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10 Most Affordable Housing Markets in Georgia

Affordable cities in Georgia.

Whether you want to live in a big city or small town, Georgia offers affordable housing options.

While Atlanta and surrounding areas require home-buying budgets north of $400,000, at least ten towns in the state offer homes at about one-third that cost.

If you’re ready to become a homeowner, check out these locations.

1. Americus
2. Waycross
3. Albany
4. Moultrie
5. Douglas
6. Columbus
7. Bainbridge
8. Macon
9. Thomaston
10. Augusta

1. Americus

Home price

$113,591

Mortgage

$107,911

Estimated Payment*

$784

*Payments mentioned do not include taxes, insurance, or HOA dues. Example purposes only. Not a commitment to lend. See methodology for payment details.

The most affordable town on our list, Americus offers an estimated mortgage payment under $800 according to our methodology. That’s much less than you’ll pay for rent in most of the state. Homebuyers here will have plenty of money left over each month to enjoy the area’s Southern-fare restaurants, golf courses, boutique shops, and museums.

Explore Georgia mortgage rates.

2. Waycross

Home price

$118,271

Mortgage

$112,358

Estimated Payment

$816

This town an hour and a half northwest of Jacksonville, Florida is not only affordable, but eligible for the zero-down USDA home loan program, making homeownership here that much more attainable.

Get pre-approved for your Georgia USDA loan. Start here.

3. Albany

Home price

$120,855

Mortgage

$114,812

Estimated Payment

$834

One of the larger cities on our list, Albany boasts a population of nearly 70,000. Its home prices continue to rise beyond a previous 2022 high of $115,000, showing long-term promise for homeowners who want to start building equity.


4. Moultrie

Colquitt County Courthouse, Moultrie, Georgia.

Home price

$126,782

Mortgage

$120,443

Estimated Payment

$875

Another southern Georgia gem is Moultrie. About an hour north of the Florida border, this town offers homes in the low 100s, affordable for just about any budget.

Start your Georgia pre-approval.

5. Douglas


Home price

$150,381

Mortgage

$142,862

Estimated Payment

$1,038

Not only does Douglas attract homebuyers, thanks to ultra-low prices, but WWII buffs will enjoy it here, too. Visit the WWII Flight Training Museum where thousands prepared to serve their country.

6. Columbus

Home price

$156,591

Mortgage

$148,761

Estimated Payment

$1,081

You can still find deals in Columbus, where 54% of homes sold below list price, according to Zillow. But don’t wait too long: homes go under contract in just 14 days and prices are up 6% year-over-year.

7. Bainbridge

Home price

$156,825

Mortgage

$148,984

Estimated Payment

$1,083

Bainbridge residents have easy access to Lake Seminole, a 37,500-acre reservoir great for boating and fishing. The town is popular for homebuyers, too, with nearly a 9% home value increase in the past year.

8. Macon

Home price

$158,951

Mortgage

$151,003

Estimated Payment

$1,097

Just an hour and a half south of Atlanta, Macon is a larger city on our list, with a population of around 153,000. Home prices aren’t large, however; we estimate the typical mortgage payment here to be under $1,100 per month.

9. Thomaston

Home price

$159,461

Mortgage

$151,488

Estimated Payment

$1,101

A smaller town of under 10,000, the entire town of Thomaston is another Georgia location eligible for a zero-down USDA loan. Though a 5% down payment here would be around $8,000, USDA makes it even easier to get into a home.

See how much you can afford in Georgia.

10. Augusta

Home price

$168,077

Mortgage

$159,673

Estimated Payment

$1,160

The largest city on our list, Augusta is a city of around 200,000. You’ll find plenty of employment opportunities that will help you qualify for reasonable home prices here. Companies like EZGO Textron golf car company, Graphic Packaging paperboard, Cardinal Health, Coca-Cola, and others support the local economy.

Get Pre-approved for Your Georgia Home

Georgia is more affordable than most states in the U.S., and the above-mentioned areas are the least expensive in the state. Check your eligibility to buy. Request your pre-approval from a reputable lender.

Get pre-approved for your Georgia home now.

Methodology

To find the 10 most affordable housing markets in Georgia, we started with typical home prices as reported on the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) Single-Family Home Time Series for February 2024. We assumed a 5% down payment, the typical requirement for first-time buyers. We then calculated the monthly payment on a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.946%, the average rate published on Optimal Blue Mortgage Market Indices for a buyer with less than 20% down and a 700 FICO score. We added PMI costs per mortgage insurance provider MGIC. The stated mortgage payment does not include homeowner’s insurance, property taxes, or HOA dues. To increase relevancy, we limited eligible cities to the top 3,000 largest by population nationwide per Zillow’s report.

About The Author:

Tim Lucas began his mortgage career in 2001 at Washington Mutual, reviewing wholesale loan files submitted by mortgage brokers. In the mid-2000s, he transitioned to retail lending at M&T Bank as a Mortgage Loan Processor, working with a wide range of borrowers: first-time buyers, investors using now-notorious "option ARMs" and jumbo buyers financing $1–5 million homes.

Tim later launched his own loan processing company while originating loans for his own clients, mainly FHA and USDA loans for first-time buyers. When the 2008 housing crash hit, he pivoted to assisting a prominent Loan Officer at Seattle Mortgage and Golf Savings Bank. He eventually became a Mortgage Processing Supervisor at Mortgage Advisory Group. There, he earned a reputation as a solutions-oriented processor, known for solving complex loan scenarios and uncovering obscure guidelines to help clients get approved.

In 2013, after more than a decade in lending, Tim moved into mortgage education—creating trusted content for sites like MyMortgageInsider.com and TheMortgageReports.com. Today, he blends 10+ years of hands-on mortgage experience with another decade in consumer education at Three Creeks Media, where he leads MortgageResearch.com. Tim is also a licensed Loan Originator (NMLS #118763).

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