What is the average effective property tax rate in Georgia?

Georgia's statewide average effective property tax rate is approximately 0.83% of a home's fair market value, according to Tax Foundation and ATTOM 2024 data. That places Georgia roughly in the middle of US states — well below New Jersey (2.23%) or Illinois (2.08%), and modestly above South Carolina (0.57%) or Hawaii (0.31%). Because the rate is expressed against market value you can multiply it directly by your purchase price to get a quick annual estimate.

How is Georgia property tax calculated?

Georgia uses a two-step process. First the county assessor estimates the property's fair market value (FMV). The assessed value is then set at 40% of that FMV by state law. The applicable millage rate (set by county, city, and school board) is applied to the assessed value to produce your tax bill. Because the assessed value is always 40% of FMV, the effective rate against market value is always 40% of the nominal millage rate. This calculator converts everything to a single effective-rate percentage of FMV so you can use your purchase price directly.

What is the Georgia homestead exemption and how much does it save?

The standard state homestead exemption subtracts $2,000 from your property's assessed value if it is your primary residence. At a 0.83% effective rate on a $320,000 home the assessed value is $128,000; the $2,000 exemption reduces taxable assessed value to $126,000, saving roughly $41 per year in state tax. Many counties add their own homestead exemptions on top of the state amount, and some offer enhanced exemptions for seniors (age 62 or 65), disabled veterans, and surviving spouses. Check with your county tax commissioner for the full list.

Why do Fulton and DeKalb counties have higher rates than the state average?

Urban counties like Fulton (Atlanta, 1.08%) and DeKalb (Decatur, 1.09%) carry higher combined millage because they fund additional city services, larger school districts, and various special-purpose local-option taxes. Outer suburban counties such as Forsyth (0.65%) or Cherokee (0.74%) generally have lower rates due to a smaller service footprint and a faster-growing tax base diluting the per-property burden. All rates in this calculator are effective rates against market value sourced from Tax Foundation and ATTOM 2024 data.

When are Georgia property taxes due?

Georgia property tax bills are typically issued in the summer (late July or August) and are due 60 days after the bill date — commonly around October 1 to November 15 depending on your county. Some counties, including Fulton, split the bill into two installments. Late payments attract a 10% penalty plus interest at 1% per month. If you escrow with a mortgage lender the lender usually pays from your escrow account before the due date; still confirm the payment was made using your county's online tax portal.

Can I appeal my Georgia property tax assessment?

Yes. Georgia law gives property owners the right to appeal an assessment by filing a written notice of appeal with the county Board of Assessors within 45 days of receiving the assessment notice. You can appeal the value, the uniformity (your property taxed at a higher rate than comparable properties), or the exempt status. Appeals can be settled by the assessors, referred to the Board of Equalization, or taken to superior court. Gathering comparable sales data (Zillow, MLS, recent neighbourhood sales) strengthens your case. A successful appeal can reduce your assessed value and thus your annual tax bill for that year and potentially future years.

Georgia Property Tax Calculator

A Georgia property tax calculator that tells you your annual tax bill, monthly cost, and the assessed value the county applies under Georgia’s 40% assessment ratio — plus the saving from the standard homestead exemption. It also includes a county-by-county reference table covering Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Athens, Macon, and seven other major Georgia counties.

How Georgia property tax works

Georgia property tax follows a precise two-step formula set by state law.

Step 1 — Fair market value (FMV). The county tax assessor estimates how much your property would sell for in an arm’s-length transaction. This is the figure that most closely matches a purchase price or Zillow estimate.

Step 2 — Assessment at 40%. Georgia’s constitution caps the assessed value at 40% of FMV for all real property. A $320,000 home therefore has an assessed value of $128,000.

Step 3 — Millage rate applied to assessed value. The county, city, and school board each set their own millage rate in mills (1 mill = $1 of tax per $1,000 of assessed value). The combined millage is applied to the assessed value to produce your gross tax bill. Homestead and other exemptions are then subtracted to give the net amount owed.

Because the effective rate is always expressed against market value in this calculator, you can enter your purchase price directly without converting to assessed value yourself.

Georgia’s average effective rate

Georgia’s statewide average effective property tax rate is 0.83% of fair market value (Tax Foundation / ATTOM 2024 data). That translates to roughly $830 per year on every $100,000 of home value, or about $2,656 per year on a typical $320,000 Georgia home — before any exemptions.

The 0.83% figure is the median across all counties. Urban core counties cluster higher (Fulton 1.08%, DeKalb 1.09%), while fast-growing outer suburbs with an expanding tax base run lower (Forsyth 0.65%, Cherokee 0.74%).

Worked example

A buyer purchases a home in Cobb County (Marietta) for $400,000.

Step	Calculation	Result
Fair market value	Purchase price	$400,000
Assessed value (40%)	$400,000 × 0.40	$160,000
Effective rate (Cobb)	0.82% of FMV	—
Annual tax	$400,000 × 0.0082	$3,280
Monthly tax	$3,280 ÷ 12	$273.33
Standard homestead exemption	−$2,000 assessed basis	~$41 saving/yr
Net annual tax (owner-occupied)	$3,280 − $41	$3,239

Move the same buyer across the county line to Fulton County at 1.08%:

Annual tax: $400,000 × 0.0108 = $4,320
Monthly tax: $360.00

That $1,081 difference on the same home is entirely the result of differing county and city millage — a meaningful factor when comparing neighbourhoods that straddle county lines in the Atlanta metro.

County rate reference

The county preset list in the calculator above covers Georgia’s 13 most populated counties. Rates reflect effective averages against market value; exact figures on your annual notice depend on the specific millage levied by your county, city, and school district in that tax year. Always verify the current rate with your county tax commissioner before closing on a property.

Privacy

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