Georgia taxes homes on a fixed fraction of fair market value, with separate millage for the county, the city and the school system. School taxes usually make up the largest share, and many counties exempt older residents from some or all of the school levy, so the bill on a house can fall sharply when its owner reaches the qualifying age.
The homestead exemption is filed with the county tax assessor or tax commissioner, and it must be in by the early spring deadline in the year after you buy. Miss it and you wait another year. Beyond the basic exemption, many counties and cities have adopted floating homestead exemptions that hold the taxable value close to the value when you bought, rising only with inflation. Voters added a statewide version recently, although local governments were allowed to opt out, so the protection you get depends on the jurisdiction.
Because a sale resets the value the county uses, the seller’s tax bill is a poor guide to yours. Use the price and the local millage, then subtract the exemptions you expect to claim.
Closing in Georgia involves a small state transfer tax on the deed and an intangible recording tax on long-term notes, which falls on the buyer through the mortgage. Property tax is billed once a year in the autumn in most counties, with some splitting it into two installments. Metro Atlanta suburbs also differ in whether a home is inside a city with its own millage or in unincorporated county territory.
Property tax in Georgia
The median Georgia homeowner pays $2,341 a year in property tax on a home valued at $303,300, an effective rate of 0.7718% in the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-year 2020-2024). That ranks the 25th lowest of the 50 states and DC, at or below the middle state's 0.8003%. At that rate each $100,000 of home value carries about $772 a year of tax, or $64.32 a month in the payment, and that rate is what the calculator above starts from.
Inside Georgia the rate swings widely: the top county pays more than three times the bottom one. Among counties whose survey figures pass both quality checks, the effective rate runs from 0.333% in Fannin County to 1.3251% in Dougherty County. On a $303,300 home that gap is worth about $3,009 a year. Pick a county in the calculator to use its rate, or type the rate from a listing or a current tax bill.
The survey rate is what owners actually pay divided by what they say their homes are worth, with exemptions, caps and local levies folded in; it will not match any rate printed in Georgia law. Ask for the seller's latest bill and the assessed value too, since a new owner's assessment can differ from the long-held homes behind the median.
Georgia property tax rates by county
The 158 counties with published survey figures, out of 159 in Georgia (the survey has too few owner-occupied homes to publish a median for the other one), sorted from the highest effective rate to the lowest. The rate is the median tax paid divided by the median home value, from the ACS 5-year 2020-2024 survey (figures to December 31, 2024). Of these, 24 carry a flag: where the survey's margin of error is wide or home values hit the survey's top code, the calculator uses the Georgia median instead of that county's figure.
| County | Effective rate | Median home value | Median tax a year | Survey | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stewart County | 1.5269% | $65,100 | $994 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Dougherty County | 1.3251% | $134,400 | $1,781 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Mitchell County | 1.3226% | $106,000 | $1,402 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Taliaferro County | 1.3091% | $68,900 | $902 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Clinch County | 1.3045% | $84,400 | $1,101 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Miller County | 1.2863% | $124,000 | $1,595 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Dooly County | 1.2737% | $107,400 | $1,368 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Sumter County | 1.2496% | $120,200 | $1,502 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Screven County | 1.222% | $124,300 | $1,519 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Seminole County | 1.219% | $121,900 | $1,486 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Brantley County | 1.1898% | $99,600 | $1,185 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Talbot County | 1.158% | $117,100 | $1,356 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Brooks County | 1.1372% | $139,200 | $1,583 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Worth County | 1.1296% | $104,900 | $1,185 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Bacon County | 1.1282% | $101,400 | $1,144 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Telfair County | 1.12% | $113,300 | $1,269 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Webster County | 1.1199% | $82,600 | $925 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Calhoun County | 1.1148% | $81,000 | $903 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Hancock County | 1.0914% | $88,600 | $967 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Warren County | 1.0879% | $67,100 | $730 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Candler County | 1.081% | $159,200 | $1,721 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Crisp County | 1.077% | $140,200 | $1,510 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Ben Hill County | 1.0736% | $112,700 | $1,210 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Irwin County | 1.072% | $105,600 | $1,132 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Randolph County | 1.0687% | $90,200 | $964 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Turner County | 1.0545% | $97,300 | $1,026 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Wilkes County | 1.053% | $122,700 | $1,292 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Montgomery County | 1.0424% | $115,500 | $1,204 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Terrell County | 1.0363% | $118,400 | $1,227 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Liberty County | 1.0357% | $201,500 | $2,087 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Bibb County | 1.0321% | $174,500 | $1,801 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Glascock County | 1.0283% | $123,800 | $1,273 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Peach County | 1.0188% | $207,800 | $2,117 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Evans County | 1.0166% | $138,200 | $1,405 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Washington County | 1.0018% | $112,500 | $1,127 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Lanier County | 0.9951% | $162,300 | $1,615 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Clay County | 0.9926% | $94,400 | $937 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Lincoln County | 0.9904% | $165,900 | $1,643 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Macon County | 0.9805% | $97,300 | $954 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Lee County | 0.9707% | $231,800 | $2,250 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Jones County | 0.9656% | $194,500 | $1,878 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Jefferson County | 0.9573% | $105,400 | $1,009 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Ware County | 0.9562% | $109,500 | $1,047 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Taylor County | 0.9555% | $87,700 | $838 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Decatur County | 0.9534% | $158,800 | $1,514 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Bleckley County | 0.9512% | $149,600 | $1,423 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Gwinnett County | 0.9496% | $380,900 | $3,617 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Appling County | 0.94% | $76,700 | $721 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Johnson County | 0.9368% | $94,900 | $889 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Spalding County | 0.9366% | $228,700 | $2,142 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Emanuel County | 0.9335% | $94,700 | $884 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Troup County | 0.9319% | $217,200 | $2,024 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Pulaski County | 0.9283% | $157,600 | $1,463 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| DeKalb County | 0.9251% | $357,800 | $3,310 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Jeff Davis County | 0.9239% | $118,300 | $1,093 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Elbert County | 0.9141% | $142,000 | $1,298 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Grady County | 0.9094% | $152,400 | $1,386 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Echols County | 0.9081% | $124,100 | $1,127 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Wilcox County | 0.9075% | $87,600 | $795 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Effingham County | 0.904% | $276,000 | $2,495 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Toombs County | 0.9015% | $137,000 | $1,235 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Tattnall County | 0.9% | $140,000 | $1,260 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Wilkinson County | 0.898% | $86,300 | $775 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Schley County | 0.8951% | $143,900 | $1,288 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Newton County | 0.886% | $265,000 | $2,348 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Chattooga County | 0.8841% | $115,600 | $1,022 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Camden County | 0.8818% | $261,400 | $2,305 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Fulton County | 0.879% | $458,800 | $4,033 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Clarke County | 0.8732% | $298,900 | $2,610 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Henry County | 0.8732% | $313,900 | $2,741 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Pike County | 0.873% | $305,600 | $2,668 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Dodge County | 0.8721% | $118,100 | $1,030 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Long County | 0.8717% | $218,300 | $1,903 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Jackson County | 0.8696% | $345,000 | $3,000 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Clayton County | 0.8695% | $222,300 | $1,933 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Crawford County | 0.8659% | $164,100 | $1,421 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Lamar County | 0.861% | $216,500 | $1,864 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Tift County | 0.859% | $165,200 | $1,419 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Berrien County | 0.8587% | $131,600 | $1,130 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Jenkins County | 0.8579% | $92,900 | $797 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Baker County | 0.8561% | $119,500 | $1,023 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Muscogee County | 0.8561% | $193,900 | $1,660 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Meriwether County | 0.856% | $168,800 | $1,445 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Harris County | 0.8514% | $302,800 | $2,578 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Upson County | 0.8494% | $168,700 | $1,433 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Floyd County | 0.8476% | $217,900 | $1,847 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Richmond County | 0.8448% | $178,500 | $1,508 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Chatham County | 0.8394% | $302,700 | $2,541 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Colquitt County | 0.8353% | $121,400 | $1,014 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Houston County | 0.8348% | $219,800 | $1,835 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Chattahoochee County | 0.8335% | $102,700 | $856 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Pierce County | 0.8258% | $153,300 | $1,266 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Columbia County | 0.8238% | $305,300 | $2,515 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Early County | 0.8233% | $131,300 | $1,081 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Butts County | 0.8213% | $240,600 | $1,976 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| McDuffie County | 0.8173% | $170,200 | $1,391 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Stephens County | 0.8123% | $175,300 | $1,424 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Lowndes County | 0.8117% | $215,600 | $1,750 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Jasper County | 0.8048% | $243,400 | $1,959 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Paulding County | 0.8026% | $326,300 | $2,619 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Haralson County | 0.8013% | $227,500 | $1,823 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| McIntosh County | 0.8002% | $182,700 | $1,462 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Atkinson County | 0.7911% | $79,000 | $625 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Barrow County | 0.7828% | $294,700 | $2,307 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Thomas County | 0.7824% | $196,700 | $1,539 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Bryan County | 0.78% | $343,200 | $2,677 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Wayne County | 0.777% | $162,800 | $1,265 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Cook County | 0.7752% | $157,500 | $1,221 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Madison County | 0.7633% | $219,700 | $1,677 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Charlton County | 0.7619% | $142,800 | $1,088 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Coffee County | 0.7572% | $128,900 | $976 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Walton County | 0.7549% | $339,500 | $2,563 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Bulloch County | 0.7546% | $222,500 | $1,679 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Polk County | 0.7532% | $187,600 | $1,413 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Fayette County | 0.7527% | $436,400 | $3,285 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Walker County | 0.7504% | $197,100 | $1,479 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Oglethorpe County | 0.7483% | $231,600 | $1,733 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Douglas County | 0.745% | $296,900 | $2,212 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Coweta County | 0.734% | $357,500 | $2,624 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Hall County | 0.7337% | $350,400 | $2,571 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Forsyth County | 0.7304% | $550,400 | $4,020 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Twiggs County | 0.7251% | $111,300 | $807 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Franklin County | 0.7196% | $179,000 | $1,288 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Morgan County | 0.7084% | $342,300 | $2,425 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Rockdale County | 0.7081% | $292,900 | $2,074 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Marion County | 0.7073% | $154,100 | $1,090 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Treutlen County | 0.7073% | $100,100 | $708 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Baldwin County | 0.7015% | $181,900 | $1,276 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Bartow County | 0.7003% | $289,000 | $2,024 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Oconee County | 0.698% | $461,600 | $3,222 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Monroe County | 0.6954% | $271,200 | $1,886 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Gordon County | 0.6895% | $222,900 | $1,537 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Cherokee County | 0.686% | $435,100 | $2,985 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Putnam County | 0.6811% | $249,300 | $1,698 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Murray County | 0.6779% | $180,700 | $1,225 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Burke County | 0.6761% | $151,600 | $1,025 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Cobb County | 0.668% | $407,200 | $2,720 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Laurens County | 0.6608% | $154,500 | $1,021 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Catoosa County | 0.6501% | $240,900 | $1,566 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Lumpkin County | 0.646% | $307,900 | $1,989 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| White County | 0.6454% | $278,900 | $1,800 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Whitfield County | 0.6381% | $218,000 | $1,391 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Wheeler County | 0.6281% | $88,200 | $554 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | Wide margin of error |
| Greene County | 0.6142% | $394,800 | $2,425 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Carroll County | 0.6139% | $255,100 | $1,566 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Pickens County | 0.5981% | $332,700 | $1,990 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Banks County | 0.598% | $278,100 | $1,663 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Dawson County | 0.5975% | $406,700 | $2,430 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Habersham County | 0.5888% | $238,300 | $1,403 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Dade County | 0.5708% | $198,500 | $1,133 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Glynn County | 0.5669% | $301,300 | $1,708 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Hart County | 0.5621% | $215,100 | $1,209 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Heard County | 0.5616% | $186,800 | $1,049 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Rabun County | 0.5593% | $295,200 | $1,651 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Union County | 0.5241% | $307,400 | $1,611 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Gilmer County | 0.3532% | $314,000 | $1,109 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Towns County | 0.3429% | $316,100 | $1,084 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
| Fannin County | 0.333% | $306,600 | $1,021 | ACS 5-year 2020-2024 | None |
Worked example: the median Georgia home
The median owner-occupied home in Georgia is valued at $303,300 (ACS 5-year 2020-2024). Put $60,660 down, enough to keep the loan at 80% of the price so no PMI is charged, and borrow the rest over 30 years at 7.4%, the Freddie Mac average for the week of October 15, 2026. Insurance is the calculator's default of $1,500 a year, the same figure on every state page and 6.2% of this payment; real premiums vary widely from state to state and with a home's exposure to wind, flood and wildfire, so replace it with a premium for the Georgia home you are pricing.
| Line | A month | A year |
|---|---|---|
| Principal and interest | $1,679.99 | $20,159.88 |
| Property tax | $195.07 | $2,340.84 |
| Homeowners insurance | $125.00 | $1,500.00 |
| Private mortgage insurance | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Total payment | $2,000.06 | $24,000.72 |
Principal and interest dominate the bill; tax and insurance, usually collected through escrow, add $320.07 a month, 16.0% of the total. Over the full term the $242,640 loan costs $362,157 in interest.
With $30,330 down instead, the loan grows to $272,970 and PMI of $113.74 a month is added, for a first payment of $2,323.80. On the regular schedule the PMI stops after 10 years, with the payment in October 2036. A 15-year loan at the 6.71% average, with the larger down payment, raises the monthly figure to $2,461.84 but cuts the interest to $142,878.
What the median Georgia wage can buy
The median annual wage in Georgia is $48,170 (BLS wage survey, May 2025). Paid every two weeks as a single filer, that leaves about $3,269 a month after federal and Georgia paycheck deductions. With $60,000 saved for a down payment and $400 a month of other debts, the home affordability calculator's default 28/36 rule gives this range at 7.4% and the Georgia property tax rate:
| Level | Home price | Monthly payment |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | $93,527 | $417 |
| Target | $176,494 | $1,045 |
| Stretch | $213,628 | $1,326 |
Here the limit is total debt: the housing payment plus the other $400 a month reaches 36% of gross pay first. The target falls $126,806 short of the $303,300 median home value: the median home costs 6.3 times the median wage, so a typical Georgia purchase usually needs a second income, a larger down payment or a cheaper area.
Everyday costs help: Georgia's prices for goods and rent run 3.7% below the national average, by the Bureau of Economic Analysis price parities for 2024 (figures to December 31, 2024). That stretches the median wage to about $50,024 in national dollars.
Georgia mortgage questions
What is the mortgage payment on the median home in Georgia?
The median Georgia home is valued at $303,300 in the Census Bureau's ACS 5-year 2020-2024 figures. With $60,660 down and a 30-year loan at the 7.4% weekly average, the payment is $2,000.06 a month: $1,679.99 of principal and interest, $195.07 of property tax and $125.00 of insurance.
What is the property tax rate in Georgia?
Homeowners in Georgia pay a median of $2,341 a year on a median home value of $303,300, an effective rate of 0.7718%. That is the 25th lowest of the 50 states and DC. It is a measure of what owners actually pay, not a rate set in law, and a new purchase can be taxed differently.
Which Georgia county has the highest property tax rate?
Among counties with reliable survey figures, Dougherty County has the highest effective rate at 1.3251% and Fannin County the lowest at 0.333%. On the $303,300 median home, that gap is about $3,009 a year.
How much house can I afford on the median Georgia wage?
On the median wage of $48,170, take-home pay is about $3,269 a month. With $60,000 down and $400 a month of other debts, the 28/36 rule points to a home of about $176,494, against a median home value of $303,300.
Does a smaller down payment change the Georgia payment much?
With $30,330 down on the same home the loan is larger and private mortgage insurance is added, so the payment starts at $2,323.80 a month, $113.74 of it PMI. The PMI stops once the scheduled balance reaches 78% of the original value.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS 5-year 2020-2024), tables B25103 and B25077
- Freddie Mac, 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States [MORTGAGE30US], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, removing PMI
Mortgage rates: Freddie Mac weekly averages as of . Property tax rates: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2020-2024 as of . Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 as of . How we calculate.