The median Lithonia homeowner pays $2,617/year in property taxes. That is 4.24% of median household income. See how Lithonia compares and check your savings potential.
Lithonia takes its name from the Greek word for stone, and for more than a century the granite quarried here went into buildings and curbstones across the country. The small city sits in eastern DeKalb County near the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, its historic downtown now surrounded by the newer city of Stonecrest. About 2,622 people live inside the city limits, and housing is among the most affordable in the county: the median home is worth about $223,000, roughly 38% below the DeKalb County median of $357,800. That gap is worth pausing on. Across DeKalb County, home values stretch from roughly $237,245 at the 25th percentile to $559,874 at the 75th, which means the typical Lithonia house sits below even the county's lower quartile. Mass appraisal models calibrated on a county that expensive and that varied can easily overshoot a modest granite-town bungalow. The stakes are real, because DeKalb's effective property tax rate runs about 1.75%, one of the higher rates in metro Atlanta, and with a median household income of $61,713 the typical Lithonia homeowner already puts about 4.2% of household income toward property taxes. Every extra thousand dollars of inflated assessed value makes that worse. If the value on your notice looks closer to what a buyer would pay in Decatur than in Lithonia, check it. Georgia law gives you 45 days from the date printed on your annual assessment notice to file an appeal, and the clock starts whether or not you agree with the number.
Lithonia Appeal Quick Facts
The median home in Lithonia is valued at $223,000, and the typical homeowner pays about $2,617 per year in property tax (Census ACS 2024), based on DeKalb County's 4.379% combined millage applied to 40% of fair market value after exemptions. That means the typical Lithonia homeowner spends 4.24% of household income on property taxes alone. Even though Lithonia home values fall below the DeKalb County average, the tax burden here is significant relative to household income. A lower home value does not mean your assessment is automatically correct. Overassessments happen at every price point, and correcting one can meaningfully reduce your annual bill. At $223,000, Lithonia home values are 38% below the DeKalb County median, 31% above Georgia's statewide median of $170,200, 29% below the national median of $318,000.
Check If Your Lithonia Home Is Overassessed
Brookhaven leads DeKalb County in home values, but your individual assessment could still be too high regardless of where Lithonia falls in the county ranking.
In smaller communities like Lithonia, finding comparable sales can be harder. Expand your search to other parts of DeKalb County. The Board of Equalization understands limited inventory in small towns. Focus on homes with similar square footage and condition, even if they are several miles away. For the full evidence strategy, exemption details, and step-by-step filing instructions, see our DeKalb County Property Tax Guide.
Based on a combined tax rate of 4.379%. Your actual rate may vary by tax district.
A 10% reduction on the median Lithonia home ($223,000 down by $22,300) would save approximately $391 per year, or $1,173 over three years with the 299c value freeze.
At 4.24% of household income, even a modest reduction in your assessed value makes a real difference in your annual budget.
Property tax appeals in Lithonia are filed with the DeKalb County Board of Assessors. You have 45 days from the date of your assessment notice to submit a PT-311A form.
DeKalb County Board of Assessors: 120 West Trinity Place, Room 208, Decatur, GA 30030 | 404-371-0841 For the full appeal process and deadline details, see our DeKalb County Property Tax Guide.
Based on 2024 American Community Survey estimates and DeKalb County millage rates.