Georgia is home to more than 10.8 million people. This number continues to grow each year thanks to the influx of new residents who are drawn in by the many charms that the Peach State is famous for. It doesn’t matter whether you are more of a city dweller who enjoys the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle or prefer a place that’s a bit more tranquil and laid-back, as you’ll have plenty of amazing cities, towns, and villages to choose from when considering a move to what’s been called the Empire State of the South.
What’s not to love about Georgia? It’s the home of iconic things like the Blue Ridge Mountains, Coca-Cola, and everyone’s favorite after-hours hangover cure Waffle House. If the devil himself can be vanquished with just a humble fiddle down in Georgia, can you imagine what other sorts of victories await you there?
Regardless of whether you’re planning on moving the whole family, seeking out a college town that will accommodate your academic ambitions, or scoping out your dream retirement destination, we’ll go ahead and do you a solid by helping you narrow down the best places to live in this distinctly southern yet markedly modern state.
Viewcation Presents: The Best Places To Live In Georgia
Atlanta
Home to the headquarters of Coca-Cola and CNN as well as the College Football Hall of Fame and the largest aquarium in the US, Atlanta ranks high on any list of the best places in Georgia to live for a number for great reasons.
In addition to the wealth of attractions that the city is known for, by living in ATL you’ll also gain access to the Atlanta Beltline, a repurposed railroad track that has been converted into a paved 22-mile trail that’s popular with runners, joggers, and cyclists. The Beltline makes a loop around the city and connects many of it’s neighborhoods to shopping centers, restaurants, breweries, and other attractions such as the Krog Street Market.
For all of you sports fans out there, you’ll be thrilled to discover that there is no shortage of fabulous professional teams based in Atlanta to root for. You’ve got the Atlanta Braves, Falcons, Hawks, and Atlanta United FC, just to name a few. Amazingly United averages close to 44,000 fans per game, which is the highest attendance in the MLS league and ninth highest in the world!
If you’re an art aficionado, you should check out the Historic Fox Theatre, where visitors can catch live performances and events.
The housing and job markets in Atlanta are stable and strong. The median home price in Atlanta is around $389,000, while the median monthly rent is $1,485.
Alpharetta
Located in the northern quarter of Fulton County, this city is one of the best places for families to live in Georgia. The city is known for having a fantastic school system as well as a booming job market, and numerous outdoor activities to enjoy. With a low crime rate, it’s also one of the safest places in Georgia to live.
Alpharetta’s yearly Scarecrow Harvest event brings the entire community together while decorating the city with more than 14 dozen creatively designed and downright charming scarecrow art installations. While the city is undeniably a great place to live and raise a family, residents do have to pay for it. Compared to the national average, the median monthly rent for a standard two-bedroom apartment in Alpharetta is nearly 70% higher. Likewise, median home prices are slightly higher than Atlanta’s, at $425,000.
Athens
Home to the University of Georgia, Athens is a town that is known to have a lively big-city feel without all of the congestion and traffic. Thousands of students both young and old, flock to this funky city, as well as many young professionals.
Athens boasts a lively nightlife scene and is very proud of it’s surplus of craft breweries. The city also has plenty of restaurants, bars, cafes, and shops to choose from.
Before you write it off as just another hipster college town, you should know that Athens is also home to the Lyndon House Arts Center, Athens Botanical Gardens, and Georgia Museum of Art. Residents also enjoy the many hiking trails, public parks, and outdoor patio spaces sprinkled about town.
Housing is very affordable. Compare the median home value in this town of $171,000 to the previous two locations that we covered. Median rentals are also very low, with a mid-sized apartment costing about $850 a month.
Decatur
Decatur is a city with a population of about 25,000. The city boasts a blend of small-town vibes with the benefits of big-city living. Because of this, it attracts a combination of both families with children and young professionals.
When roaming around town, you’ll notice that the streets are all tree-lined, giving them a lush and refreshing feel. There are also numerous parks, wide-open green spaces, and dozens of fantastic bars and restaurants to satisfy your cravings.
On top of that, the city is known for having a great school system. Since it’s just a few minutes east of Atlanta and connected to ATL’s MARTA transit system, Decatur is a great place to live if you work in the big city but don’t want to pay those metro housing prices.
That being said, it’s proximity to the city means that the cost of living in Decatur is higher than in some other similarly sized Georgia cities. Median home value is $522,000, and median rent is $1,015. While that might sound a little high, it should be pointed out that that median household income in Decatur is $106,000.
John’s Creek
This city is the tenth largest in the state and it’s consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in Georgia. It’s a great place to raise a family as it’s considered to be the second safest city in the state. Crime rates are low, but not surprisingly, this also means that cost of living is high.
The city has some of the most luxurious neighborhoods in the greater-Atlanta area. There are plenty of million and multi-million-dollar homes on the market, but the median home value is $400,000. The majority of residents are homeowners, but those who choose to rent can expect to shell out $1,677 monthly.
Being a family-friendly town, John’s Creek is loaded with more than 300 acres of public parks and walking trails. It’s also filled with coffee shops, cafes, golf clubs, locally-owned independent shops, and restaurants.
Most residents work in the information technology, medical, software or professional services industries. As of 2023, both the housing and job markets are growing.
Roswell
Located just a tad bit north of Atlanta, this city is jam-packed full of old-timey historic charm. It has a population that’s rapidly approaching 100,000, but thankfully doesn’t feel overly crowded. Locals enjoy annual craft beer, art, and music festival in addition to other cultural events like block parties, theater, and free concerts. Also of note, Roswell has an ample offering of restaurants, coffee shops, galleries, and local stores.
With over 900 acres of parkland, Roswell makes it easy for residents to enjoy the great outdoors. Roswell locals enjoy taking hikes over at Roswell Mill, tubing down at the Chattahoochee River, and mountain biking at the Big Creek Greenway.
When set side by side to other Georgia cities – especially those in close proximity to Atlanta – the cost of living in Roswell is fairly low. Because of this, it’s a city that attracts large numbers of young professionals and families. Median home value is $374,700, while median rent is about $1,300.
Marietta
In a lot of ways, Marietta is to Atlanta, what Fairfax is to DC. The town is located about 20 or so minutes from downtown Atlanta and offers plenty of attractions for it’s 56,000+ residents to enjoy. For example, locals enjoy seeing live performances over at the New Theatre in the Marietta Square, relaxing and knocking a few back at Hare Brewing Company, or attending a Braves game over at Truist Park.
Marietta’s city square is the bustling center where you’ll find lots of people hanging out and enjoying life. The Square has plenty of shops, cafes, and restaurants and regularly hosts events that bring together the community.
The majority of people that live in Marietta enjoy the area for how it offers both a taste of the city and suburban life. As far as education goes, Marietta is very proud of the fact that they have one of the highest rated school systems in the nation.
Compared to the rest of Georgia’s suburban neighborhoods, Marietta is quite affordable, with median home values at $287,000. The bulk of residents rent their homes at a median rental cost of $1,100 a month.
Suwanee
Home to just 18,000 residents, Suwanee is a town with a very close-knit small-town feel. It’s about a 30-minute drive north of Atlanta and got it’s start as a small agricultural community. The city is dedicated to maintaining that quaint, safe neighborly feel while encouraging residents to get involved with their community.
Suwanee Town Center has been called the town’s ‘Front Yard’. Here you’ll find local shops, eateries, cafes, and quite often, events and festivals.
Suwannee has been touted by many well-regarded publications, including Family Circle, as being one of the best places in the country to raise a family. Due to this resplendent reputation, the town attracts many young and growing families.
The city has a very low crime rate, a great school system, and several public parks and trails.
Unlike other cities that boast a low crime rate, Suwanne isn’t extremely pricey, although on the other hand, it’s not exactly the cheapest place to live either. Sitting right in the middle, the median home value is $309,000.
Before we wrap things up, we’ll go ahead and list off a few honorable mentions that are worth researching. As far as other great places to live in Georgia goes, you also have Midtown, Atlantic Station, Woodstock, Peachtree City, Canton, and Savannah.
On that note, we’ll go ahead and pass the mic over to you. If you could live anywhere in Georgia, where would you choose and why? If you already live in Georgia, tell us about your town and what makes it so great! Share your thoughts with us down in the comments, and as always, happy travels Viewcationers!