Georgia · Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area

Buying a home in Roswell, Georgia

In Roswell, the median value of owner-occupied homes is $567,100, 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 $1,810 a month.

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

Roswell home costs, fact by fact

About Roswell

Roswell lies in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area, the 8th largest in the United States. Median gross rent is $1,810 a month, and HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Fulton County is $1,762.

Reading the Roswell figures

Roswell's owner-estimated median value of $567,100 is far above the Georgia statewide median of $346,500. Sandy Springs reports a higher $619,800, Atlanta comes in lower, with $439,600, and South Fulton lower again, with $309,800. Some 71.9% of homes are owner-occupied, a share that stands well above Atlanta's 46.4% and Sandy Springs' 50.2%; only South Fulton, at 71.5%, is close.

Median gross rent is $1,810, and HUD's Fair Market Rent for a mid-sized apartment in the Atlanta area is $1,762 with a larger-unit benchmark of $2,099. Those are benchmarks and not market medians, and the local median gross rent sits above that benchmark. Owners in the county pay $4,033 toward property tax each year, an effective rate of 0.88% on the typical county home, valued at $458,800. Loan costs in the county had a 2025 median of $8,299, within a central band of $5,525 to $12,390, drawn from 9,850 loans. Savannah reports a lower owner-estimated value of $248,900 and Athens $299,200, which shows how wide the spread inside Georgia is, and Athens also shows a lower owner share of 40.7%. Roswell's median gross rent of $1,810 is just below Sandy Springs' $1,870, though well above Macon's $1,066.

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 Roswell

How much is property tax in Roswell?

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 Roswell?

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 Roswell?

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 Roswell?

It depends on your mortgage rate, down payment and how long you stay. As a benchmark, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Roswell ($567,100) equals 26.1 years of the median gross rent ($1,810 a month), both from Census ACS 2020-2024.

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

Georgia rules that apply in Roswell

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Sources

Georgia · All states · Federal guides