Miami vs Sandy Springs
The short version
- Sandy Springs is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 12% lower than in the Miami area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $518,100 in Miami and $619,800 in Sandy Springs.
- Households earn more in Sandy Springs ($104,340 vs $62,462 median).
- Miami has the warmer winter: January highs of 74°F vs 52°F.
- Sandy Springs has more scorching days: 53 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 30.
- Miami is growing faster: +10.8% since 2020 vs -2.9%.
- Florida has no state income tax on wages; Georgia's top rate is 5.19%.
Side by side
| Miami, FL | Sandy Springs, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 489,812 | 105,013 |
| Growth since 2020 | +10.8% | -2.9% |
| People per square mile | 13,607 | 2,785 |
| Median age | 39.3 | 36.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37% | 69% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $62,462 | $104,340 |
| Median home value | $518,100 | $619,800 |
| Home value to income | 8.3× | 5.9× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,758 | $1,870 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 114.2 | 100.1 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 155.6 | 111.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $85,600 | $75,000 |
| Homeowners | 31% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | None | 5.19% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.98% | 7.56% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 27.3 | 25.8 |
| Work from home | 16% | 32% |
| Take public transit | 7% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.2% | 4% |
| Poverty rate | 19.4% | 8.5% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 74° / 61° | 52° / 33° |
| July high / low | 88° / 78° | 89° / 70° |
| Precipitation per year | 57 in | 51 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 1 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 30 | 53 |
| Nights below freezing | 0 | 49 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.6 | 95.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 53% | 41% |
| Home prices, past year | +1.3% | +1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +67.7% | +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
Most comfortable months: Miami: November to April. Sandy Springs: April to May and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Miami weather by month and Sandy Springs weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $85,600 in Miami and $75,000 in Sandy Springs. Moving from Miami to Sandy Springs, you would need about $65,700 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Miami and Sandy Springs
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Miami and Sandy Springs.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.