | Atlanta, GA | Charlotte, NC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | 3.5%43rd pctl | 3.7%52nd pctl | About the same |
| Job growthJob growth (YoY) | +1.1%50th pctl | +1.0%46th pctl | About the same |
| Per-capita income | $64,06389th pctl | $49,99178th pctl | Per-capita income: Atlanta, GA $64,063; Charlotte, NC $49,991; Atlanta is 28% higher. |
| Poverty rate | 17.9%76th pctl | 11.7%51st pctl | Poverty rate: Atlanta, GA 17.9%; Charlotte, NC 11.7%; Atlanta is 6.2 points higher. |
| CommuteAverage commute | 26.8 min73rd pctl | 25 min60th pctl | Average commute: Atlanta, GA 26.8 min; Charlotte, NC 25 min; Atlanta is 2 minutes longer. |
| Work from home | 26.6%93rd pctl | 25.5%92nd pctl | Work from home: Atlanta, GA 26.6%; Charlotte, NC 25.5%; Atlanta is 1.1 points higher. |
| OpportunityEconomic opportunity | Stable | Stable | About the same |
| Job market | Strong | Strong | About the same |
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
Safety
| Metric | Atlanta, GA | Charlotte, NC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeViolent crime per 100k | 72394th pctl | 55989th pctl | Violent crime per 100k: Atlanta, GA 723; Charlotte, NC 559; Atlanta is 29% higher. |
| Property crimeProperty crime per 100k | 3,07592nd pctl | 3,41995th pctl | Property crime per 100k: Atlanta, GA 3,075; Charlotte, NC 3,419; Charlotte is 11% higher. |
| 5-yr trendViolent crime, 5-yr trend | Falling | Falling | |
| Crime & safety | Dangerous | Dangerous | About the same |
| Traffic safety | SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
Data: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
Quality of life
| Metric | Atlanta, GA | Charlotte, NC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| ClimateClimate comfort | Humid | Humid | About the same |
| HealthcareHealthcare access | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| Tap water | Poor | Clean | Tap water: Atlanta, GA F; Charlotte, NC A+; Charlotte is graded higher. |
| Power grid | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | About the same |
| HomesteadingHomesteading potential | Prime | Prime | Homesteading potential: Atlanta, GA A; Charlotte, NC A+; Charlotte is graded higher. |
| Disaster riskNational disaster risk | High-Risk | High-Risk | About the same |
3 rows not shown: broadband, walkability and local food access aren't available for either place.
Data: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
Taxes & laws
| Metric | Atlanta, GA | Charlotte, NC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxes | FriendlyState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ModerateState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | About the same |
| HomeschoolHomeschool rules | highState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | highState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| FirearmsFirearm laws grade | A-State figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | AState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| Property rightsProperty rights (eminent domain) | B+State figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | C-State figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | |
| EnergyEnergy production | ImporterState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ImporterState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. |
Data: Tax Foundation, state statutes.
Strategic location
How exposed each place is to large-scale disruption, based on distance from big cities, likely targets and natural hazards.
| Metric | Atlanta, GA | Charlotte, NC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large cityNearest large city | 0 mi1st pctl | 1 mi2nd pctl | Nearest large city: Atlanta, GA 0 mi; Charlotte, NC 1 mi; Charlotte is 14.0 times higher. |
| Target proximity | Poor | Weak | Target proximity: Atlanta, GA D+; Charlotte, NC C; Charlotte is graded higher. |
| To borderDistance to international border | 646 mi86th pctl | 532 mi73rd pctl | Distance to international border: Atlanta, GA 646 mi; Charlotte, NC 532 mi; Atlanta is 21% higher. |
| To coastDistance to coastline | 222 mi45th pctl | 152 mi37th pctl | Distance to coastline: Atlanta, GA 222 mi; Charlotte, NC 152 mi; Atlanta is 46% higher. |
| StrategicStrategic location | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | About the same |
Data: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
People
| Metric | Atlanta, GA | Charlotte, NC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 499,28799th pctl | 886,28399th pctl | Population: Atlanta, GA 499,287; Charlotte, NC 886,283; Charlotte is 78% larger. |
| DensityPopulation density (per sq mi) | 3,69085th pctl | 2,84075th pctl | Population density (per sq mi): Atlanta, GA 3,690; Charlotte, NC 2,840; Atlanta is 30% higher. |
| Median age | 3419th pctl | 34.421st pctl | About the same |
| Bachelor's+Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.4%87th pctl | 47.4%76th pctl | Bachelor's degree or higher: Atlanta, GA 58.4%; Charlotte, NC 47.4%; Atlanta is 11.0 points higher. |
| Household sizeAverage household size | 26th pctl | 2.447th pctl | Average household size: Atlanta, GA 2; Charlotte, NC 2.4; Charlotte is 20% larger. |
More about Atlanta's residents · Charlotte's residents
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
Politics
Information only. Not part of any grade, difference or summary on this page.
Moving between Atlanta and Charlotte
- Median rent: $1,617 in Atlanta, $1,504 in Charlotte
- Median home value: $420,600 in Atlanta, $351,500 in Charlotte
- Cost of living index (100 = US): 143 in Atlanta, 127 in Charlotte
- Median household income: $81,938 in Atlanta, $78,438 in Charlotte
- Comfortable income (family of 4): $120,121 in Atlanta, $100,387 in Charlotte
- Unemployment: 3.5% in Atlanta, 3.7% in Charlotte
- Average commute: 26.8 min in Atlanta, 25 min in Charlotte
- Violent crime per 100k: 723 in Atlanta, 559 in Charlotte
Weigh these by what matters to you
ReloMaps in ChatGPT can look at Atlanta and Charlotte against your own priorities, like budget, commute or climate.
Use ReloMaps in ChatGPT →Found a home in Atlanta or Charlotte?
A property report covers the address itself: the block, the neighbourhood data, risks and more, beyond these city-wide figures.
Free account required. Your first report is free.
Compare a different pair
People also compare
More places like Atlanta and Charlotte
- Data: Cost of living: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
- Data: Jobs & income: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
- Data: Safety: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
- Data: Quality of life: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
- Data: Taxes & laws: Tax Foundation, state statutes.
- Data: Strategic location: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
- Data: People: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area.
Narrative content on this page is AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them.
ReloMaps may earn a commission from affiliate links at no extra cost to you.