Overview
Fulton County is home to 1,068,507 people (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), making it the most populous county in Georgia and larger than 99% of U.S. counties. It contains Atlanta, the state capital, and stretches roughly 70 miles north to south, from the suburbs of Roswell and Alpharetta down through the city center and into the communities south of the airport.
The numbers that define Fulton aren't subtle. Median household income sits at $91,490 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), higher than 93% of counties nationally. Per capita income reaches $61,438 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), above 99% of the country. Average adjusted gross income per tax return was $166,824 (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021). By most income measures, Fulton ranks at or near the top in Georgia and nationally.
But the poverty rate is 12.5% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), higher than roughly half of U.S. counties. High incomes and persistent poverty in the same county point to sharp internal divides. The averages tell one story. The distribution tells another.
Demographics
Fulton County is young. The median age is 36.2 years (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), lower than about 88% of U.S. counties. For context, the national median hovers near 38. A young population tracks with Fulton's role as a job center drawing working-age adults.
The county's racial composition reflects Atlanta's history and its ongoing shifts. Black residents make up 42.6% of the population, white residents 37.4%, Hispanic residents 8.1%, and Asian residents 7.5% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). The Asian population share is higher than 97% of U.S. counties. Native residents account for 0.1%.
Education levels are exceptional. 58% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), above 99% of counties nationally and 99% within Georgia. The concentration of universities, corporate headquarters, and professional services firms in the Atlanta metro pulls degree holders in.
The average commute is 20.7 minutes (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), shorter than about 62% of U.S. counties. That's relatively low for a major urban county, though it reflects averages across a geographically large jurisdiction where commute distances vary widely.
Education
Fulton County's public schools enrolled 144,672 students (Education Data Portal, 2021), a figure higher than 98% of counties in the country. Per-pupil spending was $16,646 (Education Data Portal, 2020), above the national average of roughly $15,000 and higher than 85% of Georgia counties.
The student-teacher ratio sits at 13.6 to 1 (Education Data Portal, 2021), better than the national average of about 15.5 to 1. Smaller ratios generally correlate with more individualized instruction, though they don't guarantee it.
The graduation rate is 81.2% (Education Data Portal, 2019). That's below the national average of approximately 87% and lower than about 80% of U.S. counties. It also ranks in the bottom 14% within Georgia. For a county with this level of wealth and educational attainment among adults, that gap stands out. The adults are highly educated. The K-12 pipeline isn't producing the same results.
Economy & Employment
Fulton County's labor force totals 600,615 people (BLS LAUS, 2025). Of those, 579,268 are employed and 21,347 are unemployed, putting the unemployment rate at 3.6% (BLS LAUS, 2025). That rate falls roughly in the middle of U.S. counties and sits in the upper third within Georgia.
The income data paints a picture of concentrated wealth. Median household income of $91,490 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) outpaces the vast majority of the country. Per capita income of $61,438 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) is higher than 99% of counties nationally. IRS data shows 511,520 tax returns filed with total adjusted gross income of $85.3 billion and an average AGI of $166,824 per return (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021). Average total income per return was $168,279 (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021).
The gap between average and median income is telling. When average AGI is nearly double the median household income, high earners are pulling the mean well above what a typical household experiences.
Poverty persists alongside this wealth. At 12.5% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), the poverty rate is close to the national median. In a county where average income per tax return exceeds $166,000, a poverty rate near the national middle reinforces how unevenly that income distributes.
Housing & Cost of Living
Median home value in Fulton County is $431,200 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), higher than 94% of U.S. counties and the highest in Georgia. Median gross rent is $1,635 per month (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), above 96% of counties nationally.
The county has 500,404 total housing units, with 42,613 sitting vacant (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). That's a vacancy rate of 8.5%, lower than roughly 80% of U.S. counties and in the bottom 16% within Georgia. Low vacancy in a high-cost market means limited slack for renters looking for options.
Fair market rent data from HUD (2026) was available but did not include bedroom-level breakdowns for Fulton County.
For a household earning the median income of $91,490, the median rent of $1,635 per month ($19,620 annually) consumes about 21% of gross income. That's within the traditional 30% affordability threshold. But that's the median. Households earning below the median, and 12.5% live in poverty, face a much tighter equation in a market where rents rank in the top 4% nationally.
Health & Wellness
Fulton County's health data shows a population that's healthier than most of the state but carries notable risks.
The obesity rate is 28.1% (CDC PLACES, 2023), lower than 96% of U.S. counties and the lowest in Georgia. Diabetes prevalence is 10.7% (CDC PLACES, 2023), below the state median and roughly at the national midpoint. High blood pressure affects 33.4% of the population (CDC PLACES, 2023), in the lower half within Georgia.
Mental health metrics are comparatively strong. Depression prevalence is 16.8% (CDC PLACES, 2023), lower than 99% of U.S. counties. Poor mental health days affect 15.3% of residents (CDC PLACES, 2023), also in the bottom 5% nationally. Poor physical health days are reported at 10.7% (CDC PLACES, 2023), among the lowest 3% of counties.
Preventive care utilization is high. 77.8% of residents had an annual checkup (CDC PLACES, 2023), above most U.S. counties. Cholesterol screening reached 88% (CDC PLACES, 2023), higher than 98% of counties nationally.
The uninsured rate is 10.2% (CDC PLACES, 2023), placing Fulton near the national middle but among the lowest in Georgia (bottom 2% in the state). One in ten residents still lacks coverage, which in a county with this income profile suggests the gap falls disproportionately on lower-income households.
Climate & Natural Disasters
The county averages 64.2°F annually (NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025), with typical highs at 74.6°F and lows at 53.8°F. That's a mild baseline by most measures. Summers are humid and warm. Winters are short and generally forgiving, though not without teeth.
Annual precipitation runs 43.9 inches (NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025), spread fairly evenly across the year. Snowfall averages just 3.2 inches annually (NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025). Snow isn't Atlanta's weather problem. Ice is.
FEMA has issued 21 federal disaster declarations tied to Fulton County since 1975 (FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026), above roughly half of U.S. counties in frequency. That count includes two COVID-19 biological declarations. Strip those out and the history is still active: four hurricane declarations, recurring severe storm events, two separate ice storm declarations in 2014, and a winter storm emergency as recently as January 2026.
The hurricane exposure surprises people who think of Atlanta as landlocked. Tropical systems weaken considerably by the time they reach north Georgia, but they carry enough rain and wind to earn federal disaster status. Hurricane Helene in September 2024 is the most recent example, generating both an emergency management declaration and a major disaster declaration within days of each other.
Ice storms are the more persistent local hazard. The 2014 events shut down the city for days. The region's limited capacity to pre-treat roads, combined with terrain and the frequency of temperature swings around freezing, makes even modest ice accumulation seriously disruptive.
The practical risk here isn't catastrophic wind or flooding at Gulf Coast scale. It's periodic winter disruptions and damage from tropical remnants, both of which are baked into the county's climate position and aren't going away.
Financial Profile
IRS data shows 511,520 tax returns filed in Fulton County, generating $85.3 billion in total adjusted gross income (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021). Both figures rank above 99% of U.S. counties. Average AGI of $166,824 per return (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021) also ranks above 99% nationally.
Banking access is strong. Fulton County has 204 bank branches holding $29.3 billion in total deposits (FDIC Summary of Deposits, 2023). Branch count ranks above 97% of U.S. counties. Total deposits rank above 98%.
Social Security recipients number 147,285 (SSA OASDI, 2024), higher than 98% of counties. In a county of over a million people with a median age of 36.2, that beneficiary count represents about 13.8% of the population. The young median age means a relatively small share of residents currently draw benefits, though the absolute number is large given the population.
Key Comparisons
Fulton County's position relative to state and national benchmarks reveals consistent patterns.
Income measures place Fulton at or near the top. Median household income of $91,490 exceeds 93% of U.S. counties and 94% within Georgia (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). Per capita income of $61,438 exceeds 99% on both scales.
Housing costs match the income profile. A median home value of $431,200 exceeds 94% of U.S. counties and tops Georgia (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). Rent at $1,635 exceeds 96% nationally.
Health outcomes run well above average. Obesity at 28.1% is lower than 96% of counties; depression at 16.8% is lower than 99% (CDC PLACES, 2023). These aren't common numbers for a county this size.
Education attainment among adults (58% with bachelor's degrees) ranks at the top nationally. But the 81.2% graduation rate falls below the national average, creating a notable disconnect between adult educational attainment and K-12 outcomes.
The poverty rate of 12.5% sits near the national middle despite top-tier income averages. Unemployment at 3.6% is unremarkable. The county's defining characteristic is the distance between its highs and its midpoints. The top-line numbers are exceptional. The distribution is not.
Data Sources
- Census ACS 5-Year, 2023: Population, income, housing, demographics, education attainment, commute times, poverty rate
- BLS LAUS, 2025: Unemployment rate, labor force, employment counts
- CDC PLACES, 2023: Health metrics including obesity, diabetes, mental health, insurance coverage, preventive care
- HUD Fair Market Rents, 2026: Data not available for Fulton County
- FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026: Disaster declarations and history
- IRS Statistics of Income, 2021: Tax returns, adjusted gross income, total income
- FDIC Summary of Deposits, 2023: Bank branch counts and total deposits
- NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025: Temperature and precipitation averages
- SSA OASDI, 2024: Social Security beneficiary counts
- USDA Census of Agriculture, 2022: Data not available for Fulton County
- Education Data Portal, 2021: Per-pupil spending, enrollment, student-teacher ratio, graduation rate