Proposed 50 Percent Property Tax Hike in Chatham County, Georgia

By My Neighbors

A sweeping proposal in Chatham County has put local residents on high alert. If approved, total county property taxes could jump by nearly 50 percent in one year, a significant increase for unincorporated area homeowners. The county is citing the launch of its first county-run fire department and a need to safeguard public services amid declining federal disaster aid. For families already balancing rising HOA dues, record inflation, and tightening budgets, this proposal could tip the scales on housing affordability and financial stability.

Unlike more modest past increases, this plan imposes an abrupt, sizable jump in millage rates all at once, forcing many homeowners to consider how they will continue to manage rising monthly costs. For those on fixed incomes or with little equity, this could mean the difference between keeping their home or losing it to unaffordability.

What Is Being Proposed

Chatham County’s 2025 millage proposal includes three key adjustments:

1. General Maintenance & Operations (M&O): Rising from 10.176 to 10.518 mills, a 3.36 percent increase

2. Special Service District (Fire Department): Jumping from 4.364 to 6.502 mills, a 48.99 percent increase

3. Chatham Area Transit (CAT): Increasing from 1.021 to 1.056 mills, a 3.43 percent increase

In total, the new millage rate would increase from 15.561 mills to 18.076 mills, an overall increase of 2.515 mills or roughly 16.1 percent. However, when factoring in the transition from fire fees to a millage-based fire department funding model, many homeowners will face sharp tax increases that may exceed 50 percent over their previous tax bills.

Impact on Current Tax Burdens

For homeowners in unincorporated Chatham County, this proposal would result in a significantly higher annual bill. Depending on property value and exemption status, projected increases are:

• $225,000 homesteaded property: Around $28 increase annually

• $275,000 non-homesteaded property: Over $213 increase annually

• $550,000 non-homesteaded property: Over $565 increase annually

These increases stack on top of rising property valuations, which have jumped sharply countywide. Some households have already reported year-over-year increases of 25 percent or more from reassessments alone. Combined with the proposed millage increases, this means some property owners may see their tax bills grow by $1,000 or more annually.

Public Hearings (Upcoming)

Residents are urged to attend the final public hearing:

• Friday, June 27, 2025, 9:30 a.m. – Third Public Hearing on Millage Levy & Budget and Millage Levy Adoption
  Location: Old Courthouse, 124 Bull Street, Savannah, GA

This will be the last opportunity for public comment before commissioners vote on whether to adopt the proposed millage rates.

Impact on Homeowners and Affordability

Many homeowners, particularly seniors, working-class families, and single parents, are already struggling to keep pace with inflation, home maintenance, and rising insurance costs. The proposed tax increase may push their monthly housing expenses beyond sustainable levels.

The danger is not theoretical. Households living paycheck to paycheck could be forced to sell, fall behind on mortgages, or enter foreclosure. The increased taxes may also discourage new buyers, shrinking affordability and slowing homeownership opportunities for local residents.

When you consider this tax proposal alongside average HOA fee increases, the picture becomes even more concerning.

Trends Over the Past Five Years

Millage rate increases for Chatham County in the past five years:

• 2021: ~5 percent total increase

• 2022: ~5 percent

• 2023: ~6–7 percent

• 2024: ~5 percent

• 2025 (proposed): 16.1 percent overall, with one component up 49 percent

Prior increases have been steady but relatively modest. The 2025 proposal would represent the single largest millage jump in recent Chatham County history.

Broader Perspective: HOA Fees & Rising Housing Costs

The pressure on homeowners is compounded by sharp increases in Homeowners Association (HOA) fees. In many Chatham subdivisions, HOA dues have surged 20–40 percent annually in recent years, often without caps, warnings, or regulatory oversight.

A typical family paying:

• $300,000 mortgage

• $275/month mortgage payment (taxes/insurance included)

• $75/month HOA dues

…may now face:

• + $50/month from tax increases

• + $30/month from rising HOA fees

That’s a combined $960 per year more just to remain in the same home. For families already budgeting tightly, these increases may prove unmanageable.

Call to Action: Make Your Voice Heard

Final Hearing — Friday, June 27, 2025, 9:30 a.m. – Third Public Hearing on Millage Levy & Budget and Millage Levy Adoption
Location: Old Courthouse, 124 Bull Street, Savannah

Residents are strongly encouraged to attend, speak out, and demand:

• A phased approach to major millage hikes

• Relief measures for fixed-income and long-term homeowners

• Transparency in how public safety funding is prioritized

• Alternatives to shifting full fire service costs to taxpayers in one year

This is not just a budget issue. It’s a matter of keeping families in their homes and preserving the affordability of living in Chatham County.

Sourcing

• Chatham County Official Public Notice of Property Tax Increase – June 11, 2025

• Chatham County 5-Year History of Levy – Notice for 2025

• WJCL: Chatham County residents could see nearly 50% tax hike

• WTOC: Public reacts to Chatham County millage hearing

• My Neighbors: The Growth of HOAs in Chatham County and Beyond

Credit to My Neighbors, www.my-neighbors.us, for research and community engagement on HOA and tax trends in Chatham County.