Atlanta Counties and Taxes
The Metro Atlanta area is comprised of many distinct counties. In the North Metro Area alone, there are five large counties, including Cherokee, Cobb, Forsyth, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. Each has its own tax rate and tax exemptions, and they vary quite a bit.
If you have the choice, paying attention to what county your next home will be in can help quite a bit. How about a half-mile drive that can take your annual property tax from $4,345 to $6,607?
Here are the County Web Sites for the five large North Metro Atlanta Counties:
Tax Estimates for different counties in Atlanta
Taxes in the individual Counties and Cities around Atlanta very widely. Typically, your Property Taxes are calculated by taking 40% of your appraised value, subtracting a homestead exemption and any other exemptions you qualify for, then multiplying by the County Millage Rate.
Here are very rough calculations of the taxes in the following Counties, based on $500,000 purchase price, 40% assessment, $8,000 Homestead Exemption and an average millage rate in the County, if there were multiple:
| County | Annual Tax | Monthly Tax |
| Forsyth County | $4,345 | $362 |
| Cherokee County | $5,087 | $424 |
| Cobb County | $5,712 | $476 |
| Gwinnett County | $6,163 | $514 |
| N. Fulton County | $6,607 | $551 |
Tax Exemptions for Senior Citizens
Senior Citizens, those over the age of 65, and some cases 62, qualify for special Tax Exemptions for Home Ownership. These are typically very nice and in some cases, almost completely erase your property taxes. In some cases, these exemptions offer nearly complete relief from the school tax, which makes up the majority of your tax bill.
If you are over 62, we strongly urge you to study the exemptions available to you in the counties that you may be interested in. Analyze the information on the County Web Sites and consider having a CPA review all the information available to see how it impacts your specific circumstances.
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