Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Alto, Georgia
A $133,000 home here costs
$1,206per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $51,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $725. The real number is $481 higher every month, 66% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Habersham County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Alto from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,187 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Habersham County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Alto against Habersham County and Georgia
| Measure | Alto | Habersham County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $132,900 | $212,000 |
| Median property tax | $881 | $1,330 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.663% | 0.627% |
| Median gross rent | $927 | $939 |
| Population | 1,187 | 46,948 |
Alto extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Habersham County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Alto sits in Habersham County, which averages a high of 88.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 29.1°F in its coldest, with 61.8" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,295 cooling and 3,595 heating degree days, which is what sets the $171 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Habersham County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Habersham County
Full Habersham County cost breakdown · Every county in Georgia
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Alto averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Alto every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Alto?
A $133,000 home in Alto, Georgia costs approximately $1,206 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $725 principal and interest, $73 property tax, $58 homeowners insurance, $239 utilities and $111 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Alto?
Alto has an effective property tax rate of 0.663%, based on a median home value of $132,900 and median real estate taxes of $881. That is higher than the Habersham County average of 0.627%.
What is the average home price in Alto?
The median owner-occupied home value in Alto, Georgia is $132,900, against $212,000 across Habersham County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Alto?
Median gross rent in Alto is $927 a month, against $1,206 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Alto?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Alto, Georgia at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $51,500 a year. That covers the full $1,206 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Alto, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Georgia.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.