Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Decatur, Georgia
A $656,000 home here costs
$5,116per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,373. The real number is $1,744 higher every month — 52% 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.
Decatur against DeKalb County and Georgia
| Measure | Decatur | DeKalb County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $655,900 | $331,400 |
| Median property tax | $8,423 | $3,046 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.284% | 0.919% |
| Median gross rent | $1,716 | $1,591 |
| Population | 24,470 | 762,105 |
The weather behind that power bill
Decatur 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 Decatur?
A $656,000 home in Decatur, Georgia costs approximately $5,116 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $3,373 principal and interest, $702 property tax, $285 homeowners insurance, $210 utilities and $547 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Decatur?
Decatur has an effective property tax rate of 1.284%, based on a median home value of $655,900 and median real estate taxes of $8,423. That is higher than the DeKalb County average of 0.919%.
What is the average home price in Decatur?
The median owner-occupied home value in Decatur, Georgia is $655,900, against $331,400 across DeKalb County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Decatur?
Median gross rent in Decatur is $1,716 a month, against $5,116 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 Decatur — 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.