Columbus is home to the best residential real estate investment market in Georgia.
The 31903 zip code in Columbus presents the greatest opportunity for the best real estate investments among the 3,800 individual real estate markets in Georgia we evaluated. We looked at property values, population trends, and six other metrics for each market. We used that data to calculate each market's InvestScore.
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Data sources
Most of the data in this article comes from the Zillow Home Value Index and the U.S. Census American Community Survey.
We update our data when the original sources update their data, usually monthly. Sometimes we'll update data more frequently.
Clever also performs regular quality checks to identify outdated data, broken data connections, and other data issues that may arise.
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5 best places to invest in Georgia
| Rank | City | InvestScore | Affordability | Property value appreciation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus | 100 | 2.1 | 56% |
| 2 | Warner Robins | 90.9 | 2.9 | 54% |
| 3 | Washington | 90.6 | 3.1 | 54% |
| 4 | Aragon | 90.2 | 3.1 | 52% |
| 5 | Macon | 87.8 | 2.1 | 43% |
🚨 This article is for informational purposes only. It isn't intended to convey financial or legal advice. We recommend you talk to a real estate agent or real estate attorney when buying a home in Georgia.
1. Columbus
We've identified the 31903 zip code in Columbus as Georgia's best real estate investment market. Here's why.
🔎 Key data about Columbus (31903)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 3,800 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 100 | Highest |
| Typical property value | $68,875[1] | 2nd lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 56%[2] | 17th highest |
| Household income | $32,401[3] | 386th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.1 | 4th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 5.8%[4] | 28th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6%[5] | 8th lowest |
| Property taxes | $399[6] | lowest |
| Educational attainment | 9.8%[7] | 266th highest |
Columbus (zip code 31903) is the best residential real estate investment market in Georgia. It has the 17th highest property value appreciation among markets we evaluated, with a 56% appreciation of the typical property over the last five years.
Columbus is the 4th most affordable market among the 3,800 Georgia markets we evaluated, with an affordability ratio of 2.1.
2. Warner Robins
The 31028 zip code in Warner Robins is the runner-up spot for the best real estate investments in Georgia.
🔎 Key data about Warner Robins (31028)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 3,800 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 90.9 | 2nd highest |
| Typical property value | $224,179[1] | 105th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 54%[2] | 27th highest |
| Household income | $76,342[3] | 166th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.9 | 41st most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 5.3%[4] | 37th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8%[5] | 2nd lowest |
| Property taxes | $2,341[6] | 229th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 33%[7] | 108th highest |
The 31028 zip code in Warner Robins features a typical property value of $224,179, the 105th lowest in the state.
Property values have appreciated 54% over the past five years, the 27th highest increase among evaluated markets in the state. Warner Robins homes have an affordability ratio of 2.9, the 41st most affordable in the state.
3. Washington
The 30673 zip code in Washington comes in at No. 3 in our ranking of the best residential real estate investment markets in Georgia.
🔎 Key data about Washington (30673)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 3,800 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 90.6 | 3rd highest |
| Typical property value | $160,711[1] | 54th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 54%[2] | 25th highest |
| Household income | $51,748[3] | 324th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 3.1 | 54th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 3.4%[4] | 85th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 3%[5] | 3rd lowest |
| Property taxes | $1,304[6] | 65th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 18%[7] | 212th highest |
With a typical property value of $160,711, Washington's 30673 zip code features the 54th lowest property values in the state.
Washington homes have an affordability ratio of 3.1, the 54th most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
4. Aragon
The 30104 zip code in Aragon ranks No. 4 among Georgia's residential real estate investment markets.
🔎 Key data about Aragon (30104)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 3,800 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 90.2 | 4th highest |
| Typical property value | $222,186[1] | 104th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 52%[2] | 47th highest |
| Household income | $70,559[3] | 47th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 3.1 | 59th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 5.6%[4] | 29th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3%[5] | 6th lowest |
| Property taxes | $1,356[6] | 76th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 9.1%[7] | 269th highest |
Property values in Aragon's 30104 zip code have seen the 47th highest increase among evaluated markets in the state, with an appreciation of 52% over the past five years.
Aragon's affordability ratio of 3.1 makes it the 59th most affordable among the 3,800 markets we evaluated.
5. Macon
The 31217 zip code in Macon rounds out our top five residential real estate investment markets in Georgia.
🔎 Key data about Macon (31217)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 3,800 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 87.8 | 5th highest |
| Typical property value | $94,716[1] | 7th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 43%[2] | 152nd highest |
| Household income | $44,809[3] | 152nd highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.1 | 2nd most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 4.8%[4] | 53rd highest |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9%[5] | 10th lowest |
| Property taxes | $734[6] | 4th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 8.4%[7] | 272nd highest |
Property values in Macon's 31217 zip code rose 43% over the last five years, ranking the city 152nd highest among evaluated markets in Georgia.
Macon homes have an affordability ratio of 2.1, the 2nd most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
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Frequently asked questions
See our article Steps to Buying Your First Rental Property to learn the basics of real estate investing for beginners.
You'll learn the importance of setting goals, picking the right market, and more.
Cash investors often use what's called the 70% rule, which suggests they should pay around 70% of a house's after-repair value minus the cost of renovations.
By buying for about 70% of the after-repair value, they're positioning themselves to pay for repairs and other costs, and to lock in a profit.
The 70% rule isn’t a hard-and-fast formula, but a quick guideline investors use to evaluate potential deals.
Investing in residential real estate can be one of the best passive real estate investments in Georgia.
Residential real estate offers accessible passive income and the potential to compound your original investment.
Renting out residential units is the top way to invest in real estate. House hacking also offers a great opportunity for passive real estate investment income.
How we rank residential real estate markets in Georgia
To determine the best real estate investments in Georgia we evaluated 3,800 markets on eight metrics, and then assigned an InvestScore based on a proprietary weighting framework. Each market corresponds to a specific zip code in Georgia.
What is InvestScore?
InvestScore is a score on a scale of 0 (worst in state) to 100 (best in state) that estimates the residential real estate investment potential of a given market. It takes into account a suite of key data points for each city.
- Typical property value: This measures the typical home value in this zip code, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. It reflects the typical value for homes in the 35th to 65th percentile range, including all homes, with the numbers smoothed and seasonally adjusted. We prefer lower property values, which indicate both more room for growth and a greater ease of purchase.
- Property value appreciation: This measures how much property values have increased in the area over the past five years, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. We prefer a higher appreciation, as it indicates better returns on housing. However, past performance isn't indicative of future results.
- Median household income: This is the inflation-adjusted median household income in the zip code, according to U.S. Census American Community Survey data. We prefer a higher household income, as it indicates local residents have more income to spend on housing.
- Affordability ratio: This is the ratio of the typical home value to the median household income in the area. A lower ratio is better because it means more households can afford a home, which indicates higher demand.
- Population growth: This is how much the area's population has grown over the past five years, according to U.S. Census estimates. Higher is better, as it indicates residents are moving into the area at a rapid clip.
- Unemployment rate: This is the unemployment rate in the area, according to U.S. Census data. We prefer a lower rate, as it indicates the availability of steady employment in the area, meaning residents will find it much easier to afford homes.
- Property tax: This is the median real estate property tax paid in the area, according to U.S. Census estimates.
- Educational attainment: This is the percentage of residents in the area that have obtained a bachelor's degree or better, according to U.S. Census estimates. We prefer a higher rate because it indicates local residents who have higher earning potential and thus should be able to afford homes.
