Georgia vs Ohio
Same underlying data as the individual state pages, side by side. Statutory rates and redemption windows only — always confirm against the county's own auction notice before bidding.
| | Georgia | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Sale type | Redeemable deed | Tax lien certificate (some counties) + foreclosure |
| Rate / penalty | 20% premium in year one, +10% each later year | Up to 18%, bid down or negotiated |
| Redemption | 12 months, then until barment notice | 1+ year |
These aren't the same kind of sale: Georgia runs a redeemable deed, while Ohio runs a tax lien certificate (some counties) + foreclosure. That changes what you actually hold after the sale — a claim against the debt in one case, the property itself (or a right to it) in the other.
Redemption windows differ: Georgia gives owners 12 months, then until barment notice, Ohio gives 1+ year — the state with the shorter window resolves faster, for better or worse depending on what you're optimizing for.
Georgia sells the property itself at a sheriff's or tax commissioner's sale (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-1), and the buyer receives a tax deed that stays defeasible while the right of redemption lasts. The owner or anyone with an interest can redeem within 12 months, and afterwards until the buyer forecloses the right with a barment notice under § 48-4-45, by paying the full bid plus taxes the buyer paid and a premium of 20% for the first year or fraction of a year and 10% for each year after (§ 48-4-42). Overbids become excess funds payable to the owner and lienholders (§ 48-4-5).
Full Georgia page →Ohio county treasurers may sell tax certificates (R.C. 5721.31): at auction the rate is bid down from 18% in quarter-point steps and the owner pays at least 6% of the price on redemption (R.C. 5721.32, 5721.30(E)), or the whole list goes to one buyer in a negotiated sale (R.C. 5721.33). The holder can file for foreclosure after one year (R.C. 5721.37) and the owner can redeem until the sale is confirmed. Where no certificate is sold, the county forecloses and the sheriff sells the property (R.C. 5721.18–5721.19).
Full Ohio page →Property & tax market
| | Georgia | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $303,300 | $214,800 |
| Median property tax / year | $2,341 | $2,822 |
| Tax / home value | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Tax / household income | 3.0% | 4.0% |
| Homes owned outright | 36.6% | 39.4% |
| “Other vacant” homes | 4.6% | 4.3% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1970 |
A typical home in Ohio pays 1.2× the property tax of one in Georgia ($2,822 against $2,341 a year). That is the scale of what a typical home owes per unpaid year in each state, and of the money a certificate or a deed sale's opening bid is built from.
Homes owned outright — where no lender has a reason to pay the delinquent bill for the owner — are 36.6% of owner-occupied homes in Georgia and 39.4% in Ohio. The Census “other vacant” share (foreclosures, homes in legal limbo or needing repairs, abandoned homes) is 4.6% against 4.3%: about the same, so neither state's lists should carry noticeably more empty properties.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25077, B25103, B25081, B25002, B25004, B25035, B19013). Medians of what owners report paying, not statutory rates. County-level figures are on each state page.
Quick answers
Is Georgia or Ohio a tax lien state?+
Georgia is a redeemable deed state. Ohio is a tax lien certificate (some counties) + foreclosure state.
Which has the higher rate, Georgia or Ohio?+
Georgia: 20% premium in year one, +10% each later year. Ohio: Up to 18%, bid down or negotiated. Compare the actual statutory ceiling, not just the headline number — most "up to" rates get bid down at auction.
Which redeems faster, Georgia or Ohio?+
Redemption windows differ: Georgia gives owners 12 months, then until barment notice, Ohio gives 1+ year — the state with the shorter window resolves faster, for better or worse depending on what you're optimizing for.
Are property taxes higher in Georgia or Ohio?+
The median homeowner pays $2,341 a year in Georgia and $2,822 in Ohio (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates). A typical home in Ohio pays 1.2× the property tax of one in Georgia ($2,822 against $2,341 a year). That is the scale of what a typical home owes per unpaid year in each state, and of the money a certificate or a deed sale's opening bid is built from.
Want to line up more than two states, or swap in different ones? Use the interactive comparison tool — up to four states at once.
See where these two rank against all 50 states: full rankings.
This page is general information, not financial or legal advice. Rates and redemption periods are set by state statute and can change by county or legislative session — always confirm against the county's own auction notice before bidding.