Rome, GA vs Macon, GA: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, Macon, GA is 1.8% less expensive than Rome, GA (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Rome works out to about $73,600 in Macon, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is everyday costs rather than housing: goods are 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher in Macon, while housing is 2.3% lower.
- Typical asking rent is $1,212 a month in Macon and $1,267 in Rome, $660 a year less in Macon (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $197,000 in Macon and $233,000 in Rome.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (0.9%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Everyday costs, not housing, drive the gap between Rome and Macon
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Rome, GA
- Macon, GA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rome, GA | Macon, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 90.2 | 88.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| Housing (rents) | 60.3 | 58.9 |
| Utilities | 90.7 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.7 |
| Category | Rome | Macon | Macon vs Rome |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 90.2 | 88.5 | −1.8% |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.3 | 0.0% |
| Housing (rents) | 60.3 | 58.9 | −2.3% |
| Utilities | 90.7 | 89.5 | −1.4% |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.7 | 0.0% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,267 | $1,212 | −4.3% |
| Typical home value | $233,000 | $197,000 | −15.5% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Rome | $75,000 | $73,600 | −1.8% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Rome and Macon has narrowed since 2008: 3.3 points then, 1.6 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Rome, GA
- Macon, GA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rome, GA | Macon, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 88.0 | 91.3 |
| 2009 | 85.7 | 89.2 |
| 2010 | 88.3 | 89.5 |
| 2011 | 86.7 | 90.8 |
| 2012 | 86.3 | 90.1 |
| 2013 | 87.4 | 89.5 |
| 2014 | 88.1 | 88.0 |
| 2015 | 88.2 | 89.8 |
| 2016 | 88.3 | 89.9 |
| 2017 | 85.7 | 89.8 |
| 2018 | 88.7 | 88.6 |
| 2019 | 87.8 | 87.0 |
| 2020 | 86.3 | 85.3 |
| 2021 | 90.9 | 87.3 |
| 2022 | 90.8 | 90.2 |
| 2023 | 90.4 | 90.2 |
| 2024 | 90.2 | 88.5 |
Goods
- Rome, GA
- Macon, GA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rome, GA | Macon, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 94.0 | 96.9 |
| 2009 | 91.1 | 94.7 |
| 2010 | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| 2011 | 94.2 | 96.2 |
| 2012 | 90.8 | 95.8 |
| 2013 | 93.2 | 96.2 |
| 2014 | 91.5 | 96.3 |
| 2015 | 90.9 | 95.5 |
| 2016 | 92.3 | 96.2 |
| 2017 | 91.6 | 95.9 |
| 2018 | 95.6 | 95.6 |
| 2019 | 95.4 | 95.4 |
| 2020 | 95.2 | 95.2 |
| 2021 | 95.8 | 95.8 |
| 2022 | 95.0 | 95.0 |
| 2023 | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| 2024 | 96.3 | 96.3 |
Housing (rents)
- Rome, GA
- Macon, GA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rome, GA | Macon, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 64.1 | 68.1 |
| 2009 | 65.4 | 64.4 |
| 2010 | 67.0 | 60.2 |
| 2011 | 59.9 | 61.9 |
| 2012 | 56.0 | 60.8 |
| 2013 | 56.0 | 58.3 |
| 2014 | 56.9 | 54.2 |
| 2015 | 60.2 | 58.5 |
| 2016 | 62.8 | 57.7 |
| 2017 | 53.5 | 59.7 |
| 2018 | 57.8 | 60.0 |
| 2019 | 57.0 | 56.4 |
| 2020 | 52.4 | 54.9 |
| 2021 | 62.1 | 54.4 |
| 2022 | 61.7 | 61.6 |
| 2023 | 60.4 | 64.0 |
| 2024 | 60.3 | 58.9 |
Utilities
- Rome, GA
- Macon, GA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rome, GA | Macon, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 85.3 | 91.3 |
| 2009 | 84.6 | 90.2 |
| 2010 | 85.2 | 91.0 |
| 2011 | 91.1 | 95.0 |
| 2012 | 96.4 | 94.4 |
| 2013 | 94.7 | 95.9 |
| 2014 | 97.0 | 95.6 |
| 2015 | 97.4 | 94.5 |
| 2016 | 96.7 | 92.7 |
| 2017 | 98.4 | 92.3 |
| 2018 | 91.2 | 90.5 |
| 2019 | 92.9 | 92.5 |
| 2020 | 93.2 | 93.5 |
| 2021 | 92.0 | 91.6 |
| 2022 | 94.0 | 92.9 |
| 2023 | 88.6 | 88.4 |
| 2024 | 90.7 | 89.5 |
Other services
- Rome, GA
- Macon, GA
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rome, GA | Macon, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 95.2 | 97.8 |
| 2009 | 92.0 | 97.1 |
| 2010 | 93.5 | 98.9 |
| 2011 | 94.4 | 100.1 |
| 2012 | 97.9 | 100.6 |
| 2013 | 97.5 | 100.1 |
| 2014 | 98.4 | 100.0 |
| 2015 | 97.5 | 100.4 |
| 2016 | 96.1 | 101.4 |
| 2017 | 94.5 | 99.6 |
| 2018 | 97.5 | 97.5 |
| 2019 | 95.6 | 95.6 |
| 2020 | 95.2 | 95.2 |
| 2021 | 99.4 | 99.4 |
| 2022 | 99.5 | 99.5 |
| 2023 | 98.6 | 98.6 |
| 2024 | 98.7 | 98.7 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,212 in Macon vs $1,267 in Rome
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Rome, GA
- Macon, GA
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Rome, GA | Macon, GA | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | – | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | – | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | – | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | – | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | – | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | $718 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | $715 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | – | $700 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | – | $719 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | – | $734 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | – | $740 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | – | $732 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | – | $745 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | – | $759 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | – | $781 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | – | $787 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | – | $791 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | – | $825 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | – | $808 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | – | $803 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | – | $823 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | – | $838 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | – | $886 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | – | $869 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | – | $900 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | – | $994 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | – | $1,054 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | – | $1,009 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | – | $1,040 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $1,070 | $1,089 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $1,051 | $1,087 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $1,104 | $1,064 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $1,100 | $1,108 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,134 | $1,140 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,153 | $1,152 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,142 | $1,115 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,149 | $1,140 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,169 | $1,156 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,189 | $1,172 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,202 | $1,152 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,186 | $1,176 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,238 | $1,181 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,248 | $1,177 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,218 | $1,177 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,223 | $1,182 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,234 | $1,203 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,267 | $1,212 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $197,000 in Macon vs $233,000 in Rome
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Rome, GA
- Macon, GA
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Rome, GA | Macon, GA | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $103K | $98K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $105K | $99K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $108K | $101K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $110K | $103K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $112K | $104K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $113K | $103K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $113K | $103K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $112K | $102K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $111K | $102K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $113K | $102K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $117K | $104K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $119K | $107K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $120K | $108K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $123K | $110K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $126K | $113K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $131K | $115K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $137K | $119K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $139K | $122K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $141K | $124K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $145K | $126K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $148K | $128K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $151K | $128K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $155K | $131K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $162K | $138K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $169K | $143K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $176K | $150K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $183K | $153K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $192K | $156K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $203K | $165K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $210K | $174K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $214K | $179K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $213K | $180K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $211K | $178K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $214K | $183K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $215K | $186K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $218K | $187K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $221K | $187K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $225K | $193K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $226K | $194K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $227K | $194K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $228K | $193K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $228K | $191K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $229K | $191K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $231K | $193K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $232K | $195K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $232K | $196K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $233K | $197K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.