Average Tax Assessment in Columbia County

In Columbia County, there are 55,617 properties with a cumulative value of $12.9B. This accounts for 1.61% of all real estate value in Georgia. Property taxes in Columbia County totaled $124.5M, with the average homeowner paying $2,312 in property taxes, which is lower than the state average of $2,360. The average property tax rate in Columbia County is 0.96%, while the state average is 1.00%. Property taxes are calculated based on the assessed value of the property.

The property tax timeline in Georgia begins on January 1st, when the property values are assessed. Property value notices are then issued between April and July, and property owners have 30 to 45 days after the notices are mailed to file an appeal. Finally, property tax bills are issued on September 1st.

Columbia County has an average property tax rate of 0.96%, which is slightly lower than the state average of 1.06%. This rate applies to all properties in the county, regardless of their location. However, the effective property tax rate can vary significantly from one city to the next. For example, the city of Grovetown has the highest effective property tax rate in the county at 1.01%, while the city of Appling has the lowest effective property tax rate at 0.87%. This means that homeowners in Grovetown will pay more in property taxes than those in Appling.

Overall, Columbia County has a relatively low property tax rate compared to other counties in the state. However, it is important to note that the effective property tax rate can vary significantly from one city to the next. Homeowners should research the effective property tax rate in their city before making a decision on where to purchase a home.

The median home price in Columbia County, Georgia decreased by 1.60% from October 2022 to October 2023, from $314.9K to $309.9K. This decrease in home prices is accompanied by an increase in home inventory, from 629 in October 2022 to 687 in October 2023. This suggests that the housing market in Columbia County is becoming more competitive, with more homes available for buyers to choose from.

Columbia County has a total of $5.6 billion in outstanding home mortgage loans. This represents an average of $184,000 per loan, which is a significant amount of money for most homeowners. The median mortgage rate in Columbia County is 4.05%, which is slightly lower than the national average of 4.17%. This rate is slightly higher than the median mortgage rate in Augusta, which is 4.16%, and significantly lower than the median mortgage rate in Harlem, which is 3.94%.

The variation in mortgage rates across Columbia County is indicative of the larger housing market in the area. Homeowners in Columbia County can benefit from the lower rates in some areas, while those in more expensive areas may have to pay higher rates. However, the total outstanding loan amount of $5.6 billion is still a significant amount of money, and homeowners should be aware of the potential risks associated with taking out a mortgage loan.