homesbycounty

Housing decision brief

Forsyth County, GA Housing Market

Forsyth County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.

159th lowest home value out of 159 Georgia counties with data | 159th lowest rent out of 159

Median home value

$493,800

Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.

Median rent

$1,937/mo

Gross rent, including utilities where reported.

Monthly owner cost

$2,044/mo

Owner costs before individual loan terms.

Decision snapshot

Read this county in four signals.

See the benchmark matrix

Buy screen

3.6x

Median home value divided by local household income.

Rent burden

27.0%

Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.

Rent vs own

$107/mo

Median rent screens below owner cost.

Data confidence

1 note

Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.

What Works

Rent burden below pressure line

27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.

What to Check

Crime data coverage

Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.

Best Fit For

  • No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.

Poor Fit For

  • Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context

County vs State vs National

The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Forsyth County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.

Swipe sideways to see state and national benchmarks.
MetricCountyStateU.S.Signal

Median home value

Lower usually helps affordability.

$493,800$161,000$281,900
207% pressure207% above Georgia county median

Median gross rent

Lower usually helps affordability.

$1,937$847$1,163
129% pressure129% above Georgia county median

Monthly owner cost

Lower usually helps affordability.

$2,044$786$1,672
160% pressure160% above Georgia county median

Median household income

$138,000$55,714$74,755
148% favorable148% above Georgia county median

Effective property-tax rate

Lower usually helps affordability.

0.76%0.89%1.02%
15% favorable15% below Georgia county median

Rent burden

Lower usually helps affordability.

27.00%28.00%N/A
Near state median27.00% of renter income goes to rent.

Income Fit

A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.

Local median income$138,000
Income for median rent$77,480
Income for median owner cost$87,600

Rent cushion

+$60,520

Median income minus rent threshold.

Owner cushion

+$50,400

Median income minus owner-cost threshold.

Affordability Advisory

This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.

Affordability verdict

For renters in Forsyth County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $1,937/month in gross rent, with 27.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.

Rent vs own

Renters in Forsyth County pay $1,937/month on average, compared to $2,044/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 5%.

Income needed

To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $77,480/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $87,600/year. With a median household income of $138,000, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Forsyth County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.

Regional context

Within Georgia, Forsyth County is more affordable than Fayette County by roughly 8% ($1,937/mo vs $1,787/mo).

Better Counties to Compare

Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.

CountyHome ValueRentWhy compare
Somerset County, NJ$523,900$1,921/moOut-of-state peer near $523,900 home value and $1,921/mo rent.
Stafford County, VA$458,800$1,925/moOut-of-state peer near $458,800 home value and $1,925/mo rent.
Prince William County, VA$500,600$2,002/moOut-of-state peer near $500,600 home value and $2,002/mo rent.
Hunterdon County, NJ$498,800$1,707/moOut-of-state peer near $498,800 home value and $1,707/mo rent.
Fayette County, GA$405,600$1,787/moSame-state comparison near $405,600 home value and $1,787/mo rent.

Housing Questions for Forsyth County

Is Forsyth County affordable for buying a home?
Forsyth County has a home-value-to-income ratio of 3.6x. Values under 3.0x usually screen as more affordable, but taxes and local income still matter.
Is renting or owning cheaper in Forsyth County?
Median rent is $1,937/mo and median monthly owner cost is $2,044/mo. On this screen, renting is cheaper before individual loan terms.
How much income do you need for housing in Forsyth County?
To keep rent near 30% of income, the median rent implies about $77,480 in annual income. Using a 28% owner-cost screen, median owner costs imply about $87,600 in annual income.
What should I double-check before moving to Forsyth County?
Double-check crime data coverage. These items can change the real value of a low monthly housing cost.
By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.