Looking at Fortson or Hamilton because the lot is bigger, but unsure the drive and the septic tank are worth it? On the same $300,000 house, Harris County’s property tax runs about $1,260 a year below Columbus before exemptions. But Harris County homes sell for far more, so the house you actually buy will likely carry a bigger bill.
Your tax bill on both sides
Enter a price to see the yearly property tax in each area, using each county’s latest published millage.
Georgia 2026 and Alabama 2025 millage, the latest published. Georgia assesses at 40% of value and Alabama at 10% for a home you live in. Rates change every year and some parcels sit in a different district, so confirm with the county tax office. Educational estimate, not tax advice.
Torn between a Harris County lot and a Columbus address? Our PCS Buyer Game Plan puts the decision in order before you tour.
Get the PCS Buyer Game PlanHarris County vs. Columbus at a glance
| Columbus (Muscogee) | Harris County (unincorporated) | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 millage | 39.145 | 28.63 |
| Homestead exemption | GA $2,000 + Columbus’ local $13,500, which freezes the assessment | GA $2,000 standard; ask the county about local exemptions |
| Median sale price | $249,735 (citywide, Aug 2026) | $482,291 Hamilton; $478,196 Fortson (3 mo. to Aug 2026) |
| List-to-sold ratio | 97.4% | 96.4% (Hamilton) |
| Days on market | 34 | 65 (Hamilton, 22 sales) |
| Sewer | Public, Columbus Water Works | Mostly septic; county sewer only in Mulberry Grove |
| High schools | 7 zoned plus magnets | 1 |
Sources: Columbus ordinance 26-032; Harris County millage minutes; Georgia sales tax chart; Redfin Columbus, 31811, 31808; Harris County Water Works.
Property tax: lower rate, bigger houses
Georgia taxes homes on 40% of value in both places, so the rate decides the gap on the same house. Columbus charges 39.145 mills (16.07 city plus 23.075 school); Harris County charges 28.63 (9.13 county plus 19.50 school). Both were adopted for 2026 unchanged from 2025.
Exemptions narrow it. Columbus’ local homestead exemption takes our $300,000 example to roughly $4,091 a year, as the Columbus vs. Phenix City guide shows. In Harris County the statewide $2,000 exemption is worth about $55 a year; ask the Board of Assessors (706-628-5171) about local exemptions.
The price matters more than the rate. On Hamilton’s median sale of $482,291, Harris County’s bill before exemptions is about $5,523, more than the Columbus bill on a $300,000 house. Compare the tax on the house you’d actually buy.
One change to watch: Columbus and the Muscogee school board opted out of Georgia’s cap on homestead value increases in 2025, and a 2026 state law (SB 33) ends those opt-outs. When that reaches Columbus bills isn’t settled, and the law has been challenged in court.
Commute to Fort Benning
| From | To the I-185 / Lindsey Creek gate | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Fortson | about 24 min | Fortson Rd to I-185 |
| Cataula | about 30 min | US-27 / GA-315 to I-185 |
| Hamilton | about 42 min | US-27 to I-185 |
Free-flow estimates from OpenStreetMap routing. The gate is open 24/7 per the garrison gate list.
Columbus addresses run from a few minutes to about 25 minutes from the same gate, depending on the side of town. Your housing allowance follows your duty station, not the house. Check your rate by ZIP on the DoD BAH calculator.
Water, sewer and trash
Most of unincorporated Harris County has no public sewer: Harris County Water Works serves more than 9,300 water customers but provides sewer only in Mulberry Grove. Budget for a septic inspection; our land-buying guide covers what to verify. The county runs weekly curbside trash. In Columbus, Columbus Water Works rates rose 4.9% on January 1, 2026.
Schools
Harris County runs four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school; Muscogee runs seven zoned high schools plus magnets closed to out-of-county students. We don’t rank them; Georgia’s ratings are on Georgia School Grades. Check an exact address on our Harris County and Columbus school-zone pages.
Weighing two addresses? Get the game plan: what to settle before you tour, what to check on each address, and when to write the offer.
Get the PCS Buyer Game PlanRelated reading
Before you rely on any of this
This page is educational. It isn’t tax, legal or insurance advice, and it doesn’t rate neighborhoods or schools. Millage is set every year, exemptions depend on your circumstances and whether you file, and prices move monthly. Your county tax office, an insurance agent and the school district can give you the real numbers for a specific address. Checked October 13, 2026.
Arrio & Kelsey are licensed real estate agents in Georgia and Alabama with Coldwell Banker Kennon & Parker. Equal Housing Opportunity. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. Army, the Department of Defense, or Fort Benning.