The cities of Alma, Barnesville, Blairsville, Elberton, Folkston, Grantville, and Summerville will be designated as Georgia’s newest Rural Zones on January 1, 2026. This new designation establishes a host of incentives to benefit commerce in each city through December 31, 2030.
The Rural Zone program is a collaboration between Georgia’s Department of Community Affairs and Department of Economic Development, incepted in 2017. This initiative provides tax credits to individuals creating jobs and making qualifying investments within historic downtown areas designated as Rural Zones during their five-year tenure.
Rural Zones have access to three types of specifically utilized state income tax incentives:
- Job Tax Credits are equivalent to $2,000 per year for each new, full-time-equivalent job for up to five years;
- Investment Credits are equivalent to 25 percent of the purchase price of a property within the designated Rural Zone, not to exceed $125,000; and
- Rehabilitation Credits are equivalent to 30 percent of the qualified rehabilitation costs of a building located within a designated Rural Zone, not to exceed $150,000.
Each community is encouraged to develop strategies and share information about the benefits of designation to businesses and investors.