With its capitol in famous Atlanta, Georgia represents one of the oldest plantation states that existed as far back as the 13 colonies' time period. Today, Georgia has been reshaping itself with new industries and development. The state now represents a major transportation hub for airlines, train and road transit. Additionally, Georgia provides a critical hub for communications as well as banking in the Southeast. However, the state has also diversified industries in textile, paper production, animal and plant agriculture, and capital equipment as well. Georgia is also home to a number of famous wilderness and national parks as well. Like many of the original states, various parts of Georgia are also steeped in 300 years of history, providing real historical education next to modern sites.
With a population of nearly 10 million, Georgia is the 9th largest state in America. The Peach State's gross domestic product is over $400 billion, and it if it were a nation it would have a top 30 economy. Per capita income within the state is around $35,000, which is slightly below average for the United States. Although this is not widely known, the film and television industry contributes around a billion dollars to the local economy each year.
In 2013, the average home value in the state was almost $130,000, an improvement of 10%+ from 2012. The most expensive homes in GA are located in Milton, Sandy Springs, Greensboro, Alpharetta, and Johns Creek, while the most affordable homes can be found in places such as Riverdale, Rossville, and College Park. If you are interested in raising a family, you may want to consider the aforementioned Johns Creek, along with Sugar Hill, Grovetown, and Dallas.
There are a few large, notable cities in Georgia, and many prospective homebuyers consider these locations above all others. With that in mind, our editors have compiled brief descriptions of the major destinations within GA.
Population: 540,932
Atlanta is the largest city in Georgia, and the entire Atlanta Metropolitan Area is home to more than 5 million Georgians, making it the 9th largest metro in America. The city is a major transportation hub, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport consistently ranks as the busiest in the world. Over 75% of Georgia's GDP is produced within Atlanta, and the city is home to Coke, Home Depot, Delta, and UPS.
Population: 195,639
Georgia's second largest city is perhaps best known as the home of The Masters, a golf championship hosted at Augusta National Golf Course. The Augusta economy is driven by biotech and healthcare, and the city's largest employers are E-Z-GO, Covidien, International Paper, and Kellogg's.
Population: 190,414
Located to the southwest of Atlanta, Columbus is home of major corporations such as Aflac and TSYS. In 2007, the city was named the 4th best place in America to raise a family.
Population: 134,703
Savannah, Georgia's oldest city, is an important place historically and played a crucial role in both the American Revolution and the American Civil War because of its port. The Port of Savannah remains important to the city's economy, which is also focused on tourism, manufacturing, and the military. To this day, life in Savannah remains closely tied to the history of the United States and the American South.
Financial institutions in GA are regulated by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. You can find more information about banks here, credit unions here, and mortgage bankers and brokers here.
There are a number of banks headquartered in the state, headlined by SunTrust Bank, one of the largest financial institutions in the United States and a major mortgage lender throughout the south. Here are a few local banks:
GA credit unions include:
The following national banks have branches throughout Georgia. We've included reviews where applicable.
With all these options to consider, you may be wondering where to start. After all, there are advantages and disadvantages to every financial institutions, and you need to shop around to find the best deals. You can use RateZip's free search engine to compare GA interest rates now.
For those seeing an opportunity to live in the southern state, RateZip.com can give a homebuyer an edge with a comprehensive listing of current mortgage rates available from regional lenders. Though housing in the state tends to be affordable, it's possible to save thousands of dollars by carefully shopping for your home loan. On RateZip, you can compare fixed and adjustable rate mortgages, find out if an FHA or VA loan is right for you, and see interest rates from lenders such as SunTrust and Quicken Loans.
