Helen, Georgia

Population

Growing. Up 18.4% since 2020.

631

people, the 366th-largest of Georgia's cities and towns.

Census Population Estimates, 2025. Rank among Georgia's cities and towns computed by the Almanac. Sources: Census Population Estimates

The workday

Nearly every job here goes to someone who lives somewhere else.

96.8%

of 1,325 jobs located in Helen are filled by in-commuters.

Census LEHD LODES, 2023. Sources: Census LEHD LODES

Rent

Median rent is up 18% since the 2005–2009 survey, before inflation.

$773

a month. Georgia's median is $1,393.

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024 (latest), with earlier 5-year windows. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year

The seam

Cross one tract line and median rent jumps $387.

A $387 gap between neighbors, the sharpest rent edge between adjacent tracts in White County.

• $964 Tract 9502.05
• $1,351 Tract 9502.04

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024, adjacent tracts compared by the Almanac. Tract estimates carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year

Room to build

The median rent sits inside what local wages can carry.

$567–$851

is the monthly rent range local workforce wages support.

• $773 median

Supportable rent computed by the Almanac from 2023 source wage data. Median rent: Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Computed by the Almanac, Census ACS 5-year

Building

49% of the housing here was built before 2000.

• 105 homes permitted, 2022–2025
• 64% of those were in multifamily buildings
• 49% of all homes were built before 2000

Census Building Permits Survey, 2022–2025; Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census Building Permits Survey, Census ACS 5-year

Units needed

Closing the gap would add 0–2% to the 636 homes here.

0–13

is the estimated number of missing housing units, from the lowest to the highest of three estimates.

Range computed by the Almanac from 2023 jobs and household data, using three demand models: 1% of jobs located here, 1% of renter households, and a rate by town size applied to renters. The low end is the lowest of the three and the high end the highest. It is an estimate, not a count. Sources: Computed by the Almanac

Home value

A median home costs 37% more than Georgia's.

$416,100

median home value in Helen.

• $416,100 Helen
• $303,300 Georgia
• $332,700 U.S.

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year