City Report · GA

Emerson

Pop. 1,573·96th most expensive in Georgia·Rental market data updated monthly for Emerson, GA

Median rent (all units)

$1,627/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

+4.6%

vs US Median

-$305

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Emerson · $1,627

More affordable than 67% of US cities · National median $1,932/mo

Affordability

26% of income

AFFORDABLE

0%30% benchmark60%+

At $1,627/mo, rent takes about 26% of the local median household income, comfortably within the 30% benchmark.

Income to afford

$65,000/yr

Local median income

$75,250/yr

Based on the 30%-of-income rule using Emerson's median rent and household income. See the full affordability breakdown →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

2 BR

$870

3 BR

$1,431

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$870/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,627 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.

Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

Annual cost

$19,524/yr

At $1,627/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Strong Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are up 0.0% year-over-year. Expect competition, and move quickly to lock in terms.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.0% YoY, +4.6% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Emerson, GA is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, 36.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

1,573

Median income

$75,250

Median age

39.9

Renters

31.5%

Age distribution

27%

18%

24.9%

12.7%

17.5%

Under 1827%

18–3418%

35–5424.9%

55–6412.7%

65+17.5%

Gender

47.1%

52.9%

Male47.1%

Female52.9%

Race & ethnicity

69.9%

21.7%

White69.9%

Black21.7%

Hispanic5.2%

Asian1.1%

Other2.2%

Education (25+)

30.7%

21.2%

36.7%

No HS diploma11.3%

HS diploma30.7%

Some college21.2%

Bachelor's+36.7%

Housing tenure

68.5%

31.5%

Owner68.5%

Renter31.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How Emerson, GA has changed in 5 years

Income

$63,750 → $75,250

up 18.0%

Population

1,812 → 1,573

down 13.2%

Renter share

23.1% → 31.5%

+8.4 pts

Bachelor's+

28.8% → 36.7%

+7.9 pts

Median age

41 → 39.9

-1.1 yrs

Census figures show median household income at $75,250 today, compared with $63,750 five years earlier. The population has contracted by 13.2% since 2021, moving from about 1,812 residents to roughly 1,573. Renters now make up 31.5% of households, compared with 23.1% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 36.7% of adults here, versus 28.8% in 2021.

Community

Discussions about Emerson

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View Emerson rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Emerson on your salary?

At $1,627/mo, how Emerson rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $89,756/yr · Rent = 21.8% income

affordable

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $63,726/yr · Rent = 30.6% income

stretched

Police Officer

Avg $73,407/yr · Rent = 26.6% income

affordable

Software Developer

Avg $131,205/yr · Rent = 14.9% income

very comfortable

Lawyer

Avg $167,647/yr · Rent = 11.6% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $59,670/yr · Rent = 32.7% income

stretched

Truck Driver

Avg $53,875/yr · Rent = 36.2% income

stretched

Electrician

Avg $66,405/yr · Rent = 29.4% income

affordable

By apartment size

Emerson rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Emerson. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Emerson

About renting in Emerson, GA

Last updated: October 17, 2026

The median rent in Emerson is $1,627/mo as of October 2026. a 2-bedroom runs $870/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,431/mo.

At 26% of local median household income ($75,250/yr), Emerson ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in Emerson?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $65,000/year (about $31/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,627/mo in Emerson. The local median household income is $75,250/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.