Department of Numbers

Cobb County Georgia Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Cobb County GA was $1,255 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Cobb County was $1,270 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Cobb County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Cobb County rental vacancy rates, Cobb County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Cobb County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Cobb County Georgia (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Georgia Median Gross Rent $1,049 +2.24% +7.37%
Cobb County GA Median Gross Rent $1,255 -0.24% +7.91%

Cobb County GA Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Cobb County peaked in real terms in 2018 at $1,258 and is now $3 (0.24%) lower. Average gross rent for Cobb County peaked in real terms in 2018 at $1,303 and is now $33 (2.53%) lower.

Real Gross Rent: Cobb County GA Median, Cobb County GA Average, Georgia Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Cobb County

Date US
Median
Georgia
Median
Cobb County GA
Median
Cobb County GA
Average
2019 $1,097 $1,049 $1,255 $1,270
2018 $1,077 $1,026 $1,258 $1,303
2017 $1,043 $988 $1,201 $1,241
2016 $1,027 $977 $1,163 $1,186
2015 $1,017 $964 $1,140 $1,149
2014 $986 $931 $1,085 $1,125
2013 $953 $895 $1,018 $1,080
2012 $940 $890 $1,023 $1,072
2011 $941 $900 $970 $1,013
2010 $955 $915 $1,044 $1,066
2009 $960 $912 $1,076 $1,110

more history ...

Cobb County Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Cobb County Georgia was 3.99% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Cobb County Georgia

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Georgia 7.28% +0.05% +1.13%
Cobb County GA 3.99% -1.16% -2.26%

Trends in Cobb County GA Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Cobb County peaked in 2005 at 17.84%. Since then it has fallen by 13.85% to 3.99%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Cobb County GA, Georgia, US

Rental vacancy rate in Georgia

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Cobb County

Date US Georgia Cobb County GA
2019 5.97% 7.28% 3.99%
2018 6.15% 7.23% 5.15%
2017 6.18% 6.73% 4.66%
2016 5.89% 6.15% 6.25%
2015 5.85% 6.47% 5.50%
2014 6.32% 8.17% 5.54%
2013 6.49% 9.26% 8.88%
2012 6.77% 9.53% 7.11%
2011 7.40% 10.72% 9.62%
2010 8.17% 11.72% 12.37%
2009 8.43% 12.32% 12.91%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Cobb County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Cobb County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 18.92% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Cobb County Georgia Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Georgia 20.31% -0.28% -0.59%
Cobb County GA 18.92% +0.12% +0.13%

Trends in Cobb County GA Rent as a Fraction of Income

Cobb County renters paid 18.92% of median household income towards the median monthly gross rent in 2019. This is the highest fraction of median household income going to rent since the series originated in 2005.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Cobb County GA, Georgia, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Cobb County Georgia

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Cobb County Georgia

Date US Georgia Cobb County GA
2019 20.03% 20.31% 18.92%
2018 20.50% 20.59% 18.80%
2017 20.13% 20.46% 18.48%
2016 20.43% 20.90% 18.79%
2015 20.63% 21.29% 18.36%
2014 20.89% 21.46% 18.40%
2013 20.78% 21.33% 18.39%
2012 20.65% 21.28% 18.30%
2011 20.70% 21.73% 18.61%
2010 20.50% 21.17% 18.71%
2009 20.12% 20.17% 17.84%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Cobb County Georgia

You can calculate the renter fraction in Cobb County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Cobb County as a fraction of total Cobb County households. In 2019 34.31% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Cobb County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Georgia 35.87% -0.33% -2.59%
Cobb County GA 34.31% -1.14% -2.41%

Trends in the Cobb County GA Renter Fraction

The Cobb County household renter fraction peaked in in 2015 at 37.58% and is now 3.27% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Cobb County GA, Georgia, US

Fraction of renters in Cobb County

History of Cobb County Renter Fraction

Date US Georgia Cobb County GA
2019 35.89% 35.87% 34.31%
2018 36.05% 36.20% 35.45%
2017 36.13% 37.12% 34.88%
2016 36.88% 38.46% 36.72%
2015 36.97% 38.16% 37.58%
2014 36.90% 37.77% 37.40%
2013 36.50% 37.34% 36.42%
2012 36.09% 36.35% 35.19%
2011 35.42% 35.42% 35.45%
2010 34.65% 33.83% 32.17%
2009 34.13% 32.96% 29.78%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.