Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Atlanta, Georgia
A $421,000 home here costs
$3,247per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,164. The real number is $1,083 higher every month — 50% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Atlanta against Fulton County and Georgia
| Measure | Atlanta | Fulton County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $420,600 | $431,200 |
| Median property tax | $4,061 | $3,847 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.966% | 0.892% |
| Median gross rent | $1,617 | $1,635 |
| Population | 499,287 | 1,068,507 |
Atlanta extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Fulton County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Atlanta sits in Fulton County, which averages a high of 90.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 33.5°F in its coldest, with 48.13" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,826 cooling and 2,775 heating degree days, which is what sets the $142 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Fulton County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Fulton County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Atlanta?
A $421,000 home in Atlanta, Georgia costs approximately $3,247 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,164 principal and interest, $339 property tax, $183 homeowners insurance, $210 utilities and $351 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Atlanta?
Atlanta has an effective property tax rate of 0.966%, based on a median home value of $420,600 and median real estate taxes of $4,061. That is higher than the Fulton County average of 0.892%.
What is the average home price in Atlanta?
The median owner-occupied home value in Atlanta, Georgia is $420,600, against $431,200 across Fulton County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Atlanta?
Median gross rent in Atlanta is $1,617 a month, against $3,247 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Atlanta — 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.