Georgia Rental Portfolio Guide
What you need to know before building or growing a rental portfolio in Georgia — property tax burden, state income tax, security-deposit rule, source-of-income law, and the metros that actually cash-flow after accounting for local taxes.
Tax burden on Georgia rentals
Property tax
0.92%
effective rate on median home value
At 0.92% effective, the property tax burden is above the national median (rank 27 of 51). Bake the full annual tax bill into every underwrite; a 2% effective rate on a $400K home is $8,000 a year that has to come out of rent before mortgage.
State income tax
5.39%
top marginal rate
A top marginal rate of 5.39% is moderate. Portfolio income above the federal deduction stack still faces this rate on top of federal, so tax-optimized holding structures (installment sales, 1031s, cost-segregation) matter more here than in no-tax states.
Security deposit rule
No statutory cap on security deposits. Landlords set the deposit at whatever the market accepts — typically one to two months' rent, sometimes more for higher-risk applicants or pets. Local ordinances may still apply.
Deposit rules change; verify current statute before drafting a lease.
Best cash-flow markets in Georgia
Modeled monthly cash flow on a median-priced single-family purchase at 20% down, 30-year fixed, using Georgia’s 0.92% effective property tax rate plus 25% of rent for insurance, maintenance, vacancy and management.
| Market | Median price | Median rent | Annual property tax | CF / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomasville, GA | $228,701 | $1,820 | $2,104 | $-9 |
| Vidalia, GA | $173,603 | $1,269 | $1,597 | $-92 |
| LaGrange, GA | $204,686 | $1,364 | $1,883 | $-207 |
| Albany, GA | $168,362 | $1,072 | $1,549 | $-208 |
| Tifton, GA | $210,322 | $1,372 | $1,935 | $-235 |
| Hinesville, GA | $259,056 | $1,741 | $2,383 | $-251 |
State median across the metros: $243,262 home, $1,449 rent, $-424/mo modeled cash flow.
Track your Georgia rental portfolio
The Pro Portfolio Tracker rolls up every property in your portfolio, auto-revalues them monthly against local price data, and flags DSCR risk and equity milestones. Each Georgia property carries the state-specific tax burden shown above through to the cash flow calculation.
Property tax rate: Tax Foundation. Security deposit rule: state statute. Verify current law before making decisions — statutes change and this page is a planning reference, not legal or tax advice.