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Buying a home in Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta median home value: $462,200 (Census ACS 2024). Georgia Dream pays up to $10,000 and Invest Atlanta up to $20,000 toward your purchase.

Checked on October 13, 2026 against the official sources listed at the bottom of the page.

In short

The median value of owner-occupied homes in Atlanta is $462,200 (Census ACS 2024; owner estimates, not sale prices). 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. Georgia charges a state transfer tax (Real estate transfer tax (O.C.G.A. 48-6-1 to 48-6-10)) whose rule Payotte does not reduce to a single formula: $1 for the first $1,000 plus $0.10 for each additional $100 (about $1 per $1,000). Selling a main home you owned and lived in for 2 of the last 5 years, the first $250,000 of gain ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly) is excluded from federal income tax (IRS Publication 523).

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).

Purchase price in $

Price$462,200

State transfer taxnot computed

Who paysThe seller

Default price: the Atlanta median value of owner-occupied homes, $462,200 (Census ACS 2024). 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).

Sale price in $

Purchase price plus improvements in $

Months owned

Filing status

Your long-term rate by taxable income

Main home, lived in at least 24 of the last 60 months

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 $462,200, according to the Census Bureau’s 2024 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.

Area	Median value, 2024 (ACS)	Margin of error (90%)
City of Atlanta	$462,200	±$18,823
Fulton County	$503,000	±$16,720
Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell metro area	$402,100	±$4,196
Georgia	$343,300	±$2,287
United States	$360,600	±$618

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-Year Estimates 2024, table B25077. The 2025 estimates are scheduled for October 29, 2026.

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:

Area	1-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:

Program	Assistance	Forgiveness
ATL HomeNOW	Up to $20,000	After 10 years in the home
ATL Home Renovation Advantage	$10,000	After 5 years
Beltline Mortgage Assistance	Up 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 2024 American Community Survey puts the median value of owner-occupied homes in the city of Atlanta at $462,200 (±$18,823). 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 2024 median value ($462,200) is $60,100 above the metro area’s ($402,100). Fulton County’s median ($503,000) 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

Table B25077, Median Value (Dollars), ACS 1-Year Estimates 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau) (consulted October 13, 2026)
2025 ACS Data Release Schedule (U.S. Census Bureau) (consulted October 13, 2026)
U.S. House Prices Rise 2.1 Percent Year over Year, Up 0.3 Percent Quarter over Quarter (FHFA, August 25, 2026) (consulted October 13, 2026)
FHFA House Price Index datasets, quarterly purchase-only indexes (state, metro) (consulted October 13, 2026)
Georgia Dream Loan Program (Georgia Department of Community Affairs) (consulted October 13, 2026)
Homebuyer Programs & Downpayment Assistance (Invest Atlanta) (consulted October 13, 2026)

Professionals by sector of Atlanta

Who licenses each trade in Georgia

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