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The short answer
The biggest recurring change is state income tax: Texas has none, while Georgia taxes wages at a flat rate listed at 5.19% for 2026 by the Tax Foundation, so check the Georgia Department of Revenue's current schedule. In the year you move you file a Georgia part-year return (Form 500 with Schedule 3), and you must apply for a Georgia driver's licence within 30 days of becoming a resident.
State income tax: from none to a flat rate
Texas does not levy an individual income tax. Georgia does. The Tax Foundation's 2026 state table (February 2026) lists Georgia at a flat 5.19% for single and joint filers, after legislation (HB 111) cut it from 5.39%. Georgia's own Department of Revenue publishes its rate schedule and the IT-511 instruction booklet each year; use those for your return.
Georgia also gives a standard deduction. Its residency and filing page lists $12,000 for a single filer; other statuses differ.
Worked example: a full year
Example only, single filer, ignoring other Georgia adjustments and credits. Ngozi earns $70,000 as a nurse.
| Houston | Atlanta | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary | $70,000 | $70,000 |
| Less Georgia standard deduction | n/a | $12,000 |
| Taxable for state purposes | n/a | $58,000 |
| State income tax | $0 | $3,010.20 (5.19%) |
| Per month | $0 | About $251 |
Federal tax does not change with the move. Her take-home pay falls by roughly the Georgia figure, so the first Atlanta payslip will be lower even with the same salary. Ask payroll to set up Georgia withholding from your first pay date there.
The year you move: a part-year return
Georgia's Department of Revenue says a part-year resident who must file a federal return files Form 500 and completes Schedule 3 to work out Georgia taxable income. Broadly, the schedule separates income from your Georgia months from income earned while you lived in Texas. The IT-511 booklet explains the calculation. Keep your last Texas payslip and your first Georgia payslip; they mark the split.
Worked example: moving mid-year
Example only. Ngozi moves on 1 July and earns $35,000 in each half of the year. As a rough guide, 5.19% of her $35,000 Atlanta income is $1,816.50 before any deduction; the IT-511 booklet explains how deductions apply to a part-year resident, which brings the figure down. Her Houston half carries no state tax at all. In the second year she pays the full-year figure, so the move costs her less in state tax in year one than in year two. Plan the monthly budget on the full-year number from the start.
Texas has no state return to file for your Houston months, which keeps that side simple.
Driving: the 30-day rule
Georgia's Department of Driver Services says you must apply for a Georgia driver's licence within 30 days of becoming a Georgia resident, and any DDS Customer Service Center can transfer an out-of-state licence. Its separate out-of-state transfer page lists documents and any tests; book early, because centres fill up. If you came from Nigeria and still drive on a Nigerian licence, the rules are different; see getting a Georgia licence with a Nigerian licence.
Your car registration and insurance must move too. Tell your insurer the new garaging address before you move, because premiums are priced by location and a Texas policy on a car kept in Georgia can cause problems at claim time. Your county tag office handles registration; check its deadline.
Rent, deposits and the first month
Rents in both metros vary widely by neighbourhood and change month to month, so compare current listings for the specific areas you are considering rather than city averages. Budget for the move itself in one column:
- Moving truck or movers, fuel and a night's stay on the drive.
- A security deposit and first month's rent in Atlanta, often due before your Houston deposit comes back.
- Utility deposits and connection fees under a new provider.
- Licence transfer and vehicle registration fees.
- A gap of up to a month between your last Houston pay and first Atlanta pay if you change employer.
For the rental search itself, renting in Atlanta without US credit and Georgia security deposit rules cover what landlords ask for.
Banking and bills
If your bank has branches in both states, your accounts move with you; update the address so statements and new cards reach Atlanta. A Texas credit union may limit membership to people who live or work in its area, so check before closing anything. Set up new electricity, gas, water and internet accounts in your name, and ask each provider whether a letter of good payment history from your Houston provider will reduce a deposit. Cancel Houston services from the day after you hand back the keys, not the day you leave, so the final inspection happens with lights on.
A checklist for the move
- Confirm your Georgia start date: it sets your residency date for tax and the licence clock.
- Update your address with your employer, bank, the IRS and, if you are not a citizen, USCIS.
- Switch payroll withholding to Georgia.
- Book a DDS appointment inside 30 days.
- Move car insurance and registration.
- Keep records for the part-year return.
Where Pryme fits
A move often disrupts what you send home. The Personal Assistant can hold reminders for family support while your pay dates change, and Send shows the rate and fee before you approve each transfer.
Questions people ask
Does Georgia have state income tax?
Yes. The Tax Foundation lists a flat 5.19% for 2026; check the Georgia Department of Revenue's rate schedule for the year you file.
How long do I have to get a Georgia driver's licence after moving?
Georgia DDS says you must apply within 30 days of becoming a Georgia resident.
Do I file a Texas state tax return when I leave?
Texas has no individual income tax, so there is no Texas state income tax return. Georgia part-year residents file Form 500 with Schedule 3.
Will my paycheck be lower in Atlanta than Houston?
On the same salary, yes, by roughly the Georgia income tax withheld.
Sources
- Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (17 Feb 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Georgia Department of Revenue, Residency filing requirements (undated, viewed Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Georgia DDS, New Georgia residents and out-of-state licences (undated, viewed Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.