Can households afford energy in Georgia?
29th of 51. All Georgia households: 2.1% ($2,038 of $95,392). Same income group, U.S.: 8.3%. Under 30% of median: 19.3% on $8,853. Renters 2.9%, owners 2.0%.
Georgia burden by income bracket
At or above 6% in Georgia: under 30%, 30% to 60%. Together 27% of homes (1,057,128 of 3,946,490).
Georgia burden, % of income
- 19.3Under 30%
- 6.530% to 60%
- 4.360% to 80%
- 3.380% to 100%
- 1.5Over 100%
Getting the average under-30% household in Georgia down to 6% takes $1,177 off its $1,708 energy cost, or $19,614 more income.
Georgia income, cost and burden
| Bracket | Georgia homes | Share | Georgia income | Electric | All energy | Georgia burden | U.S. burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30% | 439,978 | 11% | $8,853 | $1,485 | $1,708 | 19.3% | 17.0% |
| 30% to 60% | 617,150 | 16% | $28,466 | $1,604 | $1,857 | 6.5% | 6.3% |
| 60% to 80% | 400,069 | 10% | $45,301 | $1,669 | $1,949 | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| 80% to 100% | 372,227 | 9% | $60,126 | $1,703 | $1,990 | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Over 100% | 2,117,066 | 54% | $148,554 | $1,838 | $2,185 | 1.5% | 1.6% |
| All | 3,946,490 | 100% | $95,392 | $1,732 | $2,038 | 2.1% | 2.2% |
Renters, owners and fuel in Georgia
Renters pay $1,523 on $53,211 (2.9%); owners $2,316 on $118,089 (2.0%); U.S. 2.4% and 2.2%. Most common fuel: electricity, 56% of homes. Heaviest burden: fuel oil, 3.5%.
| Georgia heating fuel | Homes | Share | Georgia income | All energy | Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 2,202,487 | 55.8% | $81,791 | $1,951 | 2.4% |
| Utility gas | 1,513,745 | 38.4% | $119,450 | $2,131 | 1.8% |
| Bottled gas (propane) | 174,509 | 4.4% | $73,938 | $2,532 | 3.4% |
| Fuel oil | 6,013 | 0.2% | $54,517 | $1,881 | 3.5% |
| Wood, coal, solar and other | 49,735 | 1.3% | $45,728 | $1,371 | 3.0% |
Your burden against Georgia
Help and shutoff rules in Georgia
FY2024 LIHEAP heating help: 83,520 homes, 8 per 100 under 60% of median.
FY2026 funding snapshot $96,141,634, $91 per such home.
Eligibility listed: Heating, Cooling, & Crisis: 60% State Median Income Weatherization: 200% Federal Poverty Guideline.
Benefits listed: Heating: $400 minimum, $810 maximum Cooling: $400 minimum, $500 maximum Winter Crisis: $810 Summer Crisis: $500.
Programs named for Georgia: Atlanta Gas Light; Carroll Electric Membership Corporation; Coweta-Fayette Electric Membership Corporation.
- Georgia LIHEAP office, phone 1-877-423-4746
- Clearinghouse snapshot, Georgia
- Georgia help with your bill
Georgia has a cold-weather clause; wording on the help page.
Read: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 515-3-2-.01 to .06 (residential electric and gas utility service disconnections), esp. 515-3-2-.04, checked 2026-10-02; some utilities only.
Not legal advice. Ask your Georgia utility.
Highest-burden Georgia counties
156 counties with 1,000+ homes; top: Cook County at 12.2%, lowest of the 156: Forsyth County at 1.3%.
| Georgia county | Homes | Income | All energy | Burden | Under 60% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County | 6,116 | $62,851 | $7,687 | 12.2% | 38.0% |
| Wilkes County | 4,032 | $59,962 | $5,486 | 9.2% | 27.7% |
| Washington County | 7,256 | $61,349 | $5,554 | 9.1% | 26.6% |
| Ben Hill County | 7,126 | $52,733 | $3,325 | 6.3% | 19.0% |
| Randolph County | 2,553 | $38,833 | $2,271 | 5.8% | 10.9% |
| Schley County | 1,578 | $64,122 | $3,495 | 5.5% | 17.5% |
| Mitchell County | 7,924 | $59,877 | $3,004 | 5.0% | 15.4% |
| Macon County | 3,985 | $49,760 | $2,494 | 5.0% | 12.9% |
Next to Georgia in the ranking
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Sources
DOE LEAD 2022; LIHEAP Clearinghouse; CSV.
Questions
How much of income do Georgia households spend on energy?
2.1% for all households ($2,038 of $95,392) and 8.8% under 60% of median income. U.S.: 2.2%, 8.3%.
Who is hit hardest in Georgia?
Households under 30% of median income: 19.3%, 439,978 homes spending $1,708 on $8,853.
How many Georgia homes get LIHEAP heating help?
83,520 in FY2024, 8 per 100 homes under 60% of median; not a take-up rate.
Is electricity the whole Georgia energy burden?
No: electricity is 1.8% of 2.1%; gas and other fuel are the rest.