Property Tax in DeKalb County, Georgia
Homeowners in DeKalb County, Georgia pay a median of $3,046 a year in real estate taxes, on a median home value of $331,400. Those are the Census Bureau's published medians for the county (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023) — the typical bill and the typical home value for owner-occupied households.
What the DeKalb County numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $3,046 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in DeKalb County, and $331,400 is the middle home value. Neither figure describes a specific property — together they describe the typical homeowner's situation in the county.
The derived effective rate for DeKalb County is 0.92% (median tax ÷ median value). Treat it as an estimate for comparison only: it comes from survey medians of different households, not from the county's rate schedule.
DeKalb County by the numbers
| Measure | DeKalb County | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid | $3,046 | $2,214 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $331,400 | $272,900 | $303,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.92% | 0.81% | 0.98% |
| Median tax per month | $254 | $184 | $247 |
*Estimate derived from Census medians (tax ÷ value), not an official rate.
DeKalb County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Georgia: #6 of 159 counties
- Median home value rank in Georgia: #10 of 159
- Population rank in Georgia: #4 of 159 (762,105 residents)
- Population density rank: #1 of 159 (2,847 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Georgia: #113 of 159 (267 sq mi, 0.5% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $254; per $1,000 of home value: $0.92
How DeKalb County compares
The median tax bill in DeKalb County is about 38% higher than the state median ($2,214 for Georgia) and about the same as the US median ($2,969 nationally). By median taxes paid, the county ranks #6 out of 159 Georgia counties with published Census data — 5 counties in the state have a higher median bill.
Comparisons cut both ways: a county can have a modest rate but high bills because homes are expensive, or a high rate but modest bills because homes are cheaper. DeKalb County's derived rate of 0.92% sits below the derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for DeKalb County: the median bill works out to about $254 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $919 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 762,105 people — the #4 most populous county in Georgia, spread over 267 square miles, a density of about 2,847 people per square mile. Its median home value, $331,400, ranks #10 among the state's 159 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 430 record a higher median tax bill than DeKalb County — it sits in the top 14% nationally. The county holds roughly 7.0% of Georgia's people. Its homes are worth more than the state norm (median $331,400 versus $272,900), and a decade at the derived rate of 0.92% adds up to about 9.19% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Wheeler County, medians $562 — $2,484 less than DeKalb County per year.
Counties nearest DeKalb County in the Georgia ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County, GA | $3,168 | $405,600 | 0.78% |
| Oconee County, GA | $3,056 | $425,100 | 0.72% |
| Jackson County, GA | $2,761 | $312,700 | 0.88% |
| Cherokee County, GA | $2,734 | $389,800 | 0.70% |
How the tax is worked out
As an illustration of the arithmetic: at DeKalb County's derived rate of 0.92%, a home valued at $400,000 would carry a tax bill of roughly $3,676 a year. That is only an illustration using the derived rate — a real bill is computed from the property's assessed value, its exemptions, and the combined rates of its specific taxing districts, so it can be higher or lower.
The usual sequence is: the local assessor values the property; exemptions are applied; the taxable value is multiplied by the combined local rates; and the county bills and collects the tax, distributing it to the schools, municipalities and districts that levied it.
Checking your assessment in DeKalb County
Believe your assessment is too high? The practical order of attack is: obtain your record card and audit it line by line; collect comparable recent sales in DeKalb County; ask the assessor's office to correct anything plainly wrong; and, if the value still seems off, lodge a formal appeal ahead of the deadline printed on your assessment notice. Windows are short — often 30 to 90 days — and late appeals are usually rejected outright, however strong the case.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in DeKalb County, Georgia?
The median real estate tax paid in DeKalb County, Georgia is $3,046 per year, on a median home value of $331,400 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in DeKalb County, Georgia?
Dividing DeKalb County's median tax bill ($3,046) by its median home value ($331,400) gives a derived effective rate of 0.92%. This is an estimate computed from two Census survey medians — it is not the county's official tax rate.
How does DeKalb County compare with the rest of Georgia?
DeKalb County ranks #6 of 159 Georgia counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $3,046 is about 38% higher than the Georgia median of $2,214.
How are property taxes calculated in DeKalb County, Georgia?
Three steps produce the bill: an assessment of market value by the local assessor, a reduction for exemptions you qualify for (a homestead exemption is the common one), and multiplication by the combined rates of the county, municipality, school district and any special districts covering the property. The median result in DeKalb County is $3,046 of tax on a $331,400 median home value.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in DeKalb County, Georgia?
Yes. Request your property record card from the DeKalb County assessor's office and check it for errors, then compare your assessed value with recent sales of similar homes. If it still looks too high, file a formal appeal with the local review board named on your assessment notice before the deadline printed on the notice — windows are short, often 30 to 90 days.