Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Royston, Georgia
A $221,000 home here costs
$1,752per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,136. The real number is $616 higher every month — 54% 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.
Royston against Madison County and Georgia
| Measure | Royston | Madison County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $220,500 | $198,800 |
| Median property tax | $1,497 | $1,608 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.679% | 0.809% |
| Median gross rent | $508 | $951 |
| Population | 2,335 | 30,914 |
Royston extends across 3 counties. Figures here use Madison County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Royston sits in Madison County, which averages a high of 89.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 31.7°F in its coldest, with 51.2" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,573 cooling and 3,118 heating degree days, which is what sets the $142 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Madison County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Madison County
Full Madison County cost breakdown · Every county in Georgia
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Royston?
A $221,000 home in Royston, Georgia costs approximately $1,752 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,136 principal and interest, $125 property tax, $96 homeowners insurance, $210 utilities and $184 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Royston?
Royston has an effective property tax rate of 0.679%, based on a median home value of $220,500 and median real estate taxes of $1,497. That is lower than the Madison County average of 0.809%.
What is the average home price in Royston?
The median owner-occupied home value in Royston, Georgia is $220,500, against $198,800 across Madison County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Royston?
Median gross rent in Royston is $508 a month, against $1,752 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 Royston — 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.