Chesapeake vs South Fulton

The short version

  • Chesapeake is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 2% lower than in the South Fulton area (BEA 2024).
  • The median home costs $309,800 in South Fulton and $378,400 in Chesapeake.
  • Households earn more in Chesapeake ($95,373 vs $82,324 median).
  • South Fulton is growing faster: +4.4% since 2020 vs +2.4%.
  • Commutes are shorter in Chesapeake (26 vs 33 minutes each way).

Side by side

Chesapeake, VASouth Fulton, GA
People
Population (2025)255,332112,820
Growth since 2020+2.4%+4.4%
People per square mile7541,215
Median age37.936.3
Bachelor's degree or higher37%39%
Money and housing
Median household income$95,373$82,324
Median home value$378,400$309,800
Home value to income4.0×3.8×
Median rent (with utilities)$1,586$1,702
Metro price level (US = 100)97.9100.1
Housing price level (US = 100)99.8111.0
$75,000 elsewhere equals$73,500$75,000
Homeowners74%72%
Top state income tax5.75%5.19%
Combined sales tax5.77%7.56%
Work and commute
Average commute (minutes)25.832.5
Work from home13%18%
Take public transit1%3%
Unemployment (2020-24 avg)4.9%7.2%
Poverty rate9.4%9.1%
Weather
January high / low51° / 34°54° / 36°
July high / low89° / 73°90° / 72°
Precipitation per year49 in50 in
Snowfall per year6 in2 in
Days 90°F or hotter3647
Nights below freezing4136
Comfortable months55
Risks, air and home prices
Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county)Relatively LowRelatively High
FEMA risk score (lower is safer)80.995.8
Good air days, 202578%41%
Home prices, past year+3.6%+1%
Home prices, past 5 years+43.4%+42.7%

Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.

Weather, month by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Chesapeake South Fulton. Solid lines are average highs, dashed lines average lows (°F), NOAA 1991-2020 normals.

Most comfortable months: Chesapeake: April to June and October to November. South Fulton: April to May and September to November.

Full monthly tables: Chesapeake weather by month and South Fulton weather by month.

What $75,000 is worth

A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $73,500 in Chesapeake and $75,000 in South Fulton. Moving from Chesapeake to South Fulton, you would need about $76,600 to match a $75,000 salary.

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Moving between Chesapeake and South Fulton

52people moved from Chesapeake city, VA to Fulton County, GA in a year
Under 20moved the other way

IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Chesapeake and South Fulton.

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