Moving to a state
Moving to Georgia in 2026: Costs, Taxes and Where People Go
By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Published November 10, 2026.
Is Georgia a good place to live?
Most moves to Georgia land in metro Atlanta, but among Georgia cities of 20,000 or more, the fastest growth since 2020 is in Pooler near Savannah (+28.0%) and Perry in middle Georgia (+24.8%), per Census estimates. Georgia's flat income tax was cut to 4.99% for 2026, and everyday prices sit close to the national average.
| Measure | Georgia | New York metro |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday prices (US = 100) | 96.3 | 112.6 |
| Housing costs (US = 100) | 88.7 | 148.6 |
| Median listed home | $389,750 | $742,000 |
| Principal and interest a month | $2,142 | $4,078 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,524 | $1,997 |
US median listed home: $419,250 (Realtor.com, September 2026). Prices: BEA 2024. Rent: Census ACS 2025. Payment assumes 20% down at 7.32% (Freddie Mac).
Taxes in Georgia
- Income tax: top rate 4.99% in 2026source.
- Property tax: 0.77% of home value statewide; the median homeowner pays $2,680 a yearsource.
- Sales tax: 4.00% state, 7.49% with the average local ratesource.
- Social Security: not taxed by the state.
Who is moving to Georgia
Georgia gained 27,333 residents to moves within the US in 2024-25, 6th among the 50 states and DC. The recent peak was +79,102 in 2021-22.
| Year | Net domestic migration |
|---|---|
| 2019-20 | +37,563 |
| 2020-21 | +37,079 |
| 2021-22 | +79,102 |
| 2022-23 | +52,348 |
| 2023-24 | +25,403 |
| 2024-25 | +27,333 |
The Georgia cities we cover
| Metro | Median listed home | Monthly payment | 2-bedroom rent | Price level | Housing index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GA | $415,000 | $2,281 | $1,781 | 100.1 | 111.0 |
| Savannah, GA | $399,900 | $2,198 | $1,676 | 95.2 | 86.0 |
| New York metro | $742,000 | $4,078 | $1,997 | 112.6 | 148.6 |
Median listed home: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Monthly payment: principal and interest with 20% down at 7.32% (Freddie Mac, week of October 22, 2026), before taxes and insurance. Rent: median gross rent for a 2-bedroom, utilities includedsource. Price level and housing index: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
Top-ranked Georgia cities and towns
From our ranking of every Georgia place with 20,000+ people on home values, rent, commutes and growth. See the full list on best places to live in Georgia.
| Place | Median home value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pooler | $322,400 | $1,671 | +28.0% |
| Calhoun | $251,000 | $873 | +18.8% |
| Canton | $407,800 | $1,680 | +23.7% |
| Gainesville | $382,200 | $1,299 | +17.4% |
| Conyers | $284,300 | $1,318 | +18.2% |
| Villa Rica | $274,200 | $1,547 | +23.2% |
| Powder Springs | $332,900 | $1,583 | +24.2% |
| Kingsland | $251,400 | $1,275 | +16.9% |
Atlanta or the rest of the state
Atlanta has the jobs and the airport; the smaller cities have the lower home values. Our ranking of every Georgia city and town over 20,000 people shows the spread, and the cheapest places to live in Georgia list starts well under $200,000 in median home value.
Rules once you arrive
- Driver's license: within 30 days of becoming a residentsource.
- Vehicle registration: within 30 dayssource.
Update your driver's license, car registration and voter registration, and file a part-year return in both states for the year you move.
The verdict
Georgia is a good place to live if you want a big Southern job market around Atlanta, mild winters and a falling flat income tax.
Read next: is Atlanta a good place to live, is Savannah a good place to live, best places to live in Georgia, Georgia towns that pay you to move, or the full cost of living in Georgia.