Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Clarkston, Georgia
A $280,000 home here costs
$2,241per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,439. The real number is $801 higher every month — 56% 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.
Clarkston against DeKalb County and Georgia
| Measure | Clarkston | DeKalb County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $279,500 | $331,400 |
| Median property tax | $2,828 | $3,046 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.012% | 0.919% |
| Median gross rent | $1,355 | $1,591 |
| Population | 14,560 | 762,105 |
The weather behind that power bill
Clarkston sits in DeKalb County, which averages a high of 89.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 32.7°F in its coldest, with 51.43" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,728 cooling and 2,980 heating degree days, which is what sets the $142 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for DeKalb County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in DeKalb County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Clarkston?
A $280,000 home in Clarkston, Georgia costs approximately $2,241 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,439 principal and interest, $236 property tax, $122 homeowners insurance, $210 utilities and $233 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Clarkston?
Clarkston has an effective property tax rate of 1.012%, based on a median home value of $279,500 and median real estate taxes of $2,828. That is higher than the DeKalb County average of 0.919%.
What is the average home price in Clarkston?
The median owner-occupied home value in Clarkston, Georgia is $279,500, against $331,400 across DeKalb County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Clarkston?
Median gross rent in Clarkston is $1,355 a month, against $2,241 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 Clarkston — 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.