Macon‑Bibb County and Bibb school board approve 2025 millage rates; here’s how to calculate what you’ll pay

County cut saves about $26 on a $200,000 home; school rate above rollback adds about $47.60 for a net increase near $21.60 for most homeowners.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Macon-Bibb County and the Bibb County Board of Education have approved their 2025 property tax rates. The county lowered its rate, while the school board held its rate steady. The combined outcome will mean a small overall increase in cost for homeowners.

County commissioners voted Tuesday to lower Macon‑Bibb’s millage rate from 9.900 to 9.575, a cut of 0.325 mills. That saves the typical homeowner about $26 a year on a $200,000 home.

Mayor Lester Miller called Tuesday’s vote the fifth straight year of cuts.

“We’ve been able to lower our millage rate by more than 50% since 2021 and increase spending thanks to better budgeting, more focused and strategic spending, and the voter-approved OLOST,” Miller said in a county news release.

Last week, the Bibb County Board of Education voted to keep its millage rate at 14.674 mills, the same as last year, but 0.652 mills above the rollback rate that would have kept overall revenue level. That means an extra $47.60 for a typical $200,000 owner‑occupied home, or $52.16 for non‑homestead properties.

Georgia law defines the rollback rate as “the rate that would keep property tax revenue flat from year to year, even as property values rise.” It is calculated annually by the tax commissioner using the tax digest. Since the school district’s rate exceeds that rollback number, it counts under state law as a tax increase, even though the rate stayed the same.

When combined, the school board’s effective increase outweighs the county’s cut. For a typical homeowner, the net impact is about $21.60 more per year. For non‑homestead property (businesses and rental owners), it’s about $26.16.

How the math works (Georgia formula)

In Georgia, assessed value is 40% of fair market value. A $200,000 home is taxed as $80,000.

One mill equals $1 per $1,000 of assessed value.

So the change in dollars is calculated as:
(Assessed value ÷ 1,000) × millage change.

County cut (−0.325 mills): 80,000 ÷ 1,000 × 0.325 ≈ $26 savings.

School board rate maintain (+0.652 mills above rollback rate): 80,000 ÷ 1,000 × 0.652 ≈ $52.16. With the homestead calibration, that equals about $47.60.

Net impact: $47.60 – $26 = $21.60 more per year for a typical $200,000 homeowner.

Calculate your own bill

Use our Property Tax Change Calculator below to estimate how much your bill will shift based on your home’s fair market value. It shows your assessed value, the county savings, the school board increase, and the final net change.