Metro Atlanta city guide / Henry County
McDonough, Georgia: the Geranium City still runs on its square
McDonough has been the Henry County seat since 1823, and its life still centers on a traditional town square with the courthouse on one side and shops and restaurants around the rest. Every May the square fills for the Geranium Festival, which has been going for nearly fifty years. Out from the center, new subdivisions stretch along I-75, with prices below most of the metro and homes selling at a steady pace. It suits people who want a real downtown and a newer house within the same few miles.
Come as you are. Come on home.
The square
A real town square, still in use.
McDonough grew around a traditional square, and many of the buildings around it are still standing. The downtown McDonough Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Shops and restaurants. Local restaurants, coffee and small shops line the blocks around the square, which stays busy on weekends.
The courthouse side. The Henry County courthouse and the historic jail sit on the north side of the square.
Events through the year. Concerts, holiday events and the spring festival all use the square as the stage.
Geranium Festival
Nearly fifty years of a spring tradition.
The Geranium Festival began in 1977 as the Henry County Chamber Arts and Crafts Festival and moved to the square in 1979. It gave McDonough its nickname, the Geranium City.
When
The third Saturday in May, on the square.
What
Arts and crafts booths that now spill from the center of the square onto the streets around it, with food, music and trolleys running through the day.
Who
Sponsored by the McDonough Lions Club.
The county seat
A stagecoach stop that became the county seat.
McDonough was founded in 1823 and named for Commodore Thomas Macdonough. It was once a relay station on the stagecoach line between New York and New Orleans.
Art in the annex. The courthouse annex holds Jean Charlot’s 1942 painting Cotton Gin.
College close by. Mercer University opened a campus in McDonough in 2003, and Gordon State College has a satellite center here.
Prices
Flat prices, more sales.
Closed sales in the City of McDonough over the three months ending August 2026, from Redfin.
Prices are holding and sales are up, with 90 closings in August compared with 78 a year earlier. That is a steadier market than several nearby cities had this year.
Much of what sells is newer construction in subdivisions, and builders are still active. When you look at a resale home, I would compare it with what a new build nearby costs, including any builder incentives.
Getting around
On I-75, with a lot of state roads.
I-75 runs through the southwest side of the city, with US 23 through the center and a web of state routes in every direction.
I-75
Exits 216, 218 and 221 serve the city. North leads to Stockbridge, the airport and downtown Atlanta.
US 23 and GA 20
US 23 runs north to Stockbridge. GA 20 runs east and west across the county.
Drive the real route
I-75 through Henry County slows at rush hour. Make the trip at your actual time before you decide.
Schools
Six high schools within reach.
McDonough is served by Henry County Schools, with McDonough, Eagle’s Landing, Union Grove, Ola, Dutchtown and Luella high schools all serving McDonough addresses.
Check the address
Assignments follow the address and shift from one subdivision to the next. Use the district’s locator for the exact home and school year.
On screen
McDonough has a film history.
Several well known films used the area as a location.
Smokey and the Bandit. Parts of the 1977 film were shot in the area.
Glory. The Civil War film shot scenes in the area.
A Madea Christmas. A more recent production filmed in McDonough.
Taxes
A light city rate on top of Henry County’s.
Homes inside city limits pay City of McDonough, Henry County and school taxes.
Inside McDonough city limits, add the city rate to Henry County and school taxes. Many McDonough addresses are outside the city. Recalculate at your price without the seller’s exemptions.
Nearby
Elsewhere in Henry County.
The other Henry County cities, side by side.
Stockbridge, around $299,000. North on I-75, where I-675 splits off. Read the Stockbridge guide →
Hampton. Southwest, home of the speedway. Read the Hampton guide →
Locust Grove. South on I-75. Read the Locust Grove guide →
Home search
Search homes in McDonough.
McDonough listings on the market today, refreshed from the MLS.
Ask about McDonough
What do you want to know about living here?
How far is a house from the square, and which high school is it zoned for? Send me the address.
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For sellers
Own a home in McDonough?
McDonough prices are holding and sales are up. With builders active nearby, presentation and pricing carry extra weight.
Pricing near the builders
Against nearby resales and new builds, matched on subdivision, school zone, age and condition.
Common questions
McDonough FAQ
What people want to know about McDonough.
The nickname comes from the Geranium Festival, held on the McDonough square on the third Saturday in May. It began in 1977 and moved to the square in 1979.
The median sale price in the City of McDonough was about $310,000 over the three months ending August 2026, essentially unchanged from a year earlier, according to Redfin. Homes spent a median of 63 days on the market.
McDonough is served by Henry County Schools. High schools serving McDonough addresses include McDonough, Eagle’s Landing, Union Grove, Ola, Dutchtown and Luella. Check the district’s locator for a specific home.
Yes. McDonough has been the Henry County seat since its founding in 1823, and the courthouse sits on the north side of the square.
The City of McDonough proposed 3.033 mills for 2025, and Henry County kept its rate at 15.733 mills for 2026. School taxes are set separately, and homes outside city limits do not pay the city rate.
McDonough is on I-75 south of Stockbridge, with exits 216, 218 and 221. Drive times to the airport and downtown vary a lot with traffic, so test it at the hour you would commute.
Films shot in the area include Smokey and the Bandit, Glory and A Madea Christmas.
A walk to the square or a new build out by the interstate, start with how you want to live.
McDonough is one of the few places in the metro where a real town square and a new house can be a few minutes apart. Tell me which matters more to you and we will start there.