Georgia · 214th largest metro area

Buying a home in Athens, Georgia

In Athens, the median value of owner-occupied homes is $299,200, Clarke County's effective property tax rate is 0.87%, a purchase mortgage carried a median $7,089 in total loan costs in 2025, and median gross rent is $1,219 a month.

Data as of : Census ACS 2020-2024, Census Vintage 2024, HMDA 2025, HUD FY 2027. Sources

Athens home costs, fact by fact

About Athens

The median gross rent is $1,219 per month, and 40.7% of homes are owner-occupied.

Reading the Athens figures

Athens has the lowest owner share of the Georgia cities named on this page: 40.7% of households own their home, whereas Savannah shows 45.4%, Atlanta a slightly higher 46.4%, and South Fulton as much as 71.5%. An owner's estimate of $299,200 falls under the statewide $346,500, though Savannah sits lower still with $248,900, as does Columbus with $193,900, while Atlanta sits higher with $439,600.

Renting costs $1,219 a month at the median. That is well under what Atlanta renters pay, $1,711, and under South Fulton's $1,702, yet it exceeds Columbus, where the median is $1,106, as well as Macon, where it is $1,066. On the HUD side, Athens-Clarke County is rated $1,285 for a modest unit, a little above the city's median, while a bigger unit is rated $1,610. Those are benchmarks set by HUD, so a landlord's actual ask can differ, and a household comparing a rental with a purchase should keep that gap in mind.

Buyers should read the Clarke County tax line closely. A rate of 0.87% on homes valued around $298,900 across the county produces $2,610 each year. Then add the cost of borrowing: lenders reported 595 loans in 2025 with typical charges of $7,089. The central range of those loans ran from $5,020 up to $10,017, so the quote you receive could land well on either side of that typical figure.

Calculate for Georgia

If you buy

Georgia state transfer tax

Real estate transfer tax (O.C.G.A. 48-6-1 to 48-6-10): $1 for the first $1,000 plus $0.10 for each additional $100 (about $1 per $1,000).

Price$346,500
State transfer taxnot computed
Who paysThe seller

Default price: the Georgia median value of owner-occupied homes, $346,500 (Census ACS 2025). Not computed: Tax = $1 for the first $1,000 (or fraction) + $0.10 for each additional $100 or fraction of $100. Example: $400,000 gives $1 + $0.10 x 3,990 = $400. Who pays: The seller is liable by law, though frequently the sales contract has the buyer pay (Georgia Department of Revenue). Not included: county and city transfer taxes, the tax on the mortgage, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Georgia transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: Georgia state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

Questions about buying a home in Athens

How much is property tax in Athens?

Homeowners in Clarke County pay a median $2,610 a year in property tax, 0.87% of the county median home value of $298,900 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Your bill depends on your assessed value and local rates.

What are closing costs on a mortgage in Athens?

Home-purchase mortgages in Clarke County carried median total loan costs of $7,089 in 2025; half of the 595 loans fell between $5,020 and $10,017 (HMDA). Total loan costs are the lender and settlement-service charges of the Closing Disclosure; transfer taxes and prepaid items come on top.

Is there a transfer tax when you buy a home in Athens?

Georgia charges a real estate transfer tax of $1 for the first $1,000 of the sale price plus 10 cents for each additional $100, which is $400 on a $400,000 home. The seller is liable by law, though contracts often shift it to the buyer.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Athens?

It depends on your mortgage rate, down payment and how long you stay. As a benchmark, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Athens ($299,200) equals 20.5 years of the median gross rent ($1,219 a month), both from Census ACS 2020-2024.

Run your own numbers: rent vs buy calculator · closing costs calculator.

Georgia rules that apply in Athens

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Sources

Georgia · All states · Federal guides