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Buying a home in Atlanta, Georgia

In Atlanta, the median value of owner-occupied homes is $460,500, Fulton County's effective property tax rate is 0.88%, a purchase mortgage carried a median $8,299 in total loan costs in 2025, and median gross rent is $1,711 a month.

Data as of : Census ACS 2025 1-year, Census Vintage 2024, FHFA HPI 2026Q2, Census ACS 2020-2024, HMDA 2025, HUD FY 2027. Sources

Checked on against the official sources listed at the bottom of the page.

Atlanta home costs, fact by fact

  • Atlanta is the first-named city of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan area. (Census Vintage 2024)
  • That metro area is the 8th largest in the United States, with 6,411,149 residents. (Census Vintage 2024)
  • Atlanta itself counts 520,070 residents. (Census Vintage 2024)
  • The median value of owner-occupied homes in Atlanta is $460,500. (Census ACS 2025 1-year)
  • That figure is what owners estimate their home is worth, not a sale price. (Census ACS 2025 1-year)
  • The FHFA House Price Index shows Georgia prices up 1.9% and Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell prices up 1.4% between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026. (FHFA HPI 2026Q2)
  • Owners occupy 46.4% of the occupied homes in Atlanta. (Census ACS 2020-2024)
  • Median gross rent in Atlanta is $1,711 a month. (Census ACS 2020-2024)
  • Homeowners in Fulton County pay a median $4,033 a year in property tax. (Census ACS 2020-2024; Georgia property tax by county)
  • That is 0.88% of the median home value in Fulton County, its effective property tax rate. (Census ACS 2020-2024)
  • Home-purchase mortgages in Fulton County carried median total loan costs of $8,299 in 2025, across 9,850 loans. (HMDA 2025; Fulton County loan costs)
  • Half of those loans fell between $5,525 and $12,390. (HMDA 2025)
  • HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom home is $1,762 a month in its rent area, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area. (HUD FY 2027)
  • 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. (official sources; Georgia transfer tax)
  • Atlanta spreads over 2 counties; the county figures here are for Fulton County, home to most of its residents. (Census ACS 2020-2024)

Calculate for Atlanta

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$460,500
State transfer taxnot computed
Who paysThe seller

Default price: the Atlanta median value of owner-occupied homes, $460,500 (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.

In short

The median value of owner-occupied homes in the city of Atlanta is $460,500, according to the Census Bureau’s 2025 American Community Survey. Georgia Dream, run by the state’s Department of Community Affairs, gives eligible buyers 5% of the price, up to $10,000, and Invest Atlanta offers up to $20,000 more for homes inside the city limits.

How much homes cost in Atlanta

The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) asks owners how much they think their home would sell for. The median of those answers is a useful benchmark, but it is not a sale price: it covers every owner-occupied home, including homes bought long ago. Our page on Georgia home prices explains the method in detail.

AreaMedian value, 2025 (ACS)Margin of error (90%)
City of Atlanta$460,500±$27,905
Fulton County$507,000±$14,416
Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell metro area$407,900±$3,776
Georgia$346,500±$2,425
United States$371,100±$646

*Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-Year Estimates 2025, table B25077.

Are Atlanta prices rising?

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) tracks repeat sales of the same single-family homes. Its purchase-only, seasonally adjusted index for the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell metro division, published August 25, 2026, shows:

Area1-year change (Q2 2025 to Q2 2026)5-year change (Q2 2021 to Q2 2026)
Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell metro division+1.4%+33.7%
Georgia+1.9%+39.2%
United States+2.1%+33.4%

Source: FHFA House Price Index, quarterly purchase-only files. Changes calculated by Payotte from the published index values.

Prices in the Atlanta area rose modestly over the past year, after a gain of about a third over five years.

Costs on top of the price

Buyers and sellers pay closing costs, property tax and, in some states, a transfer tax. The rules and rates for Georgia are on dedicated pages, and we do not repeat them here so that the numbers stay in one place:

To see how property tax can be paid through your monthly mortgage payment, read our guide to escrow accounts.

Help for buyers in Atlanta

Two layers of help can apply to the same purchase. DCA’s Georgia Dream Standard loan gives 5% of the price, up to $10,000, and Fulton County falls in the metro area where the maximum price is $625,000. Invest Atlanta, which serves homes within the incorporated city limits, lists:

ProgramAssistanceForgiveness
ATL HomeNOWUp to $20,000After 10 years in the home
ATL Home Renovation Advantage$10,000After 5 years
Beltline Mortgage AssistanceUp to $20,000 ($30,000 for civil servants and legacy residents)15-year affordability period

Source: Invest Atlanta, consulted October 13, 2026.

Invest Atlanta says its incentives can be combined to reduce the funds you need to close, and that every participant must contribute $1,500 of their own funds. Income limits, credit scores and the Beltline map are in our guide to Georgia first-time buyer programs.

Georgia guides for Atlanta buyers

Frequently asked questions

What is the median home price in Atlanta?

The Census Bureau’s 2025 American Community Survey puts the median value of owner-occupied homes in the city of Atlanta at $460,500 (±$27,905). This is what owners think their home is worth, not the median sale price of recent sales.

Are home prices in Atlanta going up?

According to the FHFA purchase-only index, prices in the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell metro division rose 1.4% between the second quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2026. Over five years, they rose 33.7%.

Is Atlanta more expensive than its metro area?

Yes. The city’s 2025 median value ($460,500) is $52,600 above the metro area’s ($407,900). Fulton County’s median ($507,000) is higher still.

Is there help for first-time buyers in Atlanta?

Yes. Georgia Dream offers up to $10,000 on the Standard option, and Invest Atlanta offers up to $20,000 on ATL HomeNOW for homes inside the city limits. Both have income limits and education requirements.

Where can I find taxes and closing costs?

See our Georgia pages on closing costs, property tax and transfer tax.

More Georgia guides

Sources

Questions about buying a home in Atlanta

How much is property tax in Atlanta?

Homeowners in Fulton County pay a median $4,033 a year in property tax, 0.88% of the county median home value of $458,800 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Your bill depends on your assessed value and local rates.

What are closing costs on a mortgage in Atlanta?

Home-purchase mortgages in Fulton County carried median total loan costs of $8,299 in 2025; half of the 9,850 loans fell between $5,525 and $12,390 (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 Atlanta?

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 Atlanta?

It depends on your mortgage rate, down payment and how long you stay. As a benchmark, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Atlanta ($439,600) equals 21.4 years of the median gross rent ($1,711 a month), both from Census ACS 2020-2024.

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

Professionals by sector of Atlanta

Who licenses each trade in Georgia

Other large cities: see cities in Georgia.

Data sources for the figures above

Georgia · All states · Federal guides