City Report · GA

Mcdonough

Pop. 30,947·55th most expensive in Georgia·Rental market data updated monthly for McDonough, GA

Median rent (all units)

$1,852/mo

Year-over-Year

+1.5%

Month-over-Month

+0.8%

vs US Median

-$80

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Mcdonough · $1,852

More expensive than 50% of US cities · National median $1,932/mo

Rent Reality Score

78/100

Good value

OverheatedFairGreat value

Rents are 14% below what Mcdonough's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.

Actual rent

$1,852/mo

Expected by trend

$2,150/mo

The Rent Reality Score compares today's median rent to where Mcdonough's own long-run trajectory projects it should be. See the full rankings →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,675

1 BR

$1,740

2 BR

$1,925

3 BR

$2,320

4 BR+

$2,795

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$1,925/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,852 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

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

January. Asking rents in Mcdonough usually run 0.7% below trend in January and 0.8% above it in August, about $28 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in Mcdonough is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.

Past year vs. the rest of Georgia

Rent in Mcdonough changed +1.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 115 Georgia cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.3%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in Mcdonough rose 44.5% while median household income rose 19.4% ($63,108 to $75,343). Rent outpaced income.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in Mcdonough is 44.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($75,343) is $1,884 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,740); a 2-bedroom is $1,925.

Cheaper nearby

Jonesboro, 14 miles away, rents for 11% less ($1,640/mo), about $2,500 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Mcdonough. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$22,224/yr

At $1,852/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (1.5% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+1.5% YoY, +0.8% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Mcdonough, GA is roughly split between renters and owners, has a large share of families with children, 28.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

30,947

Median income

$75,343

Median age

33.2

Renters

45.2%

Age distribution

26.4%

25.3%

29.2%

Under 1826.4%

18–3425.3%

35–5429.2%

55–6410.4%

65+8.8%

Gender

47.8%

52.2%

Male47.8%

Female52.2%

Race & ethnicity

15.5%

72.3%

White15.5%

Black72.3%

Hispanic7.1%

Asian1.8%

Other3.3%

Education (25+)

26.4%

38.9%

28.5%

No HS diploma6.2%

HS diploma26.4%

Some college38.9%

Bachelor's+28.5%

Housing tenure

54.8%

45.2%

Owner54.8%

Renter45.2%

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

2021 vs 2026

How Mcdonough, GA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,530 → $1,852

up 21.0%

Income

$73,215 → $75,343

up 2.9%

Population

28,574 → 30,947

up 8.3%

Renter share

49.6% → 45.2%

-4.4 pts

Bachelor's+

27.7% → 28.5%

+0.8 pts

Median age

31.1 → 33.2

+2.1 yrs

Compared with 2021, rent in Mcdonough, GA has climbed by $322 per month, settling near $1,852 after starting the period at $1,530. Household income in the area moved from $73,215 to $75,343 across the same window, up 2.9% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 18.1 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 28,574 to 30,947 between 2021 and 2024, a 8.3% change. About 45.2% of households rent today, against 49.6% in 2021. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Mcdonough, GA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.

Community

Discussions about Mcdonough

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View Mcdonough rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Mcdonough on your salary?

At $1,852/mo, how Mcdonough rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $89,756/yr · Rent = 24.8% income

affordable

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $63,726/yr · Rent = 34.9% income

stretched

Police Officer

Avg $73,407/yr · Rent = 30.3% income

stretched

Software Developer

Avg $131,205/yr · Rent = 16.9% income

very comfortable

Lawyer

Avg $167,647/yr · Rent = 13.3% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $59,670/yr · Rent = 37.2% income

stretched

Truck Driver

Avg $53,875/yr · Rent = 41.3% income

rent-burdened

Electrician

Avg $66,405/yr · Rent = 33.5% income

stretched

By apartment size

Mcdonough rent by bedroom count

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

Local insights

Tips for renters in Mcdonough

About renting in Mcdonough, GA

Last updated: October 17, 2026

The median rent in Mcdonough is $1,852/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,675/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,925/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,740/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,320/mo.

At 29% of local median household income ($75,343/yr), Mcdonough ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.5% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in Mcdonough?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $74,000/year (about $36/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,852/mo in Mcdonough. The local median household income is $75,343/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in Mcdonough?

Rent in Mcdonough has risen 1.5% over the past year as of September 2026. That is the highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.

When is the cheapest time to rent in Mcdonough?

Asking rents in Mcdonough are usually lowest in January, about 0.7% below their yearly trend, and highest in August, about 0.8% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $28 a month. This pattern comes from 10 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in Mcdonough?

Yes. From 2019 to 2024, rent in Mcdonough rose 44.5% while median household income rose 19.4%, from $63,108 to $75,343. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

Which Mcdonough neighborhoods have the lowest rent?

The most affordable ZIP codes in Mcdonough are 30253 ($1,781/mo), and 30252 ($2,303/mo). Citywide, the median rent is $1,852/mo.

How does Mcdonough rent compare to other cities in Georgia?

Mcdonough is in the middle among Georgia cities for rent, ranking #55 of 133 tracked cities at $1,852/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in Mcdonough changed +1.5%, against a typical +2.3% across the 115 Georgia cities Zillow tracks.