Is Macon, GA A Good Place To Live?

What are you prioritizing in your search for a new home? For many Americans on the move, the cost of living is a primary concern. If you’re among those folks seeking an affordable city to stay in, Macon, Georgia may be exactly what you’re looking for.

The state of Georgia is home to many cities with low cost of living demands. Even among those cities, Macon still stands out.

New residents can find homes in Macon, Georgia that are available for under $100,000. Going beyond house prices, the other essential cost of living expenses in Macon are also on the low side. However, the high property and violent crime rates in Macon make people think twice before moving there.

Finding an affordable place to live can be a challenge, but you’re highly likely to find one in Macon, Georgia. Learn more about affordable living in Macon and the other aspects of living there by continuing with this article.

One of the best parts about living in Georgia is the state’s wide array of available and affordable homes. Let’s take a moment to fully grasp how affordable homes are in the Peach State.

The median cost of a home in Georgia is currently $187,000. At first blush, that immediately seems like a very reasonable price for a new home. The deal looks even better once you compare it to the median cost of a home throughout the rest of the country. That figure stands at $231,000. You’re getting close to a 20 percent discount if you opt to buy a home in Georgia.

It doesn’t end there though. If you’re only shopping in Macon, you will find prices for new homes that are even more attainable.

The median cost for a new home in the city is $78,000. You will have a tough time finding more affordable homes anywhere else in the country. That low price is probably the leading reason why moving to Macon is an appealing idea to a lot of people.

The low house prices are likely more than enough to get people interested in the prospect of living in Macon long-term. We certainly understand how enticing they are. However, living in Macon is affordable not just because of the house prices there. Similar to many other locales in Georgia, the cost of living in Macon is low.

The cost of living in Macon is more than 25 percent lower compared to the rest of the United States. With expenses that affordable, you can easily see the appeal of living in Macon for the long haul. We’ll discuss those cost of living expenses in greater detail later in this article.

Macon, Georgia is a city rich in terms of higher education opportunities. Five higher education institutions currently call the city home.

First off, you have Wesleyan College, a private educational institution established exclusively for female students. Wesleyan College holds the distinction of being the first college to be established exclusively for women. It was also the first higher education institute to bestow a baccalaureate degree to a woman.

Available programs at Wesleyan College include nursing and fine arts. The college is also home to a wide array of establishments catering to extra-curricular interests. Next is Mercer University, otherwise known as the oldest private college in the entire state. Programs available at Mercer University include law, medicine, and music, just to name a few.

Private institutions are not your only options to send your kid off to college in Macon, Georgia. The city is also home to Middle Georgia State University, a public establishment that opened its doors back in 1884. Middle Georgia State University has degree programs for business, health sciences, and even aviation.

Students looking to acquire valuable education and skills without going through conventional degree programs can check out Macon’s technical colleges. The city plays host to both Central Georgia Technical College and Miller-Motte Technical College.

No matter what kind of higher education your child is seeking, there are schools in the city that can provide it. Your child doesn’t have to go out of the city in pursuit of their higher education if they don’t want to.

Macon isn’t considered one of the 10 most dangerous cities in the state of Georgia. Even so, the crime rates in Macon are remarkably high. You would be remiss not to consider them before pushing forward with your intended move.

To better contextualize the situation in Macon, we turn to Neighborhood Scout for some statistics. According to the site, Macon is safer than only five percent of the cities in the United State. That paltry number can be surprising, but it makes sense when you consider the crime rates.

The violent crime rate in the city is at 5.70 per 1,000 residents. Looking at the property crime rate doesn’t provide much in the way of assurance. The property crime rate in Macon is at 41.35 per 1,000 residents.

Crime is a very real concern in the city of Macon. To some degree, you have to accept that if you want to live there long-term.

We heaped praise on the higher education institutions present inside Macon earlier. Unfortunately, the elementary school, middle school, and high school options in Macon struggle to offer quality education consistently.

You can certainly find some public schools in the city that have developed a reputation for providing good education. They are few and far in between though. Parents may have to narrow down their search for a home because of the quality of public schools in the city. They may have to pay extra to purchase a home in a district with a reputable public school.

Obviously, making that sacrifice for the sake of your child’s education is worth it. Still, it would be better if more reputable schools were spread throughout the city so you can worry less about districts.

Related Questions

Which Industries Are Thriving in Macon?

While planning a move to Macon, it would be wise to check out which industries are currently surging there. At the moment, healthcare, education, and retail trade are the biggest industries in the city.The healthcare industry in particular has a strong foothold in Macon. You should be able to find work opportunities if you have experience in that industry. Furthermore, the healthcare industry in Macon is poised to experience some significant growth over the next few years.Macon’s economy as a whole is expected to grow at a rate greater than the rest of the country. That’s an exciting prospect for anyone thinking of moving there.

What Is the Climate Like in Macon?

The climate in Macon can be described as warm and comfortable for much of the year. There is a stretch of the year though when humidity levels there increase significantly. You’ll start to feel that heavy humidity when the rain starts to come down more often.All you can really do during that stretch of the year is to turn on the dehumidifier and ride it out. Hopefully, your electric bills won’t go up too much from running the dehumidifier all day.