Real Estate Investing in Clarkesville, Georgia (30523)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Habersham County • Population: 13,777 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 30523 (Clarkesville, GA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (48/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
2 flags
  • High vacancy: 27.5% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 37.4 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Clarkesville, GA (30523)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $395,265
Avg Monthly Rent $882
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $73,131
% Renters 14.6%

Market Analysis: 30523 Clarkesville

ZIP 30523 in Clarkesville, GA carries a durable set of headwinds. Home values near $395K and rents of $882/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

The investment case in 30523 is impressive only for operators who understand what they are buying. A $395K median suggests accessibility, but management intensity, vacancy drift, and capex surprises are real.

Regionally, 30523 sits on the difficult end of the GA spectrum. The a strong candidate for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

A robust renter share of 15% in 30523 is not, on its own, a problem — but paired with below-average income and high mobility, it changes the operating playbook.

Strategically, 30523 can be a high-return sleeve of a diversified portfolio — but it should not be the whole portfolio, and it should not be someone's first deal.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Clarkesville:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 64/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
11/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.4× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+6.9%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $882/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
WARM
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
☀️
WARM MARKET
Cornelia, GA Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
10.9%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Cornelia, GA metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 30523

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
2.6% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
3BR
+10.0% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
3BR
$118,983/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $277,351 $980 2.5% +10.0% $138,676
3BR $356,950 $1,310 2.6% +10.0% $118,983
4BR $558,517 $1,530 2.0% +8.8% $139,629
5BR $794,686 +8.4% $158,937

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$416K$355K$294K$233K$172K$111KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 30523 Compare?

Metric 30523 Clarkesville Cornelia, GA Georgia
Home Value $395,265 $395,265 N/A $329,538
5-Year CAGR 6.6% 6.6% N/A 7.8%
Avg Rent $882 $882 N/A -
Cap Rate 1.7% 1.7% - -
💡 Why Invest in 30523? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 30523 (Clarkesville, GA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
1.7%
Low
5yr Growth
+6.6%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Cornelia, GA metro

2/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
2/3
69%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $395,265
Monthly Rent $882
Price-to-Rent 37.4:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 2.7%
Cap Rate 1.7%
5-Year IRR 8.3%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +6.9% ▲
3-Year CAGR +5.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.6% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.4% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 1.7%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (1.7%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
27.5%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.6%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 30523

Population: 13,777

💰 Median Household Income
$73,131
This area
$73,131
State
$64,001
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
14.6%
This area
14.6%
State
29.9%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.8%
This area
1.8%
State
-18.6%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
31.7%
This area
31.7%
State
-3.0%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
49.6 years
This area
49.6 years
State
10.1 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
27.5%
This area
27.5%
State
15.5%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 92.5%
Other/Mixed 3.6%
Asian 2.0%
Black/African American 1.9%
Hispanic/Latino 1.5%
👶 Under 18
16.8%
This area
16.8%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
25.5%
This area
25.5%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
6.4%
This area
6.4%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 30523

A Avg School Grade
3 Schools
12.2:1 Avg Class Size
$14,492 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Clarkesville Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
453 Students
👨‍🏫
13.3:1 Class Size
💰
$14,492 Per Student
A Very Good

North Habersham Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
554 Students
👨‍🏫
12.3:1 Class Size
💰
$14,492 Per Student
A Very Good

Woodville Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
197 Students
👨‍🏫
10.9:1 Class Size
💰
$14,492 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

4 Nearby 800 Off-Campus Students
C+
North Georgia Technical College
2,696 students · 5.6 mi
C
Piedmont University
1,840 students · 10.6 mi
C
Toccoa Falls College
2,532 students · 13.6 mi
C
Truett McConnell University
2,714 students · 14.6 mi

Investor Insight: With 800 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Clarkesville, GA make sense for an investment property?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Clarkesville, GA ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $395K and rents of $882/mo drive the underlying numbers.

Are rents high in Clarkesville, GA?

Rents in Clarkesville, GA run near $882/mo. Compared with median home prices of $395K that produces solid gross yields for typical rentals.

Is Clarkesville, GA good for landlords?

Clarkesville, GA falls under GA landlord-tenant law, which is landlord-friendly. That backdrop makes day-to-day property management reasonable.

How quickly do rentals get leased in Clarkesville, GA?

Vacancy risk in Clarkesville, GA is elevated. That supports even-keeled cash flow for typical rental holds.

Are tenants stable in Clarkesville, GA?

Working renters make up the core of the Clarkesville, GA tenant base. The pool is reasonable for investors targeting long-term holds.

You know 30523 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 30523 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 30523 ranks in Cornelia, GA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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