Cost to Own
United StatesGeorgiaGilmer CountyEllijay Population 1,931 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Ellijay, Georgia

A $278,000 home here costs

$2,082

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,429. The real number is $653 higher every month — 46% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Ellijay median: $277,600
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $222,400 borrowed $1,429
Property tax0.388% effective rate for Ellijay itself $90
Homeowners insuranceGeorgia averages $1,466/yr (NAIC), or 0.521% of home value $121
Electricity15.84¢/kWh — Georgia residential average, EIA $142
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $232
Total monthly $2,082

Ellijay against Gilmer County and Georgia

MeasureEllijayGilmer County
Median home value$277,600$278,900
Median property tax$1,076$1,070
Effective tax rate0.388%0.384%
Median gross rent$728$955
Population1,93131,976

The weather behind that power bill

Ellijay sits in Gilmer County, which averages a high of 84.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 31.1°F in its coldest, with 58.65" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,166 cooling and 3,595 heating degree days, which is what sets the $142 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Gilmer County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Gilmer County

No other places of this size are published in Gilmer County.

Full Gilmer County cost breakdown · Every county in Georgia

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Ellijay?

A $278,000 home in Ellijay, Georgia costs approximately $2,082 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,429 principal and interest, $90 property tax, $121 homeowners insurance, $210 utilities and $232 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Ellijay?

Ellijay has an effective property tax rate of 0.388%, based on a median home value of $277,600 and median real estate taxes of $1,076. That is in line with the Gilmer County average of 0.384%.

What is the average home price in Ellijay?

The median owner-occupied home value in Ellijay, Georgia is $277,600, against $278,900 across Gilmer County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Ellijay?

Median gross rent in Ellijay is $728 a month, against $2,082 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 Ellijay — 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.

Full methodology