2018 Atlanta CommunityProfiles

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2018/2019 

CommunityProfiles >> 2018/2019 

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1

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be accurate but is not warranted and is subject to change without notice. 

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1

Atlanta ranks high in quality of life 

A T L A N T A your new hometown 

WELCOME HOME! 

…to a city where every other street seems to have “Peachtree” in its name, where its citizens are as 

determined and resilient as Scarlet O’Hara, where a soft drink has become “the Real Thing” the world 

over, where the courageous leader of America’s civil rights movement called home and where the status 

of an international city is firmly established by hosting the Olympics. 

The area of Atlanta was originally populated by a Native American 

mound-building society. Many of Atlanta’s corridors follow the 

paths created by the Creek and Cherokee Indian nations, who 

inhabited the area until the early 19th Century. A large Creek 

settlement was called Standing Pitch Tree after a tall lone tree. Over 

time, the “pitch tree” became “peach tree.” No matter where you 

go in Atlanta, you always seem to be driving on Peachtree. 

By the time of the American Revolution, the Creek, thought 

to be descendants of the early inhabitants, had established 

Standing Peachtree Village near the site of an ancient mound by 

the confluence of the Chattahoochee River and Peachtree Creek. 

The village was a hub for several major trails and functioned as an 

important trading center. A large section of one of the main trails, 

which ran from the village to present-day Suwannee, was upgraded 

by local European settlers near Fort Daniel built, during the War of 

1812, in what is now Gwinnett County. This led to the building in 

1813 of Fort Peachtree on a rise overlooking the Chattahoochee 

River. The former trail that now connected the two forts became 

known as the original Peachtree Road. 

In 1821 the Creek ceded the lands surrounding the Atlanta area to 

the State of Georgia. The first European settler in what is now Atlanta 

was Hardy Ivy, who in 1833 built a cabin near present day Courtland 

Street and International Boulevard. In 1836, in an effort to compete 

for trade, the Georgia legislature approved the construction of a 

railroad to connect the area near Chattanooga, Tennessee to “... a 

point on the southeastern bank of the Chattahoochee River.” Army 

engineer Colonel Stephen Harriman Long was chosen to determine 

the most practical route for the new Western and Atlantic Railroad 

line. After exploring half a dozen options he chose a site nine miles 

south of the river. In 1837, a stake was driven into the red clay on 

Hardy Ivy’s property and the town that was to become the city of 

Atlanta became the “end of the line.” Aptly named Terminus by the 

railroad’s chief engineer, the town boomed. As the town continued 

to grow and prosper, the name Atlanta was chosen to represent 

the thriving, progressive community that today nearly 5,500,000 

residents call home. 

First Multiple Listing Service, Inc., 

CommunityProfiles Atlanta 2015/2016 

CommunityProfiles 

Published annually by: Wieland Communications, Inc 

301 Bombay Lane • Roswell, GA 30076 

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Associate Publisher: Lynn Webb-Bettinger 

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2 CommunityProfiles >> 2018/2019

Today, the Atlanta metropolitan area consistently ranks 

high in overall quality of life when compared to other cities in the 

country for numerous reasons. It is home to notable businesses 

such as Cingular Wireless, CNN, Cox Communications, EarthLink, 

Equifax Georgia-Pacific, Home Depot, Mercedes Benz, the Weather 

Channel and UPS, and continues to function as a major economic 

hub. 

With a passenger terminal complex equivalent to more than 45 

football fields, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is 

the world's busiest passenger airport. Atlanta is an ideal location 

for carriers like hometown Delta Air Lines, as the city is only a 

2-hour flight away from 83 percent of U.S. cities. Every day, nearly 

250,000 passengers travel through Hartsfield-Jackson making it the 

world’s busiest passenger airport. 

Atlanta offers its residents distinct seasons and a temperate 

climate. The flowering of the dogwood trees in the spring brings a 

festive air to the city, one of the greenest metro areas in the eastern 

part of the nation. Summers, which can have extended hot and 

humid spells, are tempered somewhat by Atlanta's elevation on the 

edge of north Georgia's Piedmont region. When fall moseys into the 

Atlanta region, the abundant greenery creates a decidedly more 

colorful canopy. Winters can be cold but daytime temperatures are 

usually comfortable enough to enjoy being outdoors. 

Education is well served in the Atlanta area with 26 public school 

systems and over 150 private schools. Atlanta consistently ranks 

high in the total number of post¬secondary degrees conferred 

annually. Students from around the world come to Atlanta to 

attend renowned institutions such as Emory University, the Georgia 

Institute of Technology and Georgia State University. 

Housing choices abound in the metro Atlanta area. Because the 

region covers such a large area there are homes and settings 

available to match any lifestyle. For those who enjoy in-town 

living, choices can run the gamut from quaint bungalows, 19th 

century Victorian homes and amenity-rich condo and apartment 

communities to trendy urban lofts, posh high-rises and modern, 

custom-built mansions. Prefer a suburban setting? There are 

plentiful options that range from family-oriented neighborhoods 

to upscale golf, equestrian and tennis communities featuring 

luxurious homes. The rural areas of the metro region offer spacious 

settings for existing or new homes with a relaxed feel embodying 

the graciousness of the South. Land is available for people who 

have plans for building a dream house, while existing homes offer 

choices sure to satisfy anyone seeking a pastoral repose. 

Opportunities are also available for homeowners with exclusive 

tastes. Numerous choices exist in golf and country club communities 

offering private memberships and custom homes. 

Due to Atlanta’s ideal location, recreational activities abound in 

Georgia. Day trips offer opportunities in hiking, water skiing and 

whitewater rafting. A four-hour drive from Atlanta can bring you 

to the charm and grace of Savannah and the Georgia Coast, or the 

splendor of the North Carolina Mountains. 

With over 8,000 restaurants in the metro area that range from 

simple and satisfying to elegant and gourmet, one never needs to 

go far to find a good meal. With every major U.S. regional cuisine 

represented as well as offerings from the cuisines of Europe, Latin 

and South America, Africa and Asia, those in search of outstanding 

culinary experiences will have an endless adventure. 

Cultural appetites can also be well sated. The High Museum of Art, 

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Ballet, the Alliance 

Theater, and the famous Fox Theater plus art galleries, comedy 

clubs, live music venues and local festivals are but a few of the 

host of choices available for a sophisticated night on the town 

or a weekend of fun. For entertainment the whole family would 

enjoy Atlanta offers Six Flags Over Georgia, the Presidential Center, 

the Fernbank Natural History Museum, the Martin Luther King, 

Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Zoo Atlanta, the Georgia 

Aquarium and the World of Coke. 

Pro sporting events run year-round in Atlanta, which is home to 

baseball’s Atlanta Braves, football’s Atlanta Falcons, and basketball’s 

Atlanta Hawks. State-of-the-art facilities such as Philips Arena, 

the The Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and SunTrust Park, have hosted 

events like the Peach Bowl, the SEC Championship, the NCAA 

College Football Championship, and others. 

CommunityProfiles >> 2018/2019 3

A five star experience. 

Discover a better fit. 

Get started today with 

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Call 770.698.2000 or visit ConcourseClub.com 

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Building 

BetterYou 

a 

It’s not uncommon to see license tags from another state in the 

parking lot or hear foreign languages or accents being spoken in 

the office of Suwanee Dental Care. Build it and they will come 

if the word gets out, and that’s just what Dr. Bill Williams did 

as an early adopter on the web, local radio and TV. Suwanee 

may have been a sleepy little town 25 miles northeast of Atlanta 

back in the 90’s, but now no less than five national magazines 

have named Suwanee among the best places to live, work and 

play in America. Rating high in educational systems, community 

parks and recreation, safety, work-force training and a multitude 

of sports, cultural and medical professional accessibility gave 

Suwanee and Gwinnett County its high ranking. 

Building a better dental practice is a lot like building a better city. 

It takes planning and foresight, training and implementation. 

That’s what Dr. Williams accomplished in putting together one 

of America’s finest dental teams and most advanced facilities. 

Drs. Chad Schalk, Melissa Kremer, Naz Majdi and he have 

a combined 52 years of experience. Dr. Kremer is fluent in 

Spanish and Dr. Majdi in Farsi. Additionally, there are currently 

a few team members who speak Russian and Romanian. All 

of the doctors graduated from the Medical College of Georgia 

School of Dentistry and both Dr. Schalk and Dr. Majdi completed 

General Practice Residencies for advanced training. Dr. Williams 

is a best-selling author as well as teacher in dentistry and 

is a Master of the Academy of General Dentistry, hence the 

Suwannee Dental Care slogan, “Everything Under One Roof.” 

Clients come from all over to build and restore their smiles to 

better strength, longevity and beauty. Oral and I.V. sedation are 

important to many patients so that they can relax and sleep 

through their appointments, getting all their dentistry done at 

one time or in just a few visits. Expert comprehensive analysis 

and remarkable results are keys to Suwanee Dental Care’s 

success. Being well-versed in TMJ, neuromuscular dentistry, 

orthodontics, Invisalign, implant dentistry, oral surgery, smile 

design and reconstruction allows the doctors at Suwanee 

Dental Care to complete complex cases that many dentists tend 

to avoid. 

Currently, the state-of-the-art in dentistry is restoration of 

missing or weakened teeth with dental implants. Patients can 

expect many years of solid chewing and beautiful smiles with 

the newer fixed teeth attached to implants instead of just 

removable dentures. It’s not a dream any longer. You can go to 

sleep and wake up with all new teeth! Suwanee Dental Care can 

provide the right services to help you achieve the smile you’ve 

always dreamed of to build a better, more beautiful, you. 


Only in Atlanta 

Ride your bike from Atlanta to Alabama. The Silver Comet Trail 

begins in Smyrna and runs all the way across the Alabama border. 

Participate in the race that runners from around the world 

descend on Atlanta for each Fourth of July – the Peachtree Road 

Race. Approximately 60,000 runners participate each year, making 

it one of the largest 10K foot races in the world. 

Ask directions from locals and you may hear “ITP” or “OTP.” These 

nicknames reference communities that are “Inside the Perimeter” 

or “Outside the Perimeter” created by Interstate 285, a nearly 63- 

mile stretch of highway that encircles much of the city of Atlanta. 

View Atlanta from the tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere 

and stay for dinner. The rotating Sun Dial Restaurant Bar and View 

atop the cylindrical Westin Peachtree Plaza in Downtown Atlanta 

provides a breathtaking 360-degree view of the city and surrounding 

area while enjoying delicious cuisine. 

1864 Battle of Atlanta, and the APEX Museum, which includes 

depictions of African American history of Georgia. 

Dive into a one-of-a-kind aquatic experience at the Georgia 

Aquarium -- the world’s largest aquarium, where you’ll discover 

beluga whales, whale sharks, penguins and aquatic animals from 

around the globe. 

Witness the Eastern Continental Divide, a continental divide 

in the U.S. that separates the Gulf of Mexico drainage from the 

watersheds that flow directly into the Atlantic Ocean, runs right 

through downtown Atlanta and then east and through Decatur. 

Rainwater that falls on the south and east side of the divide runs 

eventually into the Atlantic Ocean while rainwater on the north and 

west side of the divide runs into the Gulf of Mexico. 

Taste over 60 different coke products from around the globe at the 

World of Coca-Cola. Explore the complete story past, present, and 

future of the world’s best-known brand! 

Let your imagination run wild with LEGO fans young and old at 

LEGOLAND Discovery Center - made up of a series of interactive 

features with creative inspiration at every turn. 

Sit at the center of a panorama of the Battle of Atlanta and take 

a stirring journey through time in Atlanta’s Cyclorama & Civil War 

Museum, which showcases large circular paintings depicting the 

6 

Smith Plantation, Roswell, GA 

Sandy Springs, GA 

Other notable attractions are The National Center for Civil and 

Human Rights, The Georgia State Museum of Science and Industry, 

Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, and Braves Museum & Hall of 

Fame. The city also offers easy access to other historical sites such 

as the Tullie Smith Farm, Wren’s Nest, and Martin Luther King Jr. 

National Historical Site. The Stone Mountain Park has nature trails, 

a tennis center, and amenities for swimming and fishing. Visitors to 

this park can also see the figures of Confederacy President Jefferson 

Davis, Lt. Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, and Gen. Robert E. 

Lee that are carved in the granite of the mountain. Other popular 

attractions include the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Yellow River Game 

Ranch, Zoo Atlanta, and the Atlanta Farmers Market. Additionally, 

three of Atlanta’s more prestigious universities are located close to 

the downtown area Georgia State University, Morehouse College, 

and Clark Atlanta University. 

Atlanta offers tons of fun for adults and children alike. There are so 

many things to do in Atlanta - from top attractions and history, to 

outdoor adventures and award-winning culture - you’re sure to find 

seasonal sensations year-round. 

CommunityProfiles >> 2018/2019

Who are We? 

Retailing Mattresses and Furniture for a Purpose 

A Store With a Heart 

Heart Liquidator and Mattress Heroes is a unique wholesale and retail store. 

They Partner have donated companies and help Heart raise Liquidators over 12 Million and Mattress in funds Heroes, to help retailers charities of around discounted the United furniture States and and mattresses, especially right 

here have in Atlanta. a unique They commitment buy discounted to the closeouts, community. refused Through orders, their and wholesale undelivered and mattresses retail store, from they manufactures have donated around 

the country. Regular Manufacturers and Wholesale companies average from 5-10% in returns, overstock and refused 

and sold discounted products to raise more than $12 million for various charities in the Atlanta area and 

around the 

shipments. 

United States. 

This adds up to 100’s of Millions in hugely discounted product, sometimes even donated. Heart Liquidator and Mattress 

How do they accomplish this? Heart Liquidators and Mattress Heroes buy discounted closeouts, refused 

orders and Heroes undelivered ship this mattresses product to from Charitable manufacturers retailers or around to their the own country. warehouses They then here ship in Atlanta. these products 

Their to charitable store in Atlanta retailers sells: such Serta as Mattresses, The Salvation Bassett, Army, Mod St Vincent Loft, Stanley, DePaul Drexel and Habitat Heritage, for Thomasville Humanity, or and to Joy their Bird 

own warehouses here in Furniture. Atlanta, where All for the huge mattresses savings with and 20% furnishings going to are local sold charities. at up to 70% off, with 20% of 

the proceeds designated for local charities. 

The wholesale division, Heart Liquidators, ships product to The Salvation Army, St Vincent DePaul, Habitat for Humanity, 

Seeing is believing! Heart Liquidators 

and other 

and Mattress 

independent 

Heroes 

charitable 

sell well-known 

retailers. 

brands like Serta, Bassett, Mod 

Their store is becoming the worst Loft, kept Stanley, secret Drexel in Atlanta. Heritage, Mattress Thomasville Heroes USA and isJoy a very Bird. friendly place where you can buy 

mattresses Come save and money furnishings on quality at up furnishings to 70% off and and help 20% others of in proceeds your community will help many at the local same charities. time. 

You have to come see it to believe it! 

Come save money and help a neighbor at the same time! 

What We Sale 

Mattresses 

Mattress Covers 

Adjustable Beds 

Bed Frames 

Furniture 

There price: $1,699.00 

Our Price: $625.00 





6438 Dawson Blvd Suite D, Norcross, GA 30093 

Store: (770) 814-2337 Holly: (515) 971-3433 

Monday – Saturday 10am- 7pm 

Sunday 12pm-6pm 

Foundations We Support 

Make A Wish 

Ronald McDonald House 

Atlanta Hospitality House 

Rotary Club Charities 

Imagine Missions 

Hope Haven 

Vital Signs 

H.O.W.W. 

& Many More 


For more than 10 years, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta 

International Airport has reigned supreme as the 

world’s busiest airport. Each year, more than 95 million 

passengers—an average of about 250,000 each day—walk 

the halls of the airport’s seven concourses and board flights 

to one of the more than 200 destinations served from 

one of its 207 gates. Twenty different regional, national 

and international carriers operate flights from Hartsfield. 

But Hartsfield-Jackson is more than just a way to get 

from point A to point B, or a stopover for people on their 

way to other destinations; it is a major cog in the city’s 

economic wheel, with an estimated economic impact of 

$32.5 billion. 

History 

Like the city itself, Atlanta’s airport had humble 

beginnings. Back in April 1925, then-Mayor Walter 

Sims signed a five-year lease on an abandoned 

racetrack and committed his city to developing it into 

an airfield. Four years later, the city purchased the 

land (for the bargain price of $94,400) and named it 

Atlanta Municipal Airport. A fledgling passenger airline 

named Delta moved its headquarters from Monroe, 

La., to Atlanta in 1941, paving the way for the airline’s 

operations to grow. The city added passenger terminals 

in the 1970s and 1980s, MARTA access arrived in 1988 

and the 1.2 million-square-foot Maynard H. Jackson 

Jr. International Terminal opened to much fanfare in 

May 2012. These milestones are proof that the city’s 

investment in its airport has more than paid off. 

Getting Around 

For passengers who choose to drive to the airport, the 

domestic terminal is easily accessible from I-85 south 

of downtown, while the new international terminal is 

accessible via I-75. Parking at the airport is easy, with 

more than 33,000 available spaces. For those who prefer 

to make use of the city’s public transportation system, 

the airport is the terminus of the Red and Gold lines 

on MARTA. 

Once inside Hartsfield, 

passengers can use one of 57 

security lanes to quickly enter 

the main terminal and the 

lettered concourses. An easy-touse 

inter-airport train system, 

known as the Automated People 

Mover, travels a 3-mile loop and 

connects all concourses with the 

domestic terminal. Hartsfield- 

Jackson boasts a whopping 114 

food and beverage locations, 90 

retail and convenience stores, three 

duty-free stores and 56 service outlets, including ATMs, 

vending machines and spas. 

More Than an Airport 

Hartsfield-Jackson’s statistical profile, while impressive, 

only tells part of the story. In many ways, the airport is 

a city unto itself, employing more than 58,000 people, 

from those outside, who run airport operations like air 

traffic controllers and ground crew, to those inside, like 

vendors and security staff, who make traveling through 

Atlanta comfortable and safe for thousands of passengers 

each day. 

The Future of ATL 

Never a city to rest on its laurels, Atlanta has been 

working long and hard to plan for both the city’s and the 

airport’s future. In March 2014, leaders from a wide range 

of public and private industries launched the Atlanta 

Aerotropolis Alliance. The term “aerotropolis,” which 

was coined by Dr. John Karsada of the University of 

North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, means 

using an airport as a means of urban development to 

connect workers, suppliers, executives and goods. With 

companies like Porsche Cars North America building 

developments and bringing business to the areas near the 

airport, Hartsfield-Jackson is well-positioned to enhance 

its status as a vital part of the city’s economy. 

GatewaY 

WorlD 

to the 

By Gwyn Herbein 

Within the airport, the success of the international 

terminal has spurred further proposals for growth. In 

2014, the airport’s leadership unveiled a $4 billion vision 

for a variety of projects over the next 15 years. Plans for 

larger parking garages, additional cargo buildings, new 

concourses and an additional runway are all in the 

planning stages for funding and logistics. 

No matter where you are going, Hartsfield-Jackson 

Atlanta International 

Airport will get you 

there quickly 

and safely. 

Improving 

Transportation 

in Georgia 

As the metro Atlanta area booms, the Georgia 

Department of Transportation (GDOT) is 

constantly looking for ways to help us all get 

where we need to go faster and more efficiently. 

With new houses, businesses, schools and 

fun destinations popping up all over the map, 

GDOT is finding innovative ways to improve 

our transportation infrastructure. That goes 

beyond simply building roads, GDOT wants 

to give Georgians options, including some that 

may help get them out of their cars. We want 

to not only significantly improve everyone’s 

mobility, but also boost their quality of life. 

The Georgia Express Lanes are managed toll 

lanes designed to offer drivers another, more 

reliable, commute option. Currently, there are 

two Express Lane systems in operation. North 

of metro Atlanta, the I-85 High Occupancy 

Toll (HOT) lanes are 16 miles that stretch 

from Chamblee Tucker Road, just 

south of I-285, to Old Peachtree Road 

in Gwinnett County. The I-75 South 

Metro Express Lanes in Clayton and 

Henry counties offer commuters 12 

miles of reversible managed lanes 

along I-75 from SR 155/McDonough 

Road to SR 138/Stockbridge Highway. 

The Express Lanes add additional 

capacity to accommodate more 

travelers while leveraging innovative 

technologies to manage traffic flow. By 

charging a variable toll rate based on 

the level of demand, the Express Lanes 

give motorists the option to bypass congestion 

and get where they need to go. 

In the next two years, the Northwest Corridor 

and I-85 Extension Express Lanes systems 

will be available for motorists. Scheduled to 

open in summer 2018, the Northwest Corridor 

Express Lanes project will add almost 30 

miles of reversible toll lanes along I-75 from 

Akers Mill Road to Hickory Grove Road and 

along I-575 from I-75 to Sixes Road. The I-85 

Extension, scheduled to open fall 2018, will 

add one northbound and one southbound toll 

lane north of the existing Express Lanes on 

I-85 at Old Peachtree Road to Hamilton Mill 

Road. 

Additional Express Lanes projects will come 

online in next 10 years to improve travel 

along the top end of I-285 in Atlanta with the 

addition of managed toll lanes operating in 

each direction along I-285 from I-75 to I-85 

and the State Route 400 Express Lanes. As 

Georgia’s network of managed toll lanes 

grows and more systems open, commuters 

will be able to decide if this travel option is 

right for them. 

To use any of Georgia’s Express Lanes, 

drivers must register for a Peach Pass (www. 

peachpass.com) with the State and Road 

Tollway Authority (SRTA). Placed inside the 

car, the Peach Pass automatically deducts the 

corresponding fee for each trip in the lanes. 

Transit riders and registered vanpools are 

exempt from the toll, offering their customers 

a more reliable trip at no extra cost. 

To further enhance Georgia’s transportation 

infrastructure, the Georgia legislature passed 

the Transportation Funding Act (TFA) in 

2015 to provide sustainable support for local 

roadway and bridge improvements and 

several large-scale projects that will enhance 

mobility for years to come. 

Metro Atlanta is a wonderful place to live. 

GDOT will continue to focus on expanding 

mobility options, improving infrastructure 

and enhancing the quality of life for all of our 

residents. 

Please visit us at http://www.dot.ga.gov/ for 

more information about the ways GDOT is 

helping Georgians keep moving. 

8 


Catch a Ride on 

By 

Gwyn Herbein 

You don’t have to live in Atlanta very long 

before likely hearing the mantra, “MARTA...it’s 

s’MARTA!” repeated several times. MARTA, which 

stands for Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit 

Authority, a network of trains, shuttles and buses, 

provides access to some of the metro area’s largest 

businesses and busiest tourist attractions. From 

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport 

to Centennial Olympic Park and the bustling 

shopping districts of Buckhead and Perimeter Mall, 

commuters have many ways to get from point A to 

point B. With route expansions, station renovations 

and technology integrations well underway, 

MARTA and its leadership are working hard to 

ensure that Atlanta—and its residents—keep 

moving forward. 

Where MARTA’s Been 

In a city known for its urban sprawl and frustrating 

gridlock traffic, residents appreciate having options 

for getting where they need to go. As Atlanta and 

its population began to grow in the middle of 

the twentieth century, city officials recognized 

the importance of public transportation. After 

considering a variety of plans and proposals, in 

1965 the state legislature passed the Metropolitan 

Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Act, which created 

the system now known as MARTA, and it was 

subsequently approved by four counties and the 

City of Atlanta. The next several years were spent 

consolidating a patchwork of existing systems as 

well as securing land and voter approval to purchase 

the Atlanta Transit System. 

Know Before You Go 

Train Hours: 

Weekday 4:45 a.m. - 1 a.m. 

Weekend 6:00 a.m. - 1 a.m. 

Train Frequency: 

Rush hours: 

(6–9 a.m. and 3–7 p.m.) 

10 minutes 

Non-Rush Hour: 

15 minutes apart 

Nights & Weekends: 

20 minutes. 

Bus Hours: 

Weekday 5:00 a.m. - 1 a.m. 

Weekend 5:00 a.m. - 12:30 a.m. 

Fare: 

$2.50 (single trip) 

For maps and additional 

information, go to 

www.itsmarta.com. 

On June 30, 1979, the first MARTA train began 

operating between the Avondale and Georgia State 

stations. From there, service spread to the south, to 

the Airport station, to the north, to Buckhead and 

beyond, as well as to the east and west. New stations 

continued opening 

well into the beginning 

of the 21st century, 

with the addition of 

Sandy Springs and 

North Springs in 2000. 

The hard work 

and dedication of 

city officials, MARTA 

employees and 

community members 

has helped bolster a 

system that Atlanta 

can be proud of. Saba 

Long, a spokeswoman 

for MARTA, notes that 

MARTA now has the 

distinction of being the 

ninth-largest transit 

system in the country. 

“MARTA serves millions 

of Atlanta area residents 

and visitors,” she notes. 

“With direct connections 

to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, 

business districts, major tourist attractions and 

historic neighborhoods, MARTA is a reliable, safe 

transportation alternative.” Long also notes that 

MARTA was the first transit system in the country 

to adopt a stored value smartcard—known as the 

Breeze card—as a mechanism for customers to 

pay their fare. “Breeze cards can be purchased 

and reloaded online or at any of MARTA’s 38 rail 

stations,” she adds. 

Where MARTA’s Going 

Now a well-oiled network of trains, buses, parkand-ride 

lots and other amenities, MARTA and 

its leadership have their eyes focused on bringing 

the system into the future. Through station 

improvements and expansions, its “Ride With 

Respect” initiative and technological upgrades, 

MARTA is transforming itself into a system that 

appeals to a wide range of Atlanta’s demographics. 

First and foremost, MARTA leadership 

understands that many of its customers rely on 

their mobile devices every day to provide up-todate 

information. “[Customers can] download 

MARTA’s free ‘On the Go’ mobile app to find 

scheduling information, real-time bus and rail 

arrival information and service alerts for MARTA’s 

four rail lines and 91 bus routes,” says Long. “By 

developing and maintaining the mobile app inhouse, 

MARTA is able to provide customers with 

prompt updates to assist customers in trip planning.” 

As a companion to its Ride With Respect campaign, 

which encourages riders to be considerate of their 

fellow passengers, the system also has a “See 

Something, Say Something” app. “Just as you 

would immediately report suspicious or improper 

behavior in an airport, you should do the same when 

using public transit,” says 

Long. “Using the app 

empowers customers 

to anonymously report 

suspicious behavior. 

Thanks to the public’s 

help and the diligence 

of MARTA’s able police 

force, MARTA ranks as 

one of the safest transit 

systems in the country.” 

As the metro 

area has expanded, the 

system has been actively 

investigating ways to be 

more accessible to more 

residents. It secured 

its first jurisdictional 

expansion in November 

2014, when Clayton 

County residents voted 

to bring the authority 

into the county. “In 2015, 

MARTA began bus 

service to Clayton County, connecting its residents 

with Fulton, DeKalb and the City of Atlanta. 

Within a decade, the Authority anticipates a highcapacity 

transit project such as commuter rail or 

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will open in Clayton,” says 

Long of the expansion. 

MARTA is also investigating the possibility of 

future projects. “Among them [are] extending the 

Red Line past Mansell Road, a Light Rail Transit 

(LRT) project connecting Atlanta and the Clifton 

Corridor and a high-capacity transit project along 

I-20 East,” explains Long. “These projects will 

exponentially increase the region’s transit access 

and connect thousands of residents and visitors 

to employment centers and neighborhoods.” 

Long touts the importance of transit-oriented 

development as a way to attract what the authority 

refers to as lifestyle customers, or people who 

intentionally incorporate transit into their daily 

lives. As more and more companies relocate to 

the metro area and development projects from 

Ponce City Market in Midtown to Avalon in 

Alpharetta attract millenials and other workers 

to concentrated areas, transit becomes more 

important. “Companies such as PulteGroup and 

Bellsouth have intentionally moved their corporate 

offices to Atlanta and specifically in close proximity 

to MARTA rail stations,” says Long. “This is a clear 

sign public perception towards MARTA and transit 

is shifting in the metro Atlanta region.” 


Atlanta’s Economic Appeal 

By Tom Croteau, 

Deputy Commissioner, Global Commerce 

Georgia Department of Economic Development 

At the Georgia Department of Economic Development, our 

main goal is to create quality jobs and investment opportunities 

for the state. We do this through a very integrated and innovative 

approach. We know that it is vital that Georgia remain an attractive 

place for business across the board. This includes logistics and 

infrastructure, innovation at our educational institutes, a skilled 

workforce, and an exceptional quality of life. 

For the last four years, Site Selection magazine has named 

Georgia the No. 1 state in the nation in which to do business. 

This ranking has been a catalyst as we work to remain competitive 

in the global marketplace. We continue to see companies from 

all over the world choose Georgia, or existing industry expand 

their footprint here. Companies who choose Georgia know they 

can lower their cost of doing business, obtain access to top-talent 

and a strong workforce and access the best resources to meet the 

demands of their growing customer bases. 

Georgia has had great economic development successes 

throughout the entire state. Atlanta touts’ incredible connectivity 

through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and is 

also a great place to live, play and work. Many companies site 

our ease of access to the world as a key component in choosing 

Georgia. Did you know that you can reach 80 percent of the U.S. 

market within a two-hour flight from Georgia? 

All of these factors work together in attracting business to our state, 

along with many other industry specific influences. For example, 

one key component to the success of the financial technology 

(FinTech) industry in our state is that two of the country’s 

largest fiber routes (North/South and East/West) intersect in 

metro Atlanta, along with major research lines Internet2 and 

the National LambdaRail. Every major international and North 

American fiber provider possesses a core interconnection point 

in Atlanta – making our state the ideal location for innovative 

FinTech companies to do business. Georgia is also one of the top 

five access states for total fiber/bandwidth. 

The result is a FinTech industry that has a huge presence in 

Georgia. In fact, Georgia is home to six of the 10 largest U.S. 

payment processing firms, and more than 60 percent of the 

U.S. FinTech market. Incredibly, seventy percent of all financial 

transactions in the U.S. are processed through Georgia-based 

FinTech companies! 

Today, Georgia FinTech companies generate annual revenue 

of more than $72 billion, employ more than 300,000 people 

and occupy around 8 million square feet of real estate. These 

companies and others process more than118 billion transactions 

per year representing more than $2 trillion of purchase volume 

each year, supporting nearly four million merchants. 

FinTech is just one industry that has roots in Atlanta, and an 

influence state and nationwide. 

The technology industry has also found a place to thrive in Atlanta. 

Recently, Forbes named Atlanta one of 5 U.S. Cities Poised to 

Become Tomorrow’s Tech Meccas and Realtor.com ranked 

Atlanta the No. 2 ‘Next Top Tech Town.’ Both incredible wins 

for our state. There are currently 17,000 technology companies 

– representing an economic impact of $113.1 billion in Georgia. 

Additionally, we have the fifth largest IT employment cluster in 

U.S. with more than 200,000 high-tech professionals. 

Technology has a significant impact on our daily lives, and as 

society continues to evolve and become even more fast paced, we 

must prepare a class of individuals who are able to work and meet 

the demands of all industries. Colleges and universities in Georgia 

provide growing businesses with a steady stream of talent. In fact, 

in metro Atlanta, one-third of adults hold a four-year college 

degree, well above the national average of 28 percent, providing a 

concentration of intellectual capital for organizations of all sizes. 

Our state boasts a robust talent pool from local institutions 

including Emory University, Georgia Southern University, 

Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, The University of 

Georgia and Kennesaw State University. Businesses in Georgia 

find a solid educational system that develops a well-prepared 

workforce for tomorrow. 

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) also ensures 

that companies have the skilled workers needed to build and 

maintain a competitive edge. The 23 colleges that compose TCSG 

offer affordable education and excellent training in more than 

600 certificate, diploma and two-year associate degree programs, 

helping Georgia students meet specialized knowledge and skills 

that today’s companies need. 

We must also attribute our economic development successes in 

Atlanta, and beyond, to strong vision and leadership from the 

state’s top advocate for economic development, Gov. Nathan 

Deal. Since Deal took office in January 2011, we have announced 

2,380 projects, $30.7 billion investment and 178,641 jobs, and 

that number continues to grow. As I write this today, several more 

companies are preparing to announce that they have chosen 

Georgia for their next location and expansion. 

Last but certainly not least, quality of life plays an incredible role 

in fostering new business activity. People want to love where they 

live, and enjoy what their region has to offer. Atlanta is not only a 

great place for business, but also provides incredible opportunities 

for family, relaxation and fun. Atlanta is home to incredible 

restaurants, museums and cultural attractions. 

Beyond the big city, the state’s diverse population, the blend of 

city and country atmosphere, and the widely varying topography 

all contribute to a unique lifestyle and array of experiences 

unmatched by other states. Lifestyle, diversity and standard 

of living are reasons Georgia continues to attract Fortune 500 

companies, as well as the skilled, educated workforce those 

businesses and others need to succeed. 

The health of our state’s economy rests squarely on the shoulders 

of each and every citizen. We all play a part in its economic 

development. All companies in Georgia rely on logical locations, 

attractive incentives, access to a high-quality workforce, and 

partners at every level who understand their needs intimately. 

Providing the best resources to support thriving companies who 

choose to locate their business in Atlanta or any part of our state 

will remain a top priority for us. For more information, please visit 

www.Georgia.org. 

10 


Atlanta’s Best 

The 25 Top 

Employers 

No matter what your dreams, expertise or career plan, 

Atlanta has a variety of jobs for everyone. Here are the 

top ten employers in the metro area you should seek 

out based on your talents. 

1. Delta Air Lines; The busiest airport in the world 

is supported with the largest workforce in Atlanta with 

over 30,000 employees. The major American airline 

has its headquarters and largest hub at Hartsfield– 

Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Delta and its 

subsidiaries operate over 5,400 flights daily and serve 

an extensive domestic and international network 

that includes 319 destinations in 54 countries on six 

continents. 

2. Emory University / Emory Healthcare; Emory, 

one of the world’s leading research universities along 

with the largest hospital system in Atlanta, employs 

26,000. The private university attracts nearly 3,800 

international students and scholars from more than 

100 countries. The research healthcare system has 

seven hospital locations in Atlanta and is nationally 

ranked for quality among the top 10 percent of 

academic medical centers in the U.S. 

3. The Home Depot; Not your average “hardware 

store”, The Home Depot employs 25,000 at their 

corporate headquarters in Atlanta. They are the largest 

home improvement retailer with more than 2,200 

stores across North America. This year The Home Depot 

was named one of the world’s 50 Most Innovative 

Companies for 2017 by Fast Company for its bold 

e-commerce strategy and efforts to integrate digital 

and in-store shopping experiences. 

4. WellStar Health System; WellStar Health 

System, the largest health system in Georgia, is known 

nationally for its innovative care models focused on 

improving quality and access to healthcare. Specialists 

and primary care providers work in a multi-disciplinary 

environment with 20,000 team members throughout 

11 hospitals, 225 medical office locations, outpatient 

centers, health parks, a pediatric center and nursing 

centers. As a not-for-profit, WellStar continually 

reinvests into the health of its communities through 

new treatments, services and facilities. 

5. AT&T; AT&T Midtown Center, a 47-story skyscraper 

in Midtown Atlanta, is the regional headquarters for 

the largest provider of fixed telephone services in the 

U.S. and second largest provider of mobile telephone 

services. 17,000 employees ranging from sales to 

support work at the skyscraper and at a data center in 

North Atlanta. 

6. UPS (United Parcel Service); The UPS 

headquarters complex in Sandy Springs and 

shipping services at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson 

Airport employs 16,000 employees. They are experts 

in organization, specializing in air courier services 

and delivery logistics. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson 

Airport provides airport-to-airport services for global 

coverage within one-to-three or three-to-five days. 

7. Northside Hospital; Northside Hospital is one 

of the fastest growing health care organizations in 

the Southeast and currently employs nearly 15,000 

employees in Atlanta including physicians, nurses, 

allied health professionals, administrative and support 

services personnel. In 2016, Forbes named Northside 

Hospital to its list of America’s Best Employers in a 

survey that polled U.S. employees across all industries. 

8. Piedmont Healthcare; For over 100 years, 

Piedmont Healthcare has been a leader in Atlanta 

health services. Last year, a team of 12,900 Piedmont 

employees served nearly two million patients - 

performing over 44,000 surgeries, delivering 8,000 

babies, providing 471,695 outpatient encounters, 

completing 235 organ transplants and handling 

nearly 250,000 emergency room visits. 

9. Marriott International; Marriott International 

employs over 12,000 Atlantans to assist with 

hospitality, customer service and expertise in overnight 

travel. Of the 94 Marriott hotels in Atlanta, the Marriott 

Marquis is one of the top luxury hotels in Atlanta. The 

hotel has an amazing atrium, marked by the 50-foot 

color changing sail of Pulse cocktail lounge and floorto-ceiling 

windows with amazing skyline views. 

10. Publix Supermarkets; Nearly 10,000 work 

at the Publix Super Markets in Atlanta and at the 

divisional headquarters in Marietta. Publix corporate 

has been named as one of Fortune’s “100 Best 

Companies to Work For” from 1998–2017, earning 

Publix recognition as one of the Great Place to Work 

Legends. The large supermarket chain also has a 

bakery manufacturing plant in Atlanta. 

11. Georgia State University....................... 9,422 

As the largest institution of higher education in the 

University System of Georgia, Georgia State has 

graduated more than 227,000 alumni with over 

100,000 alumni living in the Atlanta area. 

12. Center for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC)..................................... 9,151 

The CDC, the leading national public health institute 

for the US employs nearly 10,000 at the headquarters 

location in Atlanta. 

13. Cox Enterprises....................................... 8,269 

Communications and automotive company Cox 

Enterprises, Inc. is includes Cox Communications, Cox 

Media Group and Cox Automotive. 

14. Southern Company................................ 7,800 

Southern Company provides the entire southeast 

region with energy sources. The company is expanding 

product offerings to provide energy that is clean, safe 

and reliable across all gas and electric services. 

15. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta......... 7,208 

16. SunTrust Bank......................................... 7,128 

SunTrust Bank, one of the nation’s largest and strongest 

financial services companies, is headquartered in the 

tallest building in downtown Atlanta. 

17. State Farm Hub........................................ 7,000 

State Farm’s insurance has large hubs in Atlanta, 

Dallas, and Phoenix. The Atlanta location recently 

built a new tower in Dunwoody and are developing a 

corporate campus called Park Center. 

18. Georgia Institute of Technology.......... 6,860 

Leading technological university, Georgia Tech, has 

more than 100 centers focused on interdisciplinary 

research. GA Tech was ranked as the #7 best public 

university with more than 21,500 undergraduate and 

graduate students. 

19. Grady Health System............................. 5,999 

Grady as one of the nation’s best trauma centers- saving 

people who’ve been severely hurt in car accidents, 

industrial mishaps and other trauma incidents, 24/7. 

20. Bank of America, Regional HQ............. 5,552 

The regional headquarters for Bank of America is also 

the tallest building in the Southeastern United States, 

Bank of America Plaza is an iconic skyscraper between 

Midtown and Downtown and is one of the most 

recognized buildings in America. 

21. Turner Broadcasting 

System, Inc. (TBS).................................... 5,421 

CNN, HLN, Boomerang, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, 

TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies are all assets of 

Atlanta media conglomerate Turner. The company 

started in 1970 with Ted Turner and has grown to 

include Time Warner. 

22. Lockheed Martin..................................... 5,400 

Lockheed Martin is the world’s largest defense 

contractor and for the F-22 Raptor fighter jet and 

development of the F-35 Lightning II. The airlifter 

C-130J Super Hercules is manufactured in Marietta, 

GA. 

23. Gwinnett Medical Center...................... 4,856 

Not-for-profit Gwinnett Medical Center provides a 

wide range of high-quality services and facilities to the 

metro Atlanta area. In 2014, the system was recognized 

by Georgia Trend as the top large hospital in the state. 

24. Kennesaw State University.................. 4,813 

Kennesaw State University, the third largest university 

in the state, has been recently received an R3 

classification for a doctoral institution with moderate 

research activity. They have nearly 150 undergraduate, 

masters and doctoral programs. 

25. Verizon Communications Inc. 

Regional HQ............................................. 4,349 

As a technology leader in the South, Atlanta boasts 

large communications companies like Verizon. The 

company has set regional headquarters in Atlanta with 

employees ranging in customer service specialists 

to innovation center experts creating the latest in 

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has over 100 years’ 

experience in pediatric care. They are ranked among 

the nation’s top pediatric hospitals in the U.S. News & 

World Report 2016-2017 edition of “Best Children’s 

Hospitals.” 

wireless products. 


Don’t 1 2 

3 

Forget 

to have 

Top 10 

Attractions 

in Atlanta 

FUN! 

1. Center of Human Rights; The Center for Civil 

and Human Rights in downtown Atlanta is an engaging 

cultural attraction that connects the American Civil Rights 

Movement to today’s Global Human Rights Movements. 

2. High Museum; With its renowned collection 

of classic and contemporary art and award-winning 

architecture by Richard Meier and Renzo Piano, the 

High Museum of Art has grown from its origins in a 

stately home on Peachtree Street to become the leading 

art museum in the southeastern United States. 

3. Georgia Aquarium; Georgia Aquarium is the world’s 

most inspiring aquarium with over 8 million gallons of water 

the top Atlanta attraction, right in the heart of downtown. 

4. The College Football Hall of Fame; The College 

Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience open in 

downtown Atlanta provides visitors with a highly-immersive, 

interactive, and engaging experience using a blend of historic 

college football artifacts and state-of-the-art, interactive 

multimedia exhibits. 

5. Stone Mountain Park; Located on 3,200 acres of 

natural beauty, Stone Mountain Park features a wide variety 

of fun family activities and things to do such as dozens of fun 

annual events. Stone Mountain activities are suitable for all ages 

6. World of Coke; The World of Coca-Cola is the only 

place where you can experience the fascinating story of the 

world’s best-known beverage brand in a dynamic, multimedia 

attraction. 

7. Fernbank Museum of Natural History; Only at 

Fernbank Museum can you come face-to-face with the world’s 

largest dinosaurs, explore the development of life on Earth 

through the landscapes of present-day Georgia, connect with 

cultures from around the globe, engage in a variety of handson 

and special exhibitions including an incredible 5-story 

experience of an IMAX® film. 

8. Atlanta Botanical Garden; The Atlanta Botanical 

Garden is a 30 acres botanical garden located Midtown, 

incorporated in 1976, the garden’s mission is to “develop 

and maintain plant collections for the purposes of display, 

education, conservation, research and enjoyment.” 

9. Six Flags Over Georgia; The park boasts 13 heartpounding 

roller coasters headlined by the hyper-coaster Goliath, 

ranked as one of the top coasters in the world and Dare Devil 

Dive, a beyond-vertical coaster that sends you soaring through 

three inversions. Cool off on Thunder River, a wild rafting 

adventure or splash around at Paradise Island, a towering water 

play structure with hundreds of water elements. 

10. Legoland Discovery Center; There are many great 

family indoor attractions including 2 rides, 10 Lego build & 

play zones, a 4D cinema a toddler time, and a café. 

6 

9 

4 

8 

5 

7 

10 

12 


Atlanta Education 101 


When moving to a new city, or even just changing neighborhoods, 

parents want to know what the schools are like. Metro Atlanta boasts a 

wide range of options, from public schools to charters and a wide range 

of independent institutions that are committed to preparing students 

for college, careers and beyond. Determining the best choice for your 

family can be overwhelming, so do your homework and research 

additional information and resources, visit the Georgia Department of 

Education’s website (doe.k12.ga.us). 

Before even looking at schools, consider the qualities that make your 

child special. Some children need structure, while others thrive in 

smaller settings. The Metro area has many schools to choose from – 

public, charter, magnet, private, Montessori, faith-based and special 

area-focused 

Success in public schools 

The metro Atlanta area’s 33 public school districts align the state’s 

educational standards with those of other districts across the country. 

Over the past four years, the state has worked to implement 31 

different projects, from revised testing procedures to new methods of 

teacher evaluations, proposed under the federal Race to the Top grants. 

Additionally, the entire high school curriculum has recently been 

updated to better meet college and career standards. These efforts, 

plus many more, are paying off: For the sixth straight year, Georgia’s 

2017 high school graduation rate rose significantly, from 72.5 percent 

in 2014 to 80.6 percent in 2017. 

Under the leadership of State Superintendent Richard Woods, who 

took office in 2015, parents can be sure the reforms and improvements 

will keep coming. Schools across the metro area have much to be proud 

of these days. Thirty-three schools in Atlanta Public Schools showed 

gains on the state’s latest College and Career Ready Performance 

Index (CCRPI) results for 2016. Last year, ten area schools—a mix of 

public, charter, magnet and independent schools—were awarded the 

prestigious “National Blue Ribbon Award,” a distinction given each year 

by the U.S. Department of Education to schools working to close the 

achievement gap among their students. 

Charter schools are another good option for those seeking public 

education. Operating under the terms of a charter, these schools are 

not required to adhere to the same rules as other public schools, 

but are held to a higher standard of accountability when it comes to 

student achievement. For more information and a list of schools in the 

area, visit gacharters.org. 

Explore other options 

For some students, educational success may come from smaller 

classes, a curriculum focused on a specific career path or other nontraditional 

options. When investigating whether an independent school 

environment might be a good fit, it is important to consider the mission 

of each school to ensure it aligns with your family’s needs. The metro 

area is home to a wide range of options, from single-gender programs 

to boarding schools, and many schools use rolling admissions, which 

gives relocating families more flexibility during the application process. 

The Southern Association of Independent Schools (sais.org) can help 

narrow down your search of schools. 

Atlanta City Public Schools (404) 802-3500, atlanta.k12.ga.us 

Number of schools: 19 Charter, 50 Elementary Schools, 11 Middle 

Schools, 11 High Schools, and 8 Other. 

Barrow County Public Schools (770) 867-4527, barrow.k12.ga.us 

Number of schools: 9 Elementary Schools, 4 Middle Schools, 

2 High Schools, and 3 Programs. 

Bartow County Public Schools (770) 606-5800, bartow.k12.ga.us 

Number of schools: 12 Elementary Schools, 4 Middle Schools, 4 High 

Schools and 1 Other. 

Buford City Public Schools (770) 945-5035, bufordcityschools.org 

Number of schools: 1 Elementary School, 1 Middle School, 1 High 

School, and 1 Other. 

Cherokee County Public Schools (770) 479-1871, www.cherokee.k12.ga.us 



Clayton County Public Schools (770) 473-2706, clayton.k12.ga.us 


11 High Schools, and 3 Other. 

Cobb County Public Schools (770) 426-3300, www.cobb.k12.ga.us 

Number of schools: 67 Elementary Schools, 25 Middle Schools, 16 High 

Schools, and 12 Special Programs. 

Dekalb County Public Schools (678) 676-1200, dekalb.k12.ga.us 



Douglas County Public Schools (770) 651-2000, douglas.k12.ga.us 



Fayette County Public Schools (770) 460-3535, fcboe.org 



Forsyth County Public Schools (770) 887-2461, forsyth.k12.ga.us 



Fulton County Public Schools (404) 768-3600, fultonschools.org 



Gainesville City Public Schools (770) 536-5275, gcssk12.net 

Number of schools: 6 Elementary, 1 Middle, and 1 High School. 

Gwinnett County Public Schools (678) 301-6000, gwinnett.k12.ga.us 

Number of schools: 80 Elementary Schools, 29 Middle Schools, 21 

High Schools, and 12 Other. 

Hall County Public Schools (770) 534-1080, hallco.org 


Schools, and 7 High Schools. 

Marietta City Schools (770) 422-3500, marietta-city.org 


Schools, and 1 High School. 

Rockdale Public Schools (770) 483-4713 rockdaleschools.org 



Walton County Public Schools (770) 266-4520 walton.k12.ga.us 

Number of schools: 9 Elementary Schools, 3 Middle Schools, and 

3 High Schools. 


NAME & ENROLLMENT 

Atlanta Girls School 

Grades: 6-12 Enrollment: 233 Year: 2000 

Atlanta International School 

Grades: K-12 Enrollments: 1,201 Year: 1984 

Ben Franklin Academy 


Cherokee Christian School 

Grades: K-12 Enrollment: 400 Year: 1986 

Fellowship Christian Academy 

Grades: K4-12 Enrollment: 809 Year: 1986 

Galloway School 

Grades: PK-I 2 Enrollment: 747 Year: 1969 

George Walton Academy 


Greater Atlanta Christian School 

Grades: K4-12 Enrollment: 1,760 Year: 1969 

High Meadows School 

Grades: PreK-8 Enrollment: 390 Year: 1973 

Holy Innocents Episcopal School 

Grades: PK3-12 Enrollment: 1,411 Year: 1959 

Holy Spirit Preparatory School 

Grades: PK-12 Enrollment: 600 Year: 1996 

King’s Ridge Christian School 


Lakeview Academy 


Landmark Christian School 


The Lovett School 

Grades: PK-12 Enrollment: 1,645 Year: 1926 

Marist School 

Grades: 7-12 Enrollment: 1,095 Year: 1901 

Mill Springs Academy 


Mt. Bethel Christian Academy 

Grades: JK-8 Enrollment: 560 Year: 1998 

Mt. Paran Christian School 


Mount Pisgah Christian School 

Grades: PK-12 Enrollment: 680 Year 1986 

Mt. Vernon Presbyterian School 


North Cobb Christian School 

Grades: PreK-12 Enrollment: 900 Year: 1926 

Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School 


Pace Academy 

Grades: K-12 Enrollment: 1,105 Year: 1958 

The Paideia School 

Grades: K-12th Enrollment: 875 Year: 1971 

Providence Christian Academy 


St. Joseph Catholic School 


St. Martin’s Episcopal School 


Trinity School 


The Walker School 


Wesleyan School 

Grades: K-12 Enrollment: 1,122 Year: 1963 

The Westminster Schools 


Whitefield Academy 


Woodward Academy 


CONTACT INFORMATION 

404-845-0900 3254 Northside Parkway NW, Atlanta, GA 30327 atlantagirlsschool.org 

404-841-3840 2890 N Fulton Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30305 aischool.org 

404-633-7404 1585 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 benfranklinacademy.org 

678-494-5464 3075 Trickum Rd, Woodstock, GA 30188 cherokeechristian.org 

770-992-4975 480 Crossville Rd, Roswell, GA 30075 fellowshipchristianschool.org 

404-252-8389 215 West Weuca Rd, NW, Atlanta, GA 30342 gallowayschool.org 

770-267-7578 1 Bulldog Dr, Monroe, GA 30655 gwa.com 

770-243-2000 1575 Indian Trail Rd, Norcross, GA 30093 greateratlantachristian.org 

770-993-2940 1055 Willeo Rd, Roswell, GA 30075 highmeadows.org 

404-255-4026 Preschool: 4465 Northside Dr, Atlanta, GA 30327 hies.org 

404-255-0900 Lower School: 4820 Long Island Dr, Atlanta, GA 30342 

Upper School: 4449 Northside Dr, Atlanta, GA 30327 

holyspiritprep.com 

770-754-5738 2765 Bethany Bend, Alpharetta, GA 30004 kingsridgecs.org 

770-532-4383 796 Lakeview Dr NE, Gainesville, GA 30501 lakeviewacademy.com 

770-306-0647 50 East Broad St, Fairburn, GA 30213 landmarkchristianschool.org 

404-262-3032 4075 Paces Ferry Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30327 lovett.org 

770-457-7201 3790 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30319 marist.com 

770-360-1336 13660 New Providence Rd, Alpharetta, GA 30004 millsprings.org 

770-971-0245 JK-8: 4385 Lower Roswell Rd, Marietta, GA 30068 

9-12: 2509 Post Oak Tritt Rd, Marietta, GA 30062 mtbethelchristian.org 

770-578-0182 1275 Stanley Rd, Kennesaw, GA 30152 mtparanschool.com 

678-336-3443 9820 Nesbit Ferry Rd, Alpharetta, GA 30022 experiencepisgah.org 

404-252-3448 471 Mt. Vernon Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30328 mountvernonschool.corn 

770-975-0252 4500 Lakeview Dr, Kennesaw, GA 30144 ncchristian.org 

404-364-1902 1320 Hearst Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30319 olaschool.org 

404-262-1345 966 West Paces Ferry Rd, Atlanta, GA 30327 paceacademy.org 

404-377-3491 1509 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307 paideiaschool.org 

770-279-7200 4575 Lawrenceville Hwy, Lilburn, GA 30047 providencechristianacademy.org 

770-428-3328 81 Lacy St, Marietta, GA 30060 stjosephschool.org 

404-237-4260 3110-A Ashford-Dunwoody Rd, Atlanta, GA 30319 stmartinschool.org 

404-231-8100 4301 Northside Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30327 trinityatl.org 

770-427-2689 Main Campus: 700 Cobb Parkway N, Marietta, GA 30062 

Primary School: 830 Damar Rd, Marietta, GA 30062 

thewalkerschool.org 

770-448-7640 5405 Spalding Dr, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 wesleyanschool.org 

770-355-8673 1424 West Paces Ferry Rd, Atlanta, GA 30327 westminster.net 

678-305-3000 One Whitfield Dr, Mableton, GA 30126 whitefieldacademy.com 

404-765-4001 1662 Rugby Ave, College Park, GA 30337 woodward.edu 

14 


Private School Profiles 

Woodward Academy 

woodward.edu (404) 765-4000 

Woodward Academy is celebrating its second century of fostering excellence, 

character, and opportunity. With 2,700 students, Woodward is the largest 

independent school in the continental U.S. and spans two campuses on 

133 acres in metro Atlanta. The main campus (pre-K–12) is 11 miles from 

downtown Atlanta, and the north campus (pre-K–6) is in Johns Creek on a 33- 

acre wooded campus. Woodward offers a full range of college-preparatory 

instructional tracks including 25 AP courses as well as a Transition Program 

for students with mild learning challenges in grades two through eight. 

Because of the Woodward experience, students are more confident 

and well-prepared for today’s evolving world. A typical graduating class 

attends more than 100 different colleges and universities, devotes 5,000 

hours to community service projects, and earns more than $13.5 million in 

scholarship awards. 

Visit www.woodward.edu and Discover the Woodward Difference today. 

For more information, call 404-765-4001. 

High Meadows (PreK-8) 

highmeadows.org (770) 993-2940 

Founded in 1973, High Meadows occupies a 40-acre campus in the heart 

of Roswell. Student enrollment is approximately 400, and the school is an 

International Baccalaureate World School and is also accredited by SACS and 

the Southern Association of Independent Schools. High Meadows engages 

students in an inquiry-based approach to learning, so that they develop a 

strong sense of personal responsibility and respect for other perspectives. 

Almost all of High Meadows’ students go on to attend the independent high 

school of their choice. 

Mt. Bethel Christian Academy 

mtbethelchristian.org (770) 971-0245 

Founded in 1998, Mt. Bethel Christian Academy has provided a rigorous 

college-preparatory program in an environment that builds confidence and 

character in their students. What sets Mt. Bethel apart is uncomplicated 

and uncommon - an expert and seasoned faculty who excel at nurturing 

each child to their fullest potential in an environment of Christian love 

and acceptance. 

The Academy has earned a remarkable reputation for uncompromising 

academic standards. The challenging curriculum extends beyond the basic 

core subjects and includes courses in Latin, Spanish, logic, technology, 

yearbook, art, music, band, chorus, and Bible/apologetics. Middle school 

classes include an advanced math track and advanced history. 

Classes are small by design with servant leadership development 

beginning in Kindergarten and a one-to-one MacBook laptop program 

beginning in fifth grade. The championship athletic program includes 

volleyball, soccer, cross-country, basketball, baseball, golf, tennis, and 

cheerleading. 

Mt. Bethel Christian Academy holds a dual accreditation with the 

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Southern Association 

of Independent Schools (SACS/SAIS). For more information, contact 

Jackie Grasty, Director of Admission, at 770-971-0245 or jackie.grasty@ 

mtbethelchristian.org. 

Whitefield Academy 

whitefieldacademy.com (678) 305-3000 

Whitefield Academy is a Christ-centered, PreK4 through 12th college 

preparatory school located on a beautiful 100-acre campus in the Smyrna/ 

Vinings area. Whitefield provides students with a rigorous academic 

curriculum, including 31 AP and Honors courses. The school offers a wellrounded 

extracurricular program with 14 after-school programs in the 

Lower School, 39 clubs and organizations, and 53 athletic teams. Whitefield 

has earned five athletic state championships and multiple athletic region 

championships. It has an award-winning arts program with multiple 

Scholastic Arts winners, regional One-Act play awards and musical ensembles 

which entertain across the state. Each year, Whitefield graduates are offered 

millions in scholarships and grants, and are admitted to acclaimed colleges 

and universities across the United States such as Columbia University, 

Dartmouth College, Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard University, 

Princeton University, and Washington and Lee University. 

Come feel the difference at an upcoming open house 

LOWER AND MIDDLE SCHOOL 

Main Campus (JK-8) 

4385 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 

Thursday, November 9, 2017 – 10 a.m. 

Wednesday, January 10, 2018 – 10 a.m. 

Thursday, February 1, 2018 – 10 a.m. 

UPPER SCHOOL 

North Campus (9-12) 

2509 Post Oak Tritt Road, Marietta, GA 

Sunday, October 15, 2017 – 2 p.m. 

Saturday, November 11, 2017 – 9 a.m. 

Wednesday, January 17, 2018 – 9 a.m. 

www.MtBethelChristian.org • 770-971-0245 • /MBCAEagles 


Atlanta has an active student population as a leading city in the United 

States for higher education. There are 22 higher education institutions 

in the Atlanta area, offering a wide variety of degrees in areas such 

as medicine and technology. Following is information about the main 

higher education institutions in the Atlanta area 

Agnes Scott College offers 34 undergraduate majors and 31 minors and is 

affiliated with numerous institutions, including Georgia Institute of Technology 

and Emory University School of Nursing. Agnes Scott College, founded in 

1889, is an independent national liberal arts college for women. It sits on 

100 acres shaded with some of the state’s oldest trees in Decatur, a city that 

lies six miles from the center of Atlanta. MARTA (Atlanta’s rapid transit) stops 

three blocks from campus. 

The Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUC Consortium) is the largest 

contiguous consortium of African Americans in higher education in the United 

States. The center consists of four historically black colleges and universities 

(HBCUs) in southwest Atlanta. The institutions included in this consortium 

are Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College and the 

Morehouse School of Medicine. The consortium structure allows for students 

to cross-register at the other institutions in order to attain a broader collegiate 

experience. They also share the Robert W. Woodruff Library, a Dual Degree 

Engineering Program, and Career Planning and Placement Services. 

Clayton State University is a four-year public university located in Morrow, 

Georgia, about 15 miles from Atlanta. Clayton State’s roughly 7,000 students 

can choose from eight master’s degree programs and 40 baccalaureate 

majors offered through the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Health, 

and Information and Mathematical Sciences, as well as the School of 

Graduate Studies. Clayton State was the third public institution that required 

every student to have access to a notebook computer, making it one of the 

“Notebook Universities.” The Clayton State Lakers field 12 intercollegiate 

sports and compete in the NCAA Division II Peach Belt Conference (PBC); their 

women’s basketball team holds a NCAA Division II National Championship. 

Emory University - U.S. News and World Report, in its 2016 rankings of the 

best colleges and universities in the United States, placed Emory 21st in the 

national university rankings. Emory’s main campus is located in the Druid Hills 

section of unincorporated DeKalb County. The university has nearly 3,000 

faculty members; awards and honors recognizing Emory faculty include the 

Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, National Humanities Medal, Guggenheim 

Fellowship, Fulbright Fellowship, and membership in the American Academy 

of Arts & Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences. Emory is home to 

7,656 undergraduates and 6,580 graduate and professional students (Fall 

2012). 

Georgia Piedmont Technical College established in 1961, is one of the 

oldest and respected of Georgia’s 33 technical colleges. Students have the 

opportunity to attend classes at one of two campuses and five centers 

conveniently located throughout the metro area. In 2010, the College served 

24,590 students and conferred 1,118 awards to graduates earning associate 

degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit. Graduates have a 99 

percent job placement rate with 69 percent graduate placement in jobs in or 

related to their program of study or in further education. 

Georgia State University Founded in 1913 it offers dozens of nationally ranked 

and recognized academic programs. They merged with Georgia Perimeter 

College in 2016 and are now one of the nation’s largest universities. It is 

among the top 100 public universities for doctoral degrees awarded. More 

than 250 degree programs with 100 fields of study are offered at the 

bachelor’s, master’s, specialist’s and doctoral levels. Students may enroll in 

day or evening classes and in part-time or full-time study. GSU has over 60,000 

undergraduate and graduate students with over 200 majors and minors. 

Schools and Colleges: Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Byrdine F. 

Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions, College of Arts and Sciences, 

College of Education and Human Development, College of Law, Honors 

College, J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Perimeter College, School of 

Public Health. 

Georgia Tech - The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the nation’s 

top research universities. Undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered 

through the Institute’s six colleges: Architecture, Computing, Engineering, 

Sciences, the Scheller College of Business, and the Ivan Allen College of Liberal 

Arts. Georgia Tech is consistently ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s top 

ten public universities in the United States. There are nearly 1,000 full-time 

instructional faculty and more than 21,500 undergraduate and graduate 

students. It is a part of the University System of Georgia and has satellite 

campuses in Savannah, Georgia; Metz, France; Athlone, Ireland; Shanghai, 

China; and Singapore. Georgia Tech is consistently the only technological 

university ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s listing of America’s top ten 

16 

Higher 

Education News By 

Phyllis Rice Ingle 

Photo: Courtesy Georgia Institute of Technology 

public universities. In addition, the College of Engineering is consistently 

ranked in the nation’s top five by U.S. News. 

Kennesaw State University known for its entrepreneurial spirit and sense 

of community, has been a four-year institution accredited by the Southern 

Association of Colleges and Schools since 1976. Located just northwest of 

Atlanta in Cobb County near historic Kennesaw Mountain, KSU offers campuses 

in Marietta and Kennesaw. It is the third-largest university in Georgia, with 

more than 33,000 undergraduate and graduate students, representing 132 

countries. In January of 2015, the Board of Regents of the University System 

of Georgia approved the consolidation of Kennesaw and Southern Polytechnic 

Universities, one of the state’s leading educators in the fields of technology 

and engineering. 

The new Kennesaw State University combines the best from two of 

Georgia’s most well-respected institutions in higher education, offering 

students a broad range of quality academics, as well as a growing campus 

life and athletic programs. With more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and 

doctoral degree programs in business, engineering, architecture, nursing, 

teaching, math and science programs, graduates of KSU enter the job market 

prepared for careers as wide-ranging as international conflict management to 

podiatry. KSU’s nursing program is the largest in the state and has the medical 

community seeking its graduates. Their College of Continuing Education offers 

more than 2,500 courses and hosts nearly 50,000 people attending meetings 

or conferences annually in the KSU Center. 

Being recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top 

universities in the region, the new Kennesaw State University is positioned 

to become one of Georgia’s world-class comprehensive higher education 

institutions. 

Mercer University is one of America’s oldest and most distinctive institutions 

of higher learning, offering rigorous programs that span the undergraduate 

liberal arts to doctoral-level degrees. With more than 8,300 students enrolled 

in 12 schools and colleges on campuses in Macon, Atlanta and Savannah, and 

at four Regional Academic Centers around the state, Mercer is consistently 

ranked among the nation’s leading institutions by such publications as U.S. 

News & World Report and the Princeton Review. Colleges & Schools are: 

Liberal Arts Business & Economics Engineering, Education Music Continuing 

& Professional Studies, Law Theology Medicine, Pharmacy Nursing Health 

Professions, Evening, Weekend & Online Programs 

Oglethorpe University Consistently listed among the best colleges in the 

Princeton Review and Forbes and has been named to the President’s Higher 

Education Community Service Honor Roll since 2006. Oglethorpe is located 

on a beautiful, self-contained Gothic campus near Atlanta’s Buckhead 

neighborhood. The school offers small, personal classes in academically 

rigorous programs (including an individually planned major, which presents 

nearly endless options); partnerships with 20 Atlanta colleges and universities, 

including Emory, Georgia Tech and SCAD; a graduate program in education; 

and signature programs such as Urban Ecology, Rich Urban Leadership 

Program, the Honors Program, the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art, 

and Georgia Shakespeare, the campus’s professional theatre-in-residence. 

Scholar-athletes participate in 16 varsity sports, including recently added 

teams in men’s and women’s lacrosse, and is a member of the NCAA Division 

III Southern Athletic Association 

University of Georgia has seen its academic reputation and enrollment 

continue to rise markedly since Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship program was 

started in 1993. The average SAT for students entering University of Georgia in 

2012 was 1915 out of 2400 and the average GPA was 3.88.The national college 

rankings place UGA among the top 20 of all public universities in America 

and a top 10 best value. Their primary campus is located on 759-acres. The 

university offers over 140 degree programs in a wide array of disciplines 

spread across multiple campuses. The University of Georgia is organized into 

eighteen schools and colleges. The university has three main campuses; the 

largest one is the main campus in Athens, Georgia and the two others are 

located in Tifton, Georgia and Griffin, Georgia. The University of Georgia also 

has two satellite campuses located in Atlanta and Lawrenceville. Enrollment 

is 26,151 undergraduate, 6600 graduate students, and 1600 professional 

students 


Metro Atlanta 

Health 

Care 

The medical expertise in metropolitan Atlanta is a reflection 

of the city’s growth and leadership in innovation. Atlanta 

hospital systems bring with them the top medical specialists, 

giving residents access to virtually any treatment they need. 

Whether treatment is an annual physical or neurosurgery, 

Atlanta’s hospitals have the latest technology. 

Atlanta’s Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is one of the top 

pediatric hospitals in the country. Emory Healthcare Network 

is the #1 hospital in Georgia, putting cutting-edge intervention 

research and technology into lifesaving action. Saint Joseph’s 

is recognized as one of the top specialty-referral hospitals in 

the Southeast and ranked the number two hospital in both 

Georgia and metro Atlanta in U.S. News & World Report’s 

2016-17 Best Hospitals Guide. Piedmont Atlanta consistently 

ranks in the top five among metro Atlanta hospitals in patient 

satisfaction scores. In downtown Atlanta, Grady Memorial 

Hospital is renowned for its trauma and emergency services. 

Finally, the Shepherd Center is ranked among the top 

rehabilitation hospitals for those with spinal cord and brain 

injuries. 

WellStar Atlanta Medical Center 

303 Parkway Dr. NE, Atlanta wellstar.org 

Main Campus (404) 265-4000 

South Campus (404) 466-1170 

WellStar Atlanta Medical Center is a designated Level I Trauma 

Center and is nationally recognized in cardiology, advanced 

surgery, neurology, and many other areas. The center began 

its service to the Atlanta community in 1901 as the Georgia 

Baptist Hopsital and is now a 460-bed facility sprawled across 

two city blocks. Services provided at WellStar Atlanta Medical 

Center include a 30-bed neonatal intensive care unit; the 

Atlanta Cancer Center; the Atlanta Rehabilitation Center; three 

medical office buildings; the Wellness Center; the Graduate 

Medical Education Program, and areas of medical excellence 

that provide care in advanced surgery, cardiology, oncology, 

neurology, women’s health, orthopedics, and trauma. 

Atlanta VA Medical Center 

1670 Clairmont Rd, Decatur atlanta.va.gov 

(404) 321-6111 

Atlanta VA Medical Center (VAMC) is a state-of-the-art 

teaching hospital that provides a full scope of patient care 

services for United States veterans. Located on 26 acres in 

Decatur, the Atlanta VAMC is one of eight medical centers 

in the VA Southeast Network. It operates eight communitybased 

outpatient clinics in the following Atlanta communities: 

Blairsville, Carrollton Clinic/Community Living Center, Decatur 

East Point, Lawrenceville, Newnan, NE GA/Oakwood, Austell, 

and Stockbridge. 

Atlanta VAMC is primarily affiliated with the Emory University 

School of Medicine and teamed with Morehouse School of 

Medicine in establishing the East Point Clinic, which provides 

comprehensive primary and outpatient mental healthcare 

services. 

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta 

choa.org 

Atlanta’s Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is one of the top 

pediatric hospitals in the country. Emory Healthcare is the 

#1 hospital in Georgia, putting cutting-edge intervention 

research and technology into lifesaving action. Saint Joseph’s is 

recognized as one of the top specialty-referral hospitals in the 

Southeast and is top five percent in the nation for cardiac and 

vascular programs. DeKalb Medical was Georgia’s first hospital 

to earn the “Baby-Friendly” designation. Piedmont Atlanta 

consistently ranks in the top five among metro Atlanta hospitals 

in patient satisfaction scores. In downtown Atlanta, Grady 

Memorial Hospital is renowned for its trauma and emergency 

services. Finally, the Shepherd Center is ranked among the top 

rehabilitation hospitals for those with spinal cord and brain 

injuries. 

U.S. News & World Report has recognized Children’s Healthcare 

of Atlanta as one of the top pediatric hospitals in the country. 

The hospital is a not-for-profit organization, and is committed 

to enhancing the lives of children through excellence in patient 

care, research, and education. Children’s is the pediatric 

physician teaching site for both Emory University School of 

Medicine and Morehouse School of Medicine, providing 

education on more than 30 pediatric specialties. Children’s 

treats more than 400 new cancer patients each year and has 

one of the highest volume pediatric heart centers in the country. 

Whether treating an injured toddler in an emergency or 

supporting a teen through chemotherapy treatments, Children’s 

offers family-centered care while providing specialized ageappropriate 

medical procedures, supplies, and support for 

children. With generous philanthropic and volunteer support, 

Children’s has made an impact in the lives of children in Georgia, 

the United States, and throughout the world. 

Egleston Hospital 

1405 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta 404-785-KIDS (5437) 

Hughes Spalding Hospital 

35 Jesse Hill Jr Dr SE, Atlanta 404-785-KIDS (5437) 

Scottish Rite Hospital 

1001 Johnson Ferry Rd NE, Atlanta 404-785-KIDS (5437) 


DeKalb Medical 

2701 N Decatur Rd, Decatur dekalbmedical.org 

(404) 501-1000 

DeKalb Medical is a not-for-profit health system that consists 

of three hospital campuses throughout greater Atlanta. With 

more than 750 doctors skilled in 55 medical specialties, DeKalb 

Medical combines cutting-edge technology with compassion to 

effectively diagnose and treat its patients. A leader in cancer, 

heart attack treatment, and orthopedics, DeKalb Medical 

System and DeKalb Medical Physicians Group has been growing 

with metropolitan Atlanta’s medical needs since 1961. 

More than just a provider of hospital services, DeKalb Medical 

has led the Atlanta health community in the new era of 

electronic medical records, which puts information at doctors’ 

fingertips to help improve patient safety and outcomes. The 

627-bed system includes DeKalb Medical at North Decatur (591 

beds), DeKalb Medical Long Term Acute Care at Downtown 

Decatur (40 beds), and DeKalb Medical at Hillandale (100 beds). 

Committed to excelling in patient satisfaction and service, 

DeKalb Medical’s quality is reflected in many clinical excellence 

awards throughout its system, including being ranked in the 

Top 5% in the Nation for Overall Orthopedic Services by Health 

Grades® (2011). 

Emory Johns Creek Hospital emoryhealthcare.org/johnscreek 

6325 Hospital Parkway Johns Creek, 30097 678-474-7000 

Emory Johns Creek Hospital is a 110-bed acute-care facility 

located in the heart of Johns Creek. As part of the Emory 

Healthcare Network, we’re committed to providing Johns Creek 

and surrounding communities with academic and research 

based medicine, close to home. Our team includes more 

than 800 employees, 328 Emory faculty, 386 private practice 

physicians and 42 Emory Specialty Associate physicians, along 

with more than 150 volunteers. We offer a comprehensive range 

of services including: emergency medicine, a birth center with 

Level III neonatal intensive care, adult intensive care, Winship 

Cancer Institute of Emory University, an infusion center, breast 

imaging with 3-D digital mammography, a certified bariatric 

center, advanced cardiac and stroke care, vascular care, sleep 

medicine, rehabilitation, surgical services, gastroenterology, 

pain center and a wound care center. 

Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital of Atlanta (678) 843-7001 

5665 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd, Atlanta 

emoryhealthcare.org/locations/# 

Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital was founded by the Sisters of 

Mercy in 1880, and is Atlanta’s longest serving hospital. The 

410-bed acute-care hospital is recognized as one of the leading 

specialty-referral hospitals in the Southeast. 

Noted especially for cardiac care, Emory Saint Joseph’s provides 

training to physicians from around the world in robotic 

surgery for valve repair and is a primary location for cardiac 

rehabilitation. 

The hospital is also noted for neurologic, vascular, 

gastrointestinal, respiratory, and orthopaedic care, among 

other specialties, and is ranked among the top 25 hospitals 

nationally for joint replacement by the Centers for Medicare 

and Medicaid Services. Emory Saint Joseph’s is a designated 

location of the Winship Cancer Institute, Georgia’s first and only 

comprehensive National Cancer Institute-designated cancer 

center. 

18 

Emory Saint Joseph’s is the first community hospital in the world 

to earn a fifth consecutive Magnet designation for nursing 

excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The 

hospital is a member of Emory Healthcare, the largest, most 

comprehensive health system in Georgia. 

Emory Saint Joseph’s medical staff is comprised of more than 

900 physicians and 1,800 staff employees, and the hospital 

accommodates more than 120,000 patient visits annually. 

For more information, please visit www.emoryhealthcare.org/ 

saint-josephs-hospital-atlanta/index.html. 

Emory University Hospital emoryhealthcare.org/locations/# 

1364 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, (404) 712-2000 

Midtown 550 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, (404) 686-4411 

Recognized as the #1 hospital in Georgia, Emory Healthcare 

has been at the forefront of medicine, putting cutting-edge 

intervention research and technology into lifesaving action. 

As the largest, most comprehensive healthcare system in 

Georgia, Emory Healthcare has 1,830 licensed patient beds, 

9,000 employees, and more than 20 health centers located 

throughout metro Atlanta. It is one of the nation’s leaders in 

cardiology and cardiac surgery, oncology, transplantation, 

ophthalmology, orthopedics, and the neurosciences. Emory 

University Hospital, Emory Healthcare’s flagship facility, is 

staffed exclusively by physicians who are faculty of the Emory 

University School of Medicine. 

Emory Healthcare is the clinical arm of the Robert W. Woodruff 

Health Sciences Center of Emory University, which focuses 

on patient care, education of health professionals, research 

addressing health and illness, and health policies for prevention 

and treatment of disease. The backbone of this system is the 

Emory University School of Medicine, which has been at the 

forefront of medical knowledge and research, pioneering many 

advances and procedures that have changed medical history. 

Grady Memorial Hospital 

gradyhealth.org 

80 Jesse Hill Jr Dr SE, Atlanta (404) 616-1000 

Opened in 1892, Grady Health System is renowned for its 

trauma and emergency services. As the premier Level I Trauma 

Center within 100 miles of metropolitan Atlanta, Grady is 

capable of handling severe medical conditions such as asthma, 

severe burns, sickle cell, and stroke. In addition to both care 

and intensive care units (ICU), Grady has a neonatal ICU and 

houses Georgia’s Poison Center and 24-hour rape crisis and 

advice nurse lines. Its Ponce de Leon Center was named one of 

the top three HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics in the country. 

Grady is an internationally recognized teaching hospital 

staffed exclusively by doctors from the Emory University and 

Morehouse Schools of Medicine. 25 percent of all doctors 

practicing medicine in Georgia received some or all of their 

training at Grady. 

WellStar North Fulton Hospital 

wellstar.org 

3000 Hospital Blvd, Roswell (770) 751-2500 

WellStar North Fulton Hospital is a 202-bed acute-care hospital 

and is a state designated Level II Trauma Center. Located 

between Roswell and Alpharetta in North Fulton County, it was 

established in 1983 and has been meeting the medical and 

healthcare needs of residents of North Fulton, Forsyth, East 

Cobb, East Cherokee, and West Gwinnett counties for more 

than 30 years. The hospital has a medical staff of more than 


400 affiliated physicians, employs an additional 900 healthcare 

professionals, and has an active volunteer staff of more than 

200. 

NFH provides a continuum of services through its centers and 

programs including neurosciences, women’s health services, 

orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, gastroenterology, 

and oncology. The hospital is fully accredited and is also 

recognized by the American College of Surgeon’s Commission 

on Cancer as an Accredited Cancer Program, as well as being 

certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission 

on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s 

oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. 

Northside Hospital 

northside.com 

1000 Johnson Ferry Rd NE, Atlanta (404) 851-8000 

Northside Hospital is one of the most respected and fastest 

growing health care organizations in the Southeast and is 

committed to balancing clinical excellence with compassionate 

care. Northside leads the U.S. in newborn deliveries, diagnoses 

and treats the most cancer cases in Georgia, and is among 

the state’s top providers of surgical services. More than 2,500 

physicians and 15,000 employees serve 2.5 million patient visits 

each year. 

Piedmont Hospital 

piedmonthospital.org 

1968 Peachtree Rd NW, Atlanta (404) 605-5000 

Piedmont Atlanta Hospital has been serving the people of 

Atlanta for more than 100 years and offers a broad spectrum of 

surgical, medical, and diagnostic services. Piedmont Hospital is a 

private, not-for-profit, acute-care, tertiary facility offering most 

major medical, surgical, and diagnostic services. The facility has 

488 beds, all-private rooms, 4,000 employees, and a medical 

staff of more than 1,000 board-certified physicians. Its main 

campus is conveniently located on 26 acres in the Buckhead 

neighborhood of Atlanta, with facilities across the metro area. 

Piedmont Hospital is part of Piedmont Healthcare (PHC), 

a not-for-profit organization that also includes Piedmont 

Fayette Hospital, a 157-bed, acute care community hospital 

in Fayetteville and one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the nation; 

Piedmont Newnan Hospital, a 136-bed, acute-care community 

hospital in Newnan; and Piedmont Henry Hospital, a 215-bed 

acute-care community hospital in Stockbridge. 

Shepherd Center 

shepherd.org 

2020 Peachtree Rd NW, Atlanta (404) 352-2020 

Shepherd Center is a private, not-for-profit hospital specializing 

in medical treatment, research, and rehabilitation for people 

with spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, 

chronic pain, and other neurological conditions. Founded 

in 1975, Shepherd Center, which is a 152-bed rehabilitation 

facility, including a 10-bed intensive care unit, is ranked by 

U.S. News & World Report among the top 10 rehabilitation 

hospitals in the nation. Last year, Shepherd had 965 admissions 

to its inpatient programs and 571 to its day patient programs. In 

addition, Shepherd sees more than 6,600 people annually on an 

outpatient basis. 

Live 

#1 

#3 

Work 

#1 

Play 

#3 

Best City in Georgia 

to Raise a Family 

(WalletHub) 

#1 

Hardest Working City 

in Georgia 

(Zippia.com) 

#2 

Safest City in Georgia 

(SafeWise.com) 

#3 

#4 #2 

Best Dog Park 

in the U.S. 

(USA Today) 

Safest City in Georgia 

(ValuePenguin.com) 

Best Suburb to Live 

in Georgia 

(Niche.com) 

Best Place for First Time 

Homebuyers in U.S. 

(Nerdwallet) 

Best City to Live 

in the U.S. 

(24/7 Wall St) 

• Newsweek magazine’s Top High Schools in America report, within Georgia, Northview High School ranks #1 and Chattahoochee High School ranks #3. 

• U.S. News and World Report’s Top High Schools in the U.S. All three high schools within Johns Creek rank in top 300 nationally. Within the state 

of Georgia, Northview High School ranks #8, Johns Creek high school ranks #11, and Chattahoochee High School ranks #12. 

• In 2017, the City of Johns Creek received a Aaa credit rating (Moody’s Investor Service) and AAA credit rating (Standard & Poors (S&P) Global Ratings). 


Senior Living 

in Atlanta 


Relocation can happen to anyone, at any time, for any reason. Maybe 

your dream job just opened up in another state, or you want to be 

closer to your extended family. Whatever the reason, there are often 

other considerations that have to be made beyond what neighborhood 

to live in and where to send the kids to school. Members of the socalled 

“sandwich generation”—which refers to those who are caring for 

or supporting both their older parents and their children—are having to 

strike a delicate balance. In 2013, the Pew Research Center found that 

47 percent of adults in the 40s and 50s have both a parent age 65 and 

older and are either raising a young family or financially supporting a 

child over the age of 18. 

Relocation can often mean finding a suitable place for an aging 

parent to live, or planning for the “what ifs” if a person’s health or 

ability to live independently changes. Companies like Arbor, Brookdale, 

Peregrine, Insignia and others operate facilities and resources to help 

families find the best fit for their loved ones. 

Beginning the process 

Today’s senior living facilities go to great lengths to understand the 

needs of their residents, which goes far beyond their medical history 

and current medications list. “Our [sales people are] trained in how 

to discover who the person is, what is this legacy and life story of the 

individual who is coming to us,” explains Shirley Paulk, R.N., senior vice 

president of sales and marketing at the Arbor Company. The company 

operates nine facilities in Georgia, including several in the metro Atlanta 

area like Decatur, East Cobb, Alpharetta and Johns Creek. “It’s not one 

size fits all; it’s a very customized approach we have for each individual,” 

says Paulk. That could mean an adult child coming with their parent, 

or an older couple who may be beginning to realize they are no longer 

comfortable living alone in their home. After the initial consultation, 

Arbor’s senior care counselors make home visits to further understand 

the personal priorities of the resident and what material items they 

may want to bring with them to help preserve their memories even 

while they make new ones. “Our job is to help people see it’s just a 

bend in the road, a new intersection, rather than the end of the road,” 

says Paulk. That even includes additional counseling in the case of 

complicated family dynamics. 

Each family also has a different dynamic when it comes to making 

decisions. Sterling Estates, which operates senior living communities in 

East and West Cobb, has counselors on staff to guide seniors and their 

adult children through the process. “Furthermore, our websites have 

a wealth of educational information to help with the decision making 

process,” says Pete Green, partner at Sterling Estates’ development 

division, HCC Senior Living Group. The online information speaks to 

those who know exactly what type of community they need as well as 

those who are just beginning the process and may be overwhelmed by 

the options. 

Finding a home 

One of the many decisions that must be made is what type of living is 

right for the resident, even within a facility. Arbor offers independent 

living, assisted living and memory care. Within the memory care 

neighborhoods, there are two levels: Bridges, which Paulk describes 

as being for those in the early stages of cognitive impairment. “It’s a 

smaller and more intimate setting. By keeping that type of resident 

together, we can get creative in how we do our programming,” she says. 

Evergreen is a secured neighborhood for those with more progressive 

dementia, and both neighborhoods are served by staff specially trained 

for dementia care. 

20 

Senior living facilities are also prepared to take on the health 

challenges that come with aging, regardless of whether they happen 

slowly or quickly. Arbor facilities constantly communicate with the 

family and the resident’s primary health care provider when a sudden 

medical change occurs. 

Sterling Estates provides a continuum of housing options so that 

residents can seamlessly transition to other types of housing when 

their health needs change. “Our Sterling Estates communities have 

independent residences that are cottages, garden homes and/or 

apartments. Additionally, our large Main Residences allows for either 

independent living or assisted living,” explains Green. “Furthermore, 

couples don’t need to separate when one spouse ages more rapidly.” 

All Sterling residents have personal emergency transponders to notify 

staff in case of an emergency, 24/7 nursing care and are near two major 

hospitals in Cobb. “Third party therapy companies, other health care 

professionals and doctors are available to treat residents on-site,” adds 

Green. 

Living the life 

Once a family has made the decision to move a loved one into a senior 

living facility, the focus turns to making the transition as seamless as 

possible. Before moving to an Arbor facility, families are visited by an 

engagement counselor who takes the time to learn whether the resident 

is a person who enjoys quiet time for reading, or a social butterfly. “We 

believe in deep connections, and taking what we learn about them 

and connecting them to others,” says Paulk. The information gathered 

by the engagement counselor helps inform everything from at which 

dining table the resident will eat meals to who their neighbors will be. 

Financial counselors are also available to help residents untangle the 

many intricacies of life insurance, veterans’ benefits and other financial 

assets that will help pay for care. 

After the boxes are unpacked, residents are then encouraged to 

engage in a wide range of activities offered by the facilities. “There are 

so many daily opportunities to engage within and outside our immediate 

neighborhoods that foster mental stimulation and enjoyment,” says 

Green, all of which are part of the “Living a Sterling Life” motto. “’Living 

a Sterling Life’ is all about promoting and engaging in a healthy lifestyle 

through nutritious and enjoyable meal plans, exercise tailored to 

individual needs and providing socialization engagement opportunities 

for our residents that they otherwise don’t have by living alone,” explains 

Green. “Our overriding goal is providing our residents the programs and 

services necessary to remain active and as independent as possible.” 

Arbor offers art and music studios, rehab and fitness facilities, as well as 

a beauty salon and libraries. 

No matter their current or future health needs, metro area seniors 

and their families can rest assured that there is a facility that is a 

good fit. From the beginning of the research process through difficult 

conversations and decisions, today’s senior living facilities are there 

every step of the way. 


Sterling Estates 

Independent And Licensed Assisted Living Communities 

Come See Why So Many Are Calling Sterling Estates Home 

4 Beautifully Designed Neighborhoods 

4 Cottages and Apartments; Independent and Assisted 

4 Large Wellness Centers 

4 Indoor Heated Saltwater Therapeutic Pools 

4 Variety of Fine Dining Options 

4 Cottage Floor Plans: All on One Level 

Call For 

a Tour 

Today! 

Why Settle For Less? Come Live a Sterling Life 

East Cobb 

4220 Lower Roswell Rd, 

Marietta, GA 30068 

(678) 946-4454 

West Cobb 

3165 Dallas Hwy, 

Marietta, GA 30064 

(770) 255-7000 

SterlingEstates.com 


Come for a visit. Stay for a lifetime. 

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us at www.FrippIslandResort.com or call (844) 207-9088. 

Come for a visit. Stay for a lifetime. 

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501 Founders Drive Alpharetta, GA 30004 770.888.GOLF(4653) www.EchelonLiving.com 

22 


Active Adults 

Living 

Their Best 

Encore 

Grace Huseth 

People don’t “retire” anymore. They reinvent themselves, reshape 

their lives and return to what they were first passionate about. 

Here are a few communities in Atlanta where 55+ residents 

actively enjoy their encore stage of life with the comradery of 

others. 

Unlike retirement communities, these neighborhoods offer 

complete subdivisions of homes. The homes are the perfect mix 

of downsizing while attaining a dream home. For instance, many 

homes have master suites on the main level, yet have the luxury 

feel of granite countertops in the kitchen. Here you can focus 

more energy on the things you love. 

Lake Arrowhead 

Amidst the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and just 

40 minutes north of Atlanta’s I-285, Lake Arrowhead offers 

amenities for active adults with natural beauty. 

The centerpiece of this waterfront community is, of course, a 

beautiful 540-acre lake. The lake is one of the largest privately 

owned man-made lakes in Georgia and also ranked one of the 

cleanest in the state. Pontoon boating, canoeing, kayaking, row 

boating, and small craft sailing are all popular ways to enjoy lakelife 

to the fullest and boat rental concession is offered on site. 

New home designs in Sanctuary Cove, located at the north end 

of the lake, are now available. Lake Arrowhead’s homes are 

defined by thoughtful architectural details and offer open floor 

plans, stunning features and expansive outdoor living areas, 

meticulously designed to complement the natural surroundings. 

The 28-lot neighborhood is extraordinary, offering breathtaking 

views and individual deep water docks. 

2419 Lake Arrowhead Drive, Waleska, GA, 30183 

Windsong Properties 

Windsong Properties offer West Cobb an exclusive 55+ community 

with the feel of country living. The homes have master suites on 

the main level, a flexible, open great room, accessibility features, 

and a private courtyard retreat. Professionally maintained 

landscaping gives you time to get to know your new neighbors 

or simply relax. 

The nature of North Georgia is best seen at nearby Kennesaw 

Mountain Historic Battlefield, known for hiking and birdwatching 

along 18 miles of trails and self-guided tours. If shopping and 

dining is more your thing, historic Marietta Square in Glover Park 

offers shops, restaurants and entertainment and hosts concerts, 

festivals, and celebrations throughout the year. 

Windsong’s Bel-Aire community is nestled in a quiet alcove in 

West Cobb The traditional, craftsman style homes have brick 

accents and a classic rocking chair front porch. Bel-Aire is close 

to the Silver Comet Trail, a 61-mile walking and biking trail 

system yet the community also has its own private clubhouse 

with fitness area for gathering with friends. 

1851 Bullard Road, Powder Springs, GA 30127 

Conveniently located on Stilesboro Road in desirable Kennesaw 

is Windsong’s second property, Serenade. This community offers 

distinctive two- and three-bedroom plans with accessibility 

features and a flexible living space to use as your life demands. 

3510 Stilesboro Road, Kennesaw, GA 30152 

Linton & Main is an Intimate enclave of only 10 homes. 

A little different from our traditional communities as there are 7 

detached two story homes and 3 townhomes 

They offer a master on the main plan and a two story that is 

elevator capable. Featuring private courtyard retreats, open 

floorplans, second floor balconies. Professional maintained 

lawns providing the low maintenance livestyle. 2 Blocks from 

the Woodstock City Center so homeowners can stroll down for 

shopping, dining and entertainment. 

101 Linton Street, Woodstock, Georgia 30188 

Jim Chapman Communities 

Jim Chapman was personally named one of the TOP 100 most 

influential people in Atlanta’s competitive housing industry by 

the Atlanta Business Chronicle. He has created a number of active 

adult communities strategically crafted with wider doorways, 

zero-step entries, and masters with elevator access. His current 

top five communities are… 

The Cottages at Horseshoe Bend in Roswell offers 19 new 

homes, all with master suites on the main level. The proximity of 

the community to the Chattahoochee River makes The Cottages 

perfect for nature lovers. 

2415 Steeplechase Lane, Roswell, GA 30076 

Casually elegant, spacious and well-appointed, two story homes 

in Boxwood at Vinings have brick and cedar exteriors with 

beautifully landscaped and hardscaped grounds. Two of the 

floor plans feature a master on main and the third has an option 


for an elevator. Screened-in, covered rear patios have a vented 

fireplace, hearth and mantle for cozy nights. 

2075 Cooper Lake Dr. SE, Smyrna, GA 30080 

Nestledown Farm in Cumming is a private, gated active adult 

community located just minutes from Downtown Cumming. 

This community is convenient to shopping and restaurants, 

Northside Forsyth Hopsital and Sawnee Mountain Preserve, 963 

acres of scenic passive space and hiking trails that visibly links to 

the summit of the Blue Ridge Mountain Range. 

1510 Sawnee Dr, Cumming, GA 30040 

Just east of the Outlet Shoppes in Woodstock is Sweet Briar 

Farms. The three and four bedroom detached single-family 

homes have two-car attached garage with covered entry, porch 

and rear patios. 

301 Sweetbriar Circle, Woodstock, GA 30188 

The Overlook at Old Atlanta located in South Forsyth County, 

is conveniently close to Atlanta as well as Lake Lanier and the 

north Georgia mountains. The gated community features 130 

homes, including 56 detached single-family homes with three 

or four bedrooms each, plus 74 attached villas with three 

bedrooms each. 

5801 Old Atlanta Rd, Suwanee, GA 30024 

“After living here for more than a year, I am happy and pleased 

that I am here. Jim Chapman and his staff have been exceptionally 

nice and have taken excellent care of me. As a widow, it is a 

blessing for me to live in senior adult gated community that 

takes care of maintenance and yard work,” said resident Mary 

Reynolds. 

Sterling on the Lake 

Sterling on the Lake is a vibrant community in Flowery Branch. The 

Springs, a single-level living, low-maintenance neighborhood 

within Sterling on the Lake, is ideal for active adults who want 

to connect with their neighbors. Residents have endless options 

to stroll the trails near protected open space and private lakes 

or meet up in one of the many empty nester clubs, such as the 

lively ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out) or yoga groups. A 

full-time activities director keeps the community active with 

year-round activities and events including chili cook-offs, fishing 

tournaments and live jazz nights. 

Each October, the community hosts the Sterling on the Lake 

Harvest Balloon Festival. The festival is filled with fun fall activities 

such as pumpkin painting, balloon rides, music and food. You 

can experience floating with a tethered hot air balloon ride or 

book a full flight over Flowery Branch. 

Two popular communities at Sterling on the Lake include The 

Cove and The Preserve. The Cove is a neighborhood of homes 

with views of the lake, craftsman style kitchens and large living 

areas. The Preserve is a larger estate, which features one-acre 

home sites and allow for each resident to apply their own 

personal touches with the help of Cook Residential and Millcreek 

Builders. 

All of the amenities in Sterling on the Lake serve to bring 

neighbors together and foster lasting bonds within the 

community. Residents like Neil Catapono share warm feelings 

about living here: “Love the community as a whole: The people, 

comradery, caring and friendships. Sterling attracts a very 

genuine group of people. The staff makes us feel like they want 

us to be happy and make it a great place to live. There is a great 

sense of community and it is a magical place to call home. The 

only place we have ever found that is as harmonious with us as 

empty nesters and families. It gave us a sense of belonging.” 

7004 Lake Sterling Blvd., Flowery Branch, GA 30542 

Cresswind at Lake Lanier 

Cresswind at Lake Lanier was recently named “Best Active 

Senior Community” in Atlanta Best Self Magazine’s “Best of 2016” 

contest. The gated, active-adult community located in Gainesville 

hugs the shore of beautiful Lake Lanier. The community offers a 

variety of two and three bedroom ranch-style floor plans (some 

with basements) to fit any lifestyle. These models were available 

in four series that ranged from 1,275 to 2,640 square feet. 

For 2017, dozens clubs have been approved by Cresswind 

ranging from photography and watercolor painting to fishing 

and model railroads. The diversity includes bowling, bridge, 

EXQUISITE NEW NEIGHBORHOODS 

NOW AVAILABLE. 

HIGHLANDS VISTA 

Ranch Style Homes from the $200s - $400s 

Single level living with open floorplans, 

stylish interior appointments and comfortable 

outdoor living areas. 

LAKE ARROWHEAD. 

LIVE THE DREAM. 

SANCTUARY COVE 

Luxury Lakeside Living - Homes $300s - $800s 

New 28-lot neighborhood featuring breathtaking 

views and offering individual deep water docks. 

This beautiful master planned mountain, lake, 

golfing community is just 40 minutes from 

Atlanta, convenient to nearby Canton and 

minutes from the new, state-of-the-art Northside 

Cherokee Hospital. The vast list of amenities is 

much too long to list here and includes eight 

miles of walking/hiking trails, pickleball, 

championship golf and a crystal clear 540-acre 

lake surrounded by picturesque mountain views. 

For the full list of amenities and much more 

information, visit www.lakearrowheadga.com. 

2419 Lake Arrowhead Drive | Waleska, GA 30183 

770.720.2700 

24 


cooking classes, theater, garden Samba, kayaking, pickleball, 

and yes, a wine tasting club. Resident Gary Hulion said, “All I can 

say is “WOW” If this is retirement, then sign me up! For those of 

you have not yet experienced the thrill of dancing or singing 

the night away, come on out, have fun, be with your friends and 

neighbors. You will not regret it; even better things are yet to 

come.” 

Cresswind Landing, the on-property boathouse including slip 

ownership and day dock opportunities, is an incredible amenity 

for the residents of Cresswind at Lake Lanier to enjoy the 

sparkling lake. 

Only 45 minutes from Atlanta and a short drive from north Fulton 

county, Cresswind is also minutes from Chateau Elan Winery and 

Golf Resort, the Blue Ridge Mountains, Mall of Georgia, Road 

Atlanta and more. 

3007 Scarlet Oak Lane, Gainesville, GA 30504 

style homes in Village Green at East Cobb. In 2017, we have 7 

opportunities remaining in our 2nd phase.. Longleaf Woodstock 

has 86 homes in Cherokee County Is 50% sold, clubhouse and 

pool were just finished and we look forward to many Meet & 

Greets in the new clubhouse. Our 3rd community located in 

Kennesaw is Battle Park with 71 homes. We are breaking ground 

on the clubhouse and pool and looking forward to a busy spring. 

As the first residents of Longleaf, we have had the pleasure of 

watching the vision for this community continue to blossom. 

Our search for an active adult community with lower taxes and 

attractive amenities was our original reason for downsizing and 

relocating to Longleaf. After one year, we are thrilled with our 

decision! We love the quality of workmanship, the open floor 

plan concept and the fact that it is practically maintenance free. 

With its affordable taxes, proximity to major interstates, club 

house, pool and wonderful neighbors and numerous community 

gatherings, who could ask for anything more? 

John and Sue Kranyecz, Longleaf, Woodstock, Georgia. 

14295 Highway 92, Suite 109, Woodstock, Georgia 30188 

The world knows Braselton for our 

award winning winery & world class resort. 

Locals enjoy our historic downtown, 

specialty shops, fine dining, events & festivals. 

Longleaf Communities 

Look through the branches, way up high, and you may spot a 

Longleaf Pine, a magnificent tree that towers as high as 120 feet 

and can live for over 500 years. The tree serves as one of the most 

ecologically important tree species in the Atlanta region and 

famously nurtures a diverse ecosystem. 

Longleaf communities doesn’t fall far from their namesake 

tree. The active adult communities in Marietta, West Cobb and 

Woodstock plan to thrive in the Atlanta metro area with the same 

strength by nurturing a neighborly network of homes. Longleaf 

homes are designed with flexible floor plans, first floor bedrooms 

and bathrooms, contemporary kitchens and two car garagesplus 

all exterior maintenance and landscaping provided! 

Longleaf communities started in Marietta with 69 English cottage 


Now for the Fun Part! 

By Lisa Mowry 

After months of finding your new 

house, it’s time to figure out the 

right decorating and remodeling 

projects to make it wonderful. 

Is there anything more intimidating than an empty house? 

The possibilities are enormous, but nobody wants to spend 

money on the wrong priorities—or last year’s trends. We’ve 

asked the experts to help homebuyers get started on making 

their new home everything it can be. 

Remodeling 

Dale Contant, president-elect of the National Association 

of the Remodeling Industry and owner of Atlanta Design & 

Build (atlantadesignbuild.com), offers his expertise: 

Which areas of the house do homebuyers typically approach 

you to remodel as a top priority for them? 

Contant: Kitchens and master bathrooms are by 

far the most popular for every size house. Babyboomers 

want any older home they’ve purchased to 

have fresh kitchen and bathrooms, floors and paint. 

As far as other projects: basements are another key area to 

update, as well as other bathrooms in the house. 

Do you recommend that homeowners try to do as much as 

possible before moving in? 

Contant: It makes for a good transition to have the floors 

refinished or carpeted, new paint, and any areas that 

desperately need updating to be done prior to moving in. It’s 

a lot harder to do with furniture in place and living through 

the mess; if you remodel before you move in, there’s less 

inconvenience and it can be done faster. 

What are some trends you’re seeing in kitchens and baths 

these days? 

Kitchens: We’re seeing that homeowners are removing walls 

and making an open floor plan. They seem to prefer a larger, 

single level island rather than the multi-level ones from past 

years, with stone or quartz countertops. We also see more 

upgrades in appliances than from previous years, and the 

popularity of farmhouse sinks. 

Master bathrooms: Bathrooms these days are featuring 

a much larger shower, often with a “curbless entry,” large 

26 

format tile, heated tile floors, and frameless showers. We 

are also adding more freestanding soaking tubs, and linen 

cabinets. 

What about outdoor areas...do you see that as a popular 

area of the house for Atlantans to remodel or upgrade? 

Contant: With such a great spring, summer, fall and even 

winter in Atlanta, we can use the exterior areas of our home 

year-round. What we’re seeing a lot of: screen porches 

with fireplaces and TVs, fancy decks, hot tub areas, outdoor 

kitchens, waterfalls and serene landscape features, fire pits, 

and exterior fireplaces—all sorts of ways to link the outdoors 

and indoors. 

Decorating 

Joann Kandrac and Kelly Kole make up Kandrac & Kole 

Interior Design (kandrac-kole.com), voted one of Atlanta’s 

top interior design firms by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. 

They are frequently featured in magazines such as Better 

Homes & Gardens. Their thoughts on decorating with a plan: 

What are some of the first steps homeowners should take 

to go about decorating their new house? 

Kelly Kole: Having just gone thru this process myself (after 

living in a house for 18 years) I would advise homeowners to 

begin the process by ruthlessly purging. Only keep the things 

that are of quality and that you love; sell or donate the others. 

Once you are dealing with an inventory of only the items you 

really love, start thinking about how they can be reused in 

different rooms. It’s fun to give new life to a piece of art, a 

table or chair by putting it in an entirely new space. I took 

photographs and measurements of my remaining inventory 

and then started to assign pieces to rooms. Once I did this, I 

knew where I needed to fill in pieces. 

Do you have any general guidelines to help people start the 

process, such as identifying favorite colors? 

Joann Kandrac: I know some designers say to start with the 

rug, others choose fabrics, others have a different set of 

factors. One of my favorite ground rules is to select 

a palette based on a favorite piece of art. If you had 

a piece of art in the family room in a previous house, 

maybe now it will work in the master bedroom, 

for instance. Take the opportunity to reinvent your 

existing pieces in different parts of your new home. 

What do you think are some exciting trends and 

opportunities in these areas of the house? 

Foyer: 

Joann: This is a place you can make a tremendous 

visual impact and one good way to do that is with 

wallpaper. It is making a big comeback and a foyer is a 

perfect place to incorporate it. Another opportunity 

in this area is to have fun with the flooring. Examples 

might be to mix marble and wood in the same room, 

or use flooring in a chevron or brick-style pattern. 

This built-on screened porch has it all: stone fireplace, vaulted 

ceiling, and wiring for an outdoor TV—plus an adjacent deck 

to get a little sun. Photos courtesy of Atlanta Design & Build; 

photos by Brian Reeves of Perfect Day Photos. 


“We were able to use about 40% of this Atlanta family’s previous things for 

their new house,” says Kelly Kole. To upgrade the family room, they painted 

the built-ins a soothing gray, and livened up an existing sectional with new 

pillows and rug in colorful hues. 

Photos courtesy Kandrac-Kole and photographer Emily Followill. 

Living room: 

Joann: Make this room a true room to live in; gone are the 

days of the “too nice to sit on” furniture and the museumlike 

furnishings. Make this room comfortable and cohesive 

to family time, not a room that is only “for show.” 

Dining room: 

Kelly: Formal dining rooms are not as common as they once 

were. Some homeowners are turning their dining room into 

a more multi-functional space – such as also a library, music 

room, or craft room. For those homeowners who still want 

a dining room, we are seeing a trend toward a more casual 

area. One way to accomplish this is by using a mix of seating 

options. We are designing these spaces with a 

mix of wood and upholstered chairs, benches 

and banquets (like a small sofa made to cozy 

up to a dining table). Also, a large interesting 

chandelier can transform a dining room. Most 

chandeliers we see in clients’ homes are too 

small. 

Family room/TV room: 

Kelly: Our clients are busy families, so the fabric 

choices we make are very important. We are 

selecting Sunbrella and Crypton fabrics in many 

of our projects. These fabrics are traditionally 

known for their indoor/outdoor qualities but the 

patterns, colors and softness have come a long 

way. They are durable and easy to clean, which 

appeals to everybody. We are also designing 

family rooms that appeal to everybody in the 

family—such as a quiet reading corner, a small 

desk to work at, a pub table for games, or a large, 

deep sofa for curling up in front of a movie. 

Kitchen: 

Joann: Incorporating bold and oversized 

light fixtures can update your kitchen in a big 

way. Storage is another game changer for 

functionality in a kitchen. In terms of cabinetry, 

it’s handy to incorporate trash/recycling 

pullouts, rollout drawers, spice pullouts and 

even special storage for dog bowls/food. 

Powder room: 

Joann: This is the space where company can close 

the door and really take it all in. Even though this 

is probably the smallest room in the house, it can 

have the most impact. The use of a graphic wall 

covering or an intense paint color for the ceiling 

is one clever way. Painting this room a dark color 

is also a great way to add drama and it does NOT 

make the room look smaller. 

Master bedroom: 

Kelly: Normally the last room that our clients 

decorate, the master bedroom is really one of 

the most important spaces for homebuyers. We 

are enjoying designing with “smart furniture” 

these days-- bedside tables that have a built in 

night light under the table, hidden drawers for 

iphones/ipads to charge, or headboards that 

have a hidden panel with an LED reading light. We are also 

layering windows with custom linen panels but then using 

a black out cellular shade underneath--a big hit with the 

teenagers! 

Home office: 

Kelly: With technology becoming smaller and more efficient, a 

home office can be a light-filled corner of a room, a renovated 

closet, or a portion of a laundry room or butlers pantry. We 

are also seeing trends towards wellness and ergonomics in 

the office - standing desks, adjustable smart chairs (where 

you can adjust the height, the lumbar and the arms) and LED 

lighting that is easy on the eyes. 

They gave the dining room a new look with slipcovered chairs and a more casual light fixture with 

some size to it (the previous one was wimpy). 

Photos courtesy Kandrac-Kole and photographer Emily Followill. 


27

Grace Huseth 

Just south of Atlanta are little towns that 

return to the Southern way of life, yet 

still have close proximity to the big city. 

Each town offers its own strengths, from 

leisurely retirement communities and 

nature preserves, to Hollywood glamour 

and innovation. These towns hug Atlanta 

with southern charm, an embrace we call 

the Southern Crescent. 

With 199 square miles and over 100,000 

residents, Fayette County includes the 

incorporated municipalities of Fayetteville, 

Peachtree City, Tyrone, Brooks and Woolsey. 

The history of the Southern Crescent 

is Deep South with a touch of city life. 

Georgia may be the Peach State, yet the 

area was originally developed for cotton 

plantations. In the first half of the 20th 

century, as agriculture became more 

mechanized, many African-American 

workers left the area in the Great Migration 

to northern and Midwestern industrial 

cities. However, a reverse migration has 

brought new residents to the South and 

the Southern Crescent has grown markedly 

since 2000. For example, Fayetteville itself 

has increased from 11,148 in 2000 to an 

estimated 17,519 in 2016. However, many 

old houses from antebellum days endure, 

including the Holliday-Dorsey-Fife Museum 

in Fayetteville and Stately Oaks Plantation in 

Jonesboro. 

Proximity to the world’s busiest airport 

is a big factor in the Southern Crescent’s 

corporate success. Hartsfield-Jackson 

Atlanta International Airport employs 

approximately 63,000-plus people, making 

it one of the largest employment districts in 

Georgia. 

The magnetic Hartsfield-Jackson Airport has 

drawn the Federal Aviation Administration 

to establish their FAA Southern Region 

center in College Park. The new office is the 

largest outside of Washington, D.C. and has 

over 1,100 employees. The campus is next 

to College Park MARTA rail station, Hotel 

Indigo and The Pad on Harvard, a popular 

mixed-us complex that offers apartments, 

restaurants, and retail in one spot. 

The bustle of the busiest airport has 

sparked an alliance between public 

and private partners to create a vision 

for an economically sturdy, safe, and 

smart community in south Atlanta. The 

Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance projects 

have included streetscape plans to beautify 

neighborhoods, and range to large case 

studies on roads, intersections and other 

logistics. For example, one Community 

Improvement District (CID) project is 

working with the Georgia Department 

of Transportation to create an attractive 

gateway to accompany construction on a 

$10 million Diverging Diamond Interchange 

(DDI) to serve Camp Creek Parkway at I-285. 

Peachtree City has its own airport called 

Atlanta Regional Airport – Falcon Field right 

in Peachtree City’s 2,200-acre Industrial 

Park. Falcon field in Peachtree City is home 

to the Commemorative Air Force Dixie Wing 

and a hangar filled with WWII aircraft. The 

airport hosts the annual Great Georgia 

Airshow which often attracts the U.S. Navy 

Blue Angels. Weather service for the entire 

North Georgia area comes from the U.S. 

National Weather Service City office at 

Falcon Field 

Other top employers in Peachtree City 

include manufacturing firms that profit 

from direct access to the CSX Railroad, in 

addition to popular companies Cooper 

Lighting and Panasonic Automotive Systems 

Co. The opening of Atlanta Metro Studios in 

Fayetteville 

Union City, Pinewood Atlanta Studio’s North 

American headquarters in Fayetteville, and 

Tyler Perry Studios has made the Southern 

Crescent a movie mecca. 

Just south of downtown Atlanta, you can 

find the new campus of Tyler Perry Studios. 

The most successful African-American 

filmmaker in history has now set his eyes on 

opening one of the largest motion picture 

studios in the U.S. The studio has moved 

from Greenbrier to the historic land of the 

decommissioned Fort McPherson Army 

base, which provides nearly ten times as 

much raw space. 

By the end of 2017, Tyler Perry Studios will 

have twelve stages spread across 330 acres, 

including a historic district with forty circa 

1880 buildings. Tyler Perry Productions has 

created over 900 television episodes and 

16 major motion pictures and has attracted 

outside productions such as “The Walking 

Dead” and “The Immortal Lives of Henrietta 

Lifestyle. Both night and day. 

Top-ranked public schools 

Top-ranked 

Piedmont Fayette Hospital 

Home of Pinewood Studios 

(Where heroes fly!) 

Enjoy our Historic 

Downtown District 

fayetteville-ga.gov 

Come Join 

Our Family! 

28 


FULTON COUNTY, GA 

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Lacks” as well. The campus will be considered the first major motion 

picture studio on the East Coast. 

Atlanta Metro Studios in Union City has overhauled the former 

Shannon Mall into a new studio space to support the booming 

Atlanta film market. 404 Studio Partners and Rooker real estate have 

created a new facility which include a movie, TV studio and 130,000 

square feet of soundstages, including the two largest purpose-built 

soundstages in North America. 

Film, television, music and videos are also created at Pinewood Atlanta 

Studios located in Fayetteville. The full service film and entertainment 

studio complex has 18 sound stages on 700 acres, including backlot 

areas including forests, rivers and open areas. Pinewood Atlanta 

Studios is the largest studio complex in the U.S. outside of L.A. Marvel 

Studios has made Pinewood its unofficial home in Georgia filming 

“Ant-Man,” “Captain America: Civil War,” “Guardians of the Galaxy 

Vol. 2” and “Spiderman: Homecoming”. 

As north Atlanta continues to grow more dense, some are feeling the 

congestion and have made the smart migration south. BMW is one of 

those major companies, moving their training out of Southern region 

headquarters in Sandy Springs and down to College Park. Online 

fashion retailer Asos has plans to build their first ever U.S. warehouse 

in Union City. The space will house over 10 million accessories and 

articles of clothing and will be up and running by fall 2018. 

The Southern Crescent’s temperate climate is the definition of 

southern living. Spring blossoms add to one of the greenest metro 

areas in the eastern part of the nation. Summers can be hot and 

humid with temperatures in the afternoons that reach, on average, to 

near 90 °F, yet mild winters average 35°F overnight for a chance white 

Christmas. South Atlanta’s elevation on the edge of north Georgia’s 

Piedmont region results in abundant greenery each fall. 

Parks and nature preserves in the Southern Crescent make the 

outdoors accessible. Reynolds Nature Preserve in Morrow has over 

three miles of hiking trails. These trails offer views from the highest 

ridges in the county and showcase a mixed oak-hickory-pine forest 

and on down to the wetlands and ponds fed by natural springs. 

Line Creek Nature Area in Peachtree City is a 70-acre public preserve 

with a mix of habitats – an upland hardwood forest, granite 

outcroppings and a rushing stream bordered by native azaleas. The 

City of Fayetteville recently opened over 300 acres of new public 

greenspace called The Ridge Nature Area, featuring a kayak/canoe 

water trail that will eventually reach Starr’s Mill, over seven miles 

away. 

Due to Atlanta’s ideal location, recreational activities abound in 

Georgia. Day trips offer opportunities in hiking, water skiing and 

whitewater rafting. A four-hour drive from Atlanta can bring you 

to the charm and grace of Savannah and the Georgia Coast, or the 

splendor of the North Carolina Mountains. 

True to southern palates, the Southern Crescent is home to many 

unique restaurants and BBQ spots. No- frills family joint Dean’s BBQ 

has served the Jonesboro community good pit-smoked pig since 

1947. This Is It! BBQ and Seafood brings Atlanta’s BBQ character to 

Fayetteville. Upscale dining can be found in Peachtree City at Pascal’s 

Bistro, an American- French eatery, along with Restaurant 365 at 

Porsche. Those seeking a quick bite can stop by Radial Café in College 

Park. The café is Georgia’s only “three-star green restaurant” with 

locally sourced, farm-to table meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

The Southern Crescent may be the best place to have dinner and a show 

thanks to many amphitheaters in the area. Wolf Creek Amphitheater 

in South Atlanta has quickly become a popular venue for entertainment 

under the stars. Further south, The Southern Ground Amphitheater 

in Fayetteville and the Fred in Peachtree City, feature a variety of 

outdoor music and entertainment. Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater, 

the Fred, in Peachtree City has hosted hometown favorites, national 

and touring acts for more than thirty years. The Southern Ground 

Amphitheater is owned by the Fayetteville Downtown Development 

Authority, but gets its name from Fayetteville resident and country 

star, Zac Brown and his Southern Ground enterprise. 

Georgia International Convention Center welcomes a new arena, 

as well as a new NBA D-league team that will call the Southern 

Crescent home. The new Atlanta Hawks D-league team will begin 

play for the 2019-2020 season in a 3,500 seat arena currently under 

construction at the Georgia International Convention Center. The 

arena will have about 110,000 square feet and will also double as a 

hapeville 

www.hapeville.org 

Hapeville, Georgia come see 

where things are taking off! 

Hapeville is located on the 

doorstep of the Atlanta Hartsfield- 

Jackson International Airport 

between I-75 and I-85. 

Hapeville is a proud member of 

the Atlanta Aerotropolis Alliance 

public and private partners 

working together to leverage the 

economic potential of the airport 

and to market the region. 

Dramatic job tax advantages 

attract businesses to Hapeville’s 

commercial Opportunity Zone. 

Residential neighborhoods 

feature homes such as craftsmanstyle 

bungalows, traditional 

Chicago-style townhomes and 

loft-condominiums; with 

manicured parks and facilities. 

Hapeville celebrates the arts, 

investing in its own Performing 

Arts Center, and vibrant public art. 

Hapeville Assoc. of Tourism & Trade 

Department of Economic Development 

Hapeville, GA. * (404)-669-8269 

Aviation Heritage Mural, Shannon Lake 

Airport South CID + Airport West CID = 

Aerotropolis Atlanta CIDs 

The Airport South and Airport West CIDs now work 

together as the Aerotropolis Atlanta CIDs. Their partnership 

is developing a more vibrant business community 

surrounding the world’s busiest airport. 

• Full-time Public Safety Director 

• 24-hour private security patrols 

• Patrols by reserve police officers 

• 30% reduction in criminal incidents 

• Coordination with all law 

enforcement agencies 

www.AeroCIDs.com 

facebook.com/AeroCIDs | twitter.com/AeroCIDs 

30 


multipurpose venue for concerts, theater, 

additional regional sports and will draw 

more conferences and tradeshows. The 

new arena will be part of Gateway Center, 

a collection of upscale hotels and office 

space surrounding the convention center 

and connected to Hartsfield-Jackson 

Atlanta International Airport. The Marriott 

Renaissance is underway and construction 

is scheduled to be completed by spring 

2017, while the arena will be completed by 

summer 2019. 

NASCAR fans love the Atlanta Motor 

Speedway just 20 miles south of Atlanta. The 

track originating in the 1960s was rebuilt to 

a 1.54-mile quad-oval track, making it one 

of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit. Despite 

attracting thousands on race weekend, the 

Atlanta Motor Speedway offers much to the 

Southern Crescent community. Every year 

from spring until fall, the speedway hosts 

“Friday Night Drags” where participants 

drag race down the pit road. The facility also 

hosts several driving schools year-round, 

such as Richard Petty Driving Experience, 

where visitors have the opportunity to 

experience the speedway from a unique 

point-of-view behind the wheel of a race car. 

Sports car enthusiasts can get their hearts 

racing at Porsche’s test driving center in 

College Park. The Porsche Experience 

Center at the U.S. Porsche headquarters 

places you behind the wheel of the car of 

your choice for 90 minutes. 

The track at Porsche allows the drivers to 

explore how each car performs on a variety 

of drive surfaces. The 1.6 mile purposebuilt 

driver development track includes a 

dynamics area to test speed and agility, 

a handling circuit with a one-mile course 

designed to mimic a winding country road, 

a low-friction circle to experience over-steer 

features on a wet, polished concrete surface, 

and an off road circuit to demonstrate 

a Cayenne’s off-road technology. The 

experience center also offers a simulator lab 

where drivers of all ages can participate in 

the visual thrill of driving some of the best 

race tracks in the world. 

College Park boasts being home to the 

largest private school in the United States, 

Woodward Academy, as well as The Main 

Street Academy, a K-8 public charter school 

proudly serving the Tri-Cities area. 

The Fayette County School District was 

ranked #6 of 179 schools in the 2017 Best 

School Districts in Georgia and is comprised 

of 26 traditional schools, one non-traditional 

high school, an alternative education 

program, an adult community school and 

a new addition, the ‘Center of Innovation.’ 

The district has 1,379 full-time teachers 

and over 20,756 students. Fayette County 

High School, Whitewater High School, 

Sandy Creek High School, McIntosh High 

School and Starr’s Mill High School serve the 

Fayetteville area. 

Private and non-traditional schools include 

The Campus and Trinity Christian School, 

both grades 1-12, in Peachtree City and 

Counterpane School, Our Lady of Mercy 

Catholic High School, and Grace Christian 

Academy in Fayetteville. Landmark Christian 

School has a main campus in Fairburn, 

covering PreK-12, and a campus in Peachtree 

City, covering K-5. 

According to Berkshire Hathaway Home 

Services Georgia Properties, Fayette County 

and Neighboring homeowners. The market 

in 2016 for the two counties was up 11.2% 

in units over, while the sales volume was up 

15.9%. The average sales price was $265,000 

and houses were only on the market for an 

average of 53 days. 

Step aside Florida, active adults should 

retire in the Southern Crescent. Fayetteville 

and Peachtree City have many independent 

living, senior apartments and retirement 

communities. 

Peachtree City’s hallmark, and favorite 

feature among seniors, is its 100-mile 

network of multi-use paths for pedestrians, 

cyclists, and golf carts. Peachtree City, 

the Golf Cart City, is known as one of the 

most successful planned communities 

in the country. Over 9,000 households 

own a golf cart, and use them as an extra 

vehicle for local transportation to go from 

neighborhood to shopping centers, schools, 

and parks through the wooded scenery that 

makes Peachtree City special. Everyone 

drives golf carts, and even McIntosh High 

School experiences golf cart traffic jams 

after the bell rings! 

The City of East Point is a prime location that can satisfy the 

needs of business. With over 35,000 residents, East Point 

boasts a vibrant workforce of professional and skilled labor 

with exceptional quality of living standards for its citizens. 

The East Point Advantage: 

• 10 minutes from the heart of Downtown Atlanta 

• 2 TAD Districts, a CID and an Opportunity Zone 

• No impact fees on new development 

• 100% Freeport Exemption 

• Approximately 2.3 million square feet of office, warehouse 

and distribution space in the commercial/industrial areas 

• Multiple rail lines/spurs 

• 5 minutes from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport 

• Its own power and private water reservoir 

• East Point Business and Industrial Development Authority 

• MARTA Train Station 

• Access to all major interstates 

• Home to Camp Creek Marketplace, Camp Creek Pointe, 

Camp Creek Business Center, Southmeadow Business Park 

and several major headquarter companies 

To learn more about advantages and opportunities in East Point’s business districts, 

contact Maceo Rogers, 404-270-7217, jmrogers@eastpointcity.org 


Cherokee County 

cherokeega.com (678) 493-6000 

County Population: 225,994 

County Seat: Canton 

Median Household Income: $68,926 Median Home Price: $190,500 

Square Miles: 421.67 Millage Rate: 29.113 

Municipalities: Ball Ground, Canton, Holly Springs, Waleska, and Woodstock 

Citygoers and nature lovers alike will enjoy living in Cherokee County. 

Atlanta is only about a 30-minute drive away, and the scenic route to the 

mountains in North Georgia only takes about an hour. The cities in Cherokee 

County have accessible shopping, quaint coffee shops, and beautiful parks. 

Some parts of Cherokee County provide the feeling of being in the country, 

while other parts offer a fast-paced city life. The county had the highest 

SAT scores in the state, the lowest unemployment rate in the metro area, 

is among the top 3 school districts in the state, 40% of residents have postsecondary 

degrees, 26% of the population are millennials and it is projected 

to lead the metro area in the next 30 years in job growth. It is home to 

Chattahoochee Tech, Atlanta’s largest technical college; Lake Arrowhead, 

the South’s largest manmade lake; the Cherokee County Aquatic Center, 

the new 370,000 square foot Outlet Shoppes in Woodstock, a regional 

airport, a new $280 million Northside Hospital, a new $80 million WellStar 

Health System is coming soon,and a new Amphitheater. 

Ball Ground • cityofballground.com (770) 735-2123 • Pop.1,500 

Ball Ground is an expanding community north of Canton on I-575. The 

area is a must-see for rock hounds, as it is a prime mining center for 

precious and semiprecious minerals, many of which are on display in 

the village’s storefronts. The amount of available jobs within the city has 

been continually growing, and this is mostly due to the positive business 

climate in the region. Many housing options are available to new residents, 

including a variety of lot sizes. A new elementary school that can hold 

1,200 students opened in 2012. 

Canton • canton-georgia.com (770) 704-1520 • Pop. 23,000 

Canton is the county seat of Cherokee County, and it has experienced 

strong residential growth in the past few years. The Historical Downtown 

of Canton has many local shops with original items. In warm weather, local 

farmers bring their fresh home-grown fruits and vegetables to the square 

downtown. BridgeMill is one of the most popular neighborhoods, and it 

is so large that it is divided into two school districts. The neighborhood 

has a two-acre pool, a world-class golf course, and over 52 acres for 

family recreation. Canton is a great place to live for those who wish to be 

surrounded by tall trees and winding roads, while still only a short drive 

from Atlanta. 

Holly Springs • hollyspringsga.us • Pop. 9,000 

The City is 6.5 square miles and offers many sites for future development. 

Holly Springs was incorporated in 1906. The town was built around a train 

depot which has been updated and is now the Holly Springs Community 

Center. The median household income is $65,540, and the median home 

value is $186,357. The largest employer is Hydro-Chem. 

Waleska • cityofwaleska.com (770) 479-2912 • Pop. 644 

Waleska is home to the main campus of Reinhardt University, founded 

in 1883, and of Lake Arrowhead, where a popular resort community is 

located. Incorporated in 1889, Waleska got its name from the daughter 

of an Indian Chief in the area called Warluskee. The main industries of the 

past in Waleska were lumbering, grist mills, some mineral development, 

and tobacco manufacturing. Agriculture and the lumber industry still thrive 

in the area. The main “industry” in the town is Reinhardt College, and 

Waleska is often referred to as a university town. 

Woodstock • woodstockga.gov (770) 926-8852 • Pop. 30,000 

The City’s population grew by 33% between 2010 (23,904) and 2017 

(31,774). They are adding another nearly 100 acre park located on the 

eastside of the City. The total amount of public/private investment in 

Downtown Woodstock in 2017 was over 47 million dollars. Through an 

32 

ARC grant and partnership with the Convention and Visitors Bureau, 

work began on the new Downtown Mural. Main Street took over Taste 

and Sound of Woodstock and welcomed over 15 participants showcasing 

the culinary options of Woodstock. Main Street received its 2017 Main 

Street America Accredited Program Certification. Their new Amphitheater 

is a huge success. Recent awards and recognitions include: The Georgia 

Municipal Association’s Live, Work, Play City Award for 2017, Ranked 3rd 

best City in Metro Atlanta to buy a house (Niche.com),Ranked in the top 

20 Safest Cities in Georgia (alarm.org), Named “The Coolest Place in the 

South” (onlyinyourstate.com), Ranked in the top 10 “Best Places to Raise a 

Family” (wallethub.com). 

Power 

Amicalola EMC 

(706) 253-5200 

amicalolaemc.com 

Cobb EMC 

(770) 429-2100 

cobbemc.com 

Georgia Power 

(888) 660-5890 

georgiapower.com 

Sawnee EMC 

(770) 887-2363 

sawnee.com 

Gas 

Atlanta Gas Light 

(877) 427-4321 

atlantagaslight.com 

Gas South 

(877) 472-4932 

gas-south.com 

Georgia Natural Gas 

(877) 850-6200 

onlygng.com 

SCANA Energy 

Natural Gas 

(877) 467-2262 

scanaenergy.com 

True Natural Gas 

(877) 746-4362 

truenaturalgas.com 

Recycling 

Recycling Center 

(770) 517-7650 

Cable 

Charter Communications 

(888) 438-2427 

charter.com 

Comcast 

(866) 942-1341 

comcast.com 

ETC Communications 

(800) 660-6826 

etcnow.com 

For information or to experience 

Downtown Woodstock for yourself, 

visit: downtownwoodstock.org or 

download the ʻVisit Woodstockʼ app 

on the App Store or Google Play. 

WOODSTOCK DOWNTOWN 

DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 

Brian Stockton, AICP 

Director 

770-592-6056 

bstockton@woodstockga.gov 

Water and Sewer 

Cherokee County Water 

and Sewage Authority 

(770) 479-1813 

ccwsa.com 

Telephone 

AT&T 

(877) 736-0890 

att.com 

live. life. local. 

#1Downtown in New Jobs Created 

#1Downtown in New Business 

#1Downtown in Private and Public Investment 

#1Downtown in New Housing 

dt 


Clayton County 

claytoncountyga.gov (770) 477-3208 


County Seat: Jonesboro 



Municipalities: Forest Park, Jonesboro, Lake City, Lovejoy, Morrow, and Riverdale 

As a suburb just south of Atlanta, Clayton County provides relaxed living with 

plentiful amenities. The county is one of the smallest in Georgia and one 

of the most densely populated. Home of Hartsfield-Jackson International 

Airport and just 15 minutes to downtown Atlanta. They have 32 parks and 

900 acres of parks, over 30 business parks with millions of square feet of 

affordable buildings and development sites for manufacturing, warehouse/ 

distribution, office, and retail. They have a diverse, desirable mix of logistics 

operations; warehousing and distribution facilities; food manufacturing and 

distribution; administrative services; healthcare; and educational services. 

They offer attractive tax incentives such as Tier 1 State Job Tax Credits and 

investment credits, and Opportunity Zone. The film industry generates 

significant economic impact and the City is a “Camera Ready Community”; 

check out “Film Clayton”. They have the largest labor force in the Southern 

Crescent and the 6th largest in the State. 

Forest Park • forestparkga.org (404) 366-4720 • Pop.18,874 

The more populous Forest Park thrives on the economic engine of Hartsfield- 

Jackson Atlanta International Airport and its related businesses, as well as the 

activity of the Georgia State Farmers Market. Located only nine miles away from 

Atlanta, Forest Park has easy access to the city and all it has to offer. The 1,465- 

acre Fort Gillem Military Reservation is in Forest Park. The city is a great center 

of commerce, growing rapidly since the 1950s. Forest Park is a great place for 

those wishing to be close to a large airport and major interstates as well as the 

city of Atlanta. 

Jonesboro • jonesboroga.com (770) 478-3800 • Pop. 4,580 

Past and present are attractively blended in Jonesboro, with historic and 

recreational sites in abundance. Just 12 miles from Atlanta and the county seat 

of Clayton County, Jonesboro is an historical gem with all the amenities of a 

modern city. Easy access to Interstate 75 is a perk for those wishing to commute 

to Atlanta or visit the attractions of the city. Clayton County is where the famous 

movie Gone with the Wind was filmed, so there are numerous attractions 

for residents and visitors. Many recreational activities are in the area as well, 

including golf, fishing, and visual and performance arts. 

Morrow • cityofmorrow.com (770) 961-4002 • Pop. 6,859 

Morrow is home to Spivey Hall, Clayton State University’s acclaimed performing 

arts center, and the Southlake Mall shopping complex. The city started as an acre 

of land in 1870, and that acre is still the center of the town. Morrow has grown 

from a trading stop to a thriving commercial town with appealing shopping 

venues, fine dining, and great entertainment centers. Many historical attractions 

are in Morrow, and the city has multiple annual events. The amenities of Atlanta 

are close by, as well as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. 

Power 

Amicalola EMC 

(706) 253-5200 

amicalolaemc.com 

Cobb EMC 

(770) 429-2100 

cobbemc.com 

Georgia Power 

(888) 660-5890 


Sawnee EMC 

(770) 887-2363 

sawnee.com 

Gas 


(877) 427-4321 


Gas South 

(877) 472-4932 

gas-south.com 


(877) 746-4362 



Cherokee Co. Water & 

Sewage Authority 

(770) 479-1813 

ccwsa.com 

Cable 

AT&T 

(877) 736-0890 

uverseonline.att.net 

Charter 

Communications 

(888) 438-2427 

charter.com 

Telephone 

AT&T 

(877) 736-0890 

att.com 

Recycling 

Recycling Center 

(770) 517-7650 

How can we make you smile today? 

1. On Time Any Time 

2. Trustworthy Techs 

3. No Surprise Pricing 

4. Satisfaction 

Guaranteed 

770-ANDREWS 

RSAndrews.com 

Air-Conditioning • Heating • Plumbing • Electrical • Duct Cleaning 


Riverdale • riverdalega.gov (770) 909-5300 • Pop. 15,500 

The Clayton County Public School system serves the students of Riverdale. 

Located only 10 miles from Atlanta, Riverdale provides nice residential living 

close to the amenities of the large city. Only five miles from Hartsfield-Jackson 

Atlanta International Airport, residents of Riverdale have easy access to travel. 

Median household income in Riverdale is $37,100. The City of Riverdale’s South 

City Concert Series takes place at The Amphitheater at the Riverdale Town 

Center during the summer. 

Cobb County 

cobbcounty.org (770) 528-1000 

Conveniently located about 30 minutes outside of Atlanta, Cobb County is 

a constantly growing suburb with much to offer. . It is the second largest 

school district in the state with two state universities and one technical 

college. Tourism is the largest industry at $2.2 billion and responsible 

for 25,000 jobs. They have the lowest property tax in metro Atlanta. The 

Braves move here has sparked economic growth and their County Airport is 

expanding. The historical Marietta Square attracts history buffs and antique 

shoppers Key points of interest include Kennesaw Mountain, Six Flags 

Over Georgia, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center and Lockheed Martin 

Aeronautics Company. The Home Depot is headquartered here. They have 

over 36 public Parks and are adding more and have 7 golf courses. Major 

transit and transportation improvements are underway. Cobb County was 

one of the 24 counties created in 1832 from Cherokee Indian territory. It 

is named for Judge Thomas W. Cobb, a former U.S. Senator. Marietta, the 

county seat, is said to be named for his wife. The Chattahoochee River, 

which forms Cobb’s southeast boundary, served as a dividing line between 

Creek and Cherokee Indian territories . 

Acworth • acworth.org (770) 974-7626 • Pop. 21,000 

Acworth, located about 35 miles northwest of Atlanta, is 132 square miles. 

While it is close enough to Atlanta to experience professional sports and 

cultural events like a larger city, the small-town atmosphere of Acworth 

provides opportunities for families that offer fun and tranquility. Convenient 

to both Interstate 75 and Highway 41, area hotels are comfortable and are 

run by community members. Visitors, whether in the mood for down-home 

southern cooking, a quick sandwich, spicy Cajun cuisine, or parlor style ice 

cream, will find a wide range of choices. Acworth is surrounded by two 

beautiful lakes, Lake Acworth and Lake Allatoona, and 12 parks surround 

Acworth that are perfect for picnicking. Nestled along the banks of Lake 

Acworth is Cobblestone Golf Course, which was recently rated the #1 

public course in Georgia by Golf Digest. Shoppers will revel in the eclectic 

nature and friendly, welcoming staff of the shops in Acworth’s historical 

downtown district. If you are a history buff, you will certainly want to visit 

the many homes on the historical tour. The Dixie Highway, “the granddaddy 

of Interstate 75,” was the first interstate to reach into the South and is 

Acworth’s Main Street. By the time of its incorporation in 1840, Acworth 

prospered as a typical railroad town. Today, Acworth is designated as 

a Georgia Main Street City and is committed to preserving the historical 

significance of its downtown district buildings. 

Austell • austellga.gov (770) 944-4300 • Pop. 6,700 

Austell is experiencing rapid residential growth as newcomers discover its 

wealth of natural beauty, recreational opportunities, and a stable economic 

base. Austell covers 5.7 square miles. This welcoming small town provides a 

friendly atmosphere with commercial, industrial, and residential growth. The 

area has a great school system, unique shopping, easily accessible medical 

care, and convenient travel opportunities. The city of Austell has many 

family activities such as an annual Easter egg hunt, Halloween celebrations, 

and the festive lighting of the town Christmas tree. Strategically located 

in southwest Cobb County, Austell is 18 miles away from Atlanta, 10 miles 

from Marietta, and only minutes away from the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta 

International Airport, making travel very convenient. Regional commercial 

and industrial complexes as well as cultural, recreational, and leisure 

activities are within easy driving distance for Austell residents. Vacations 


County Seat: Marietta 


Square Miles: 340 Millage Rate: 6.9 

Municipalities: Acworth, Austell, Kennesaw, Marietta, Powder Springs, 

and Smyrna 

in North Georgia’s mountains or along Georgia’s coast and the Golden Isles 

are only a few hours away. 

Kennesaw • kennesaw-ga.gov (770) 424-8274 • Pop. 31,000 

In the 1830s, the railroad building craze hit Cobb County, and as more and 

more rail workers came to the county, Kennesaw grew up around that 

industry. Residents later founded the city in 1887. During the Civil War, 

Kennesaw served as the staging ground for the Great Locomotive Chase, an 

event now recounted at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive 

History. 

A city rich in history, Kennesaw has become a destination for businesses 

and families looking to relocate in the Atlanta metropolitan area. 

Extensive preserved Civil War battle sites allow one to step back in time 

to the turbulent days of battle juxtaposed to the vibrant, stable economy 

that is Kennesaw today. Many attractions, shops, restaurants, parks, and 

businesses contribute to the vitality of the city. Kennesaw State University 

has become one of the premier public universities in Georgia and is now 

the state’s third largest university. The main strip in Kennesaw is Barrett 

Parkway, which offers Town Center Mall, a variety of restaurants, as well as 

multiple shopping centers and movie theaters. 

Marietta • mariettaga.gov (770) 794-5530 • Pop. 58,358 

Marietta, the county seat, is known for its historic districts and its famous 

town square complete with gazebo and fountain. Offering the charm of a 

small town with the amenities of big-city living keeps Marietta at the top 

of the list for sought out areas. The downtown square bustles throughout 

the day as visitors and residents take advantage of the many charming 

shops and restaurants. The adjacent Cobb government buildings ensure 

an ongoing steady stream of people in and out of the area on a daily 

basis. U.S. 41 is one of the main roads that run through Marietta. “The 

Big Chicken,” as residents refer to it, has become a landmark that is used 

to provide directions in the area. Incorporated on December 19, 1834, 

Marietta is the Cobb County seat of government. While the origin of the 

city’s name is somewhat a mystery, prevailing wisdom has it that the name 

remembers Mary Moore, the wife of U.S. Senator and Supreme Court Judge 

Thomas Willis Cobb. If this origin is correct, it seems apt, as Judge Cobb is 

the namesake of the county itself. When, in 1864, Union General William 

Tecumseh Sherman marched through Marietta, he spared the city before 

going to burn Atlanta. 

Powder Springs • cityofpowdersprings.org (770) 943-1666 • 

Pop. 14,000 

Powder Springs incorporated as Springville in 1838 on the lands of two 

Cherokee Indian chiefs, Chief Nose and Chief Ana Kanasta (Sweetwater). 

Prospectors had found gold in the state 10 years earlier, and so get-richquick 

hopefuls flocked to Springville to mine and pan more. Despite their 

efforts, the prospectors found little in the mines at Lost Mountain and off 

Brownsville Road. Sadly - and ironically - at about this same time, the U.S. 

government forced Cherokee Indians off their lands and marched them to 

Oklahoma on the “Trail of Tears.” 

In 1859, the city name changed to Powder Springs, a name derived from the 

seven springs in the city limits. The water in these springs contains some 26 

minerals that turn the surrounding sand black, like gunpowder – hence the 

name Gunpowder Springs. 

The city of Powder Springs boasts the ability to preserve the heritage of 

the past and provide a community where citizens actively participate in 

the decision making process. The development of an extensive citywide 

trail system called the Silver Comet Trail connects neighborhoods, parks, 

and public facilities and has made the community very desirable for active 

and environmentally conscious residents. Powder Springs has many parks 

and recreational areas for those who enjoy fun outdoor activities. Tramore 

34 


Park offers four soccer fields and multiple smaller fields for children. Wild 

Horse Creek Park consists of 53 acres that can be used for tennis, softball 

and baseball, football, and soccer, as well as BMX biking. Close to Powder 

Springs is Sweetwater Creek Park, which provides picnicking, canoeing, 

hiking, and fishing. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is in the 

area, and the park has many historical treasures from the Civil War. 

Smyrna • smyrnacity.com (770) 434-6600 • Pop. 52,350 

Just 15 minutes from downtown Atlanta, Smyrna is known as the Jonquil City 

for the many blooms seen each spring. Once considered a sleepy bedroom 

suburb of Atlanta, Smyrna has fully come into its own with recognition for 

a successful rejuvenated downtown area. The Village Green provides a 

community atmosphere featuring shopping, dining, a community center, 

and city hall all intertwined with residential spaces. This area is structured 

in a Williamsburg style, with a central fountain surrounded by a long brick 

road. The Smyrna Community Center offers residents multiple spaces for 

meetings, activities, and athletics.The City attracts the millennials with it’s 

proximity to downtown Atlanta, many parks and restaurants. It is 15 square 

miles and has 304 acres of park and green space. The City of Smyrna was 

awarded the Urban Land Institute’s Award for Excellence and is recognized 

as one of the most desirable places to live in the entire Metropolitan 

Atlanta area, “the place to be…the place to call home”. 

Vinings • Pop. 10,000 

Just over the Chattahoochee River from the city of Atlanta, the small 

historic community of Vinings continues to attract those searching for 

unique shopping and dining experiences. With the affluent West Paces 

Ferry portion of Buckhead and the suburban community of Smyrna close 

by, the Vinings area offers a wide variety of residential opportunities and 

recreational activities. Vinings Jubilee is considered by residents to be the 

town center, maintaining an historic look and feel. The business climate 

is thriving, led by the headquarters of Home Depot that is located just 

outside of Vinings. The main east/west road that goes through the town is 

Paces Ferry Road. The area has always been and still is a very desirable area 

for Cobb County residents. 

Power 

Acworth Power 

(770) 917-8903 

acworth.org/powerdepartment 

Cobb EMC 

(770) 429-2100 

cobbemc.com 

Greystone Power Corp 

(770) 942-6576 

greystonepower.com 

Marietta Power 

(770) 794-5100 

mariettaga.gov/city/mpw 

Gas 


(877) 427-4321 


Gas South 

(877) 472-4932 

gas-south.com 


(877) 850-6200 

onlygng.com 

Infinite Energy Company 

(877) 342-5434 

infiniteenergy.com 

SCANA Energy 

Natural Gas 

(877) 467-2262 



(877) 746-4362 


Walton EMC Natural Gas 

(770) 267-2505 

waltonemcnaturalgas.com 


Cobb County 

Water System 

(770) 423-1000 

cobbwater.org 

Cable 

AT&T 

(877) 736-0890 


Courtesy of Marietta Welcome Center 

Charter 


(888) 438-2427 

charter.com 

Comcast 

(866) 942-1341 

comcast.com 

Telephone 

AT&T 

(877) 736-0890 


Recycling 

(678) 581-5488 

cobbcountyga.gov 


DeKalb County 

co.dekalb.ga.us (404) 371-2000 


County Seat: Decatur 


Square Miles: 267.58 Millage Rate: .4419 

Municipalities: Avondale Estates, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, 

Lithonia, Pine Lake, and Stone Mountain 

Located right on the edge of Atlanta, Dekalb County is a prime location for 

those wishing to live the city life without actually living downtown. The 

third largest County in the state and home of Emory University, Agnes 

Scott College, American Cancer Society, Fernbank Museum, Callanwolde 

Fine Arts Center and Stone Mountain. They have 130 parks consisting of 

6,000 acres of parkland and open spaces. Recent news includes the plans 

to convert the former Presidential Hotel to an independent living facility 

for senior citizens and to convert the Northlake Mall to a live, work, play 

community with apartments, restaurants, offices, homes, etc. The County 

leads the State in work force development and ethnic diversity with 65 

spoken languages. The median price of homes sold in December, 2017 

was $258,500 which is up from $153, 745 in December of 2012. They are 

building 17 new hangers at their Peachtree DeKalb Airport to accommodate 

business travel and their convenience to MARTA is another great asset to 

businesses and residents.. 

Avondale Estates • avondaleestates.org (404) 294-5400 • Pop. 2,771 

The neighborhood of Avondale Estates was established in 1924 and is 1.2 

square miles. Named after England’s Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s 

birthplace, Avondale Estates has an old British atmosphere. The downtown 

area also offers dining opportunities including pizzerias and Mexican 

cuisine. The Rail Arts area of Avondale Estates contains art galleries and 

studios and hosts an arts and music festival each autumn. A beautiful 

natural attraction is Lake Avondale, where residents and visitors can enjoy 

outdoor recreational activities. 

Brookhaven • Brookhavenga.gov (404) 637-0500 • Pop. 49,000 

Georgia’s newest city was incorporated December 17th, 2012, and it became 

a city entirely inside the perimeter and the largest city in Dekalb County. It 

is 2.12 square miles, with 271 acres of parks. The median household income 

is $56,231. Brookhaven’s borders are Sandy Springs to the west, Chamblee 

to the east; Dunwoody to the north; and Interstate 85 to the south. The 

city has its own police, zoning, and maintenance separate from the county. 

Points of interest include Capital City Country Club, Brookhaven MARTA 

Station, Oglethorpe University, Georgia State University’s Brookhaven 

satellite campus for the Robinson College of Business MBA program, and 

Murphey Candler Park. The Dekalb County School System operates the 

public schools serving Brookhaven. Neighborhoods and districts include 

Town Brookhaven, Brookhaven Village, Lynwood Park, Peachtree Road, 

North Brookhaven, Buford Highway, and Lenox Park. The large retail centers 

in Brookhaven include the Town Brookhaven, Northeast Plaza, and a stripmall 

style shopping center on Buford Highway focused on discount and 

Hispanic-oriented stores. 

Candler-McAfee • Pop. 23,000 

Candler-McAfee, covering seven square miles, is beautiful area inhabited 

with multiple parks. The parks in the region include Misty Waters Park, 

Alexander Park, Glendale Park, Mark Trail Park, Glenwood Hills Park, and 

Starmount-McAfee Park. Shopping is plentiful in Candler-McAfee, and the 

two major shopping centers are the Candler Plaza Shopping Center and the 

Eastgate Shopping Center. Candler-McAfee is convenient to Atlanta and 

offers many recreational activities and shopping opportunities. 

Chamblee • chambleega.com (770) 986-5010 • Pop. 23,000 

The City of Chamblee is 2,009 acres, or 3.18 square miles. For 2007 to 

2011, the median household income was $54,819. Of people over the age 

of 25, 72.8% have a high school degree or higher, and 40.6% of the same 

age bracket have a bachelor’s degree or higher. The city of Chamblee is 

home to six parks. The Chamblee MARTA station provides a direct route 

36 

Photo Courtesy of Georgia Department of Economic Development 

to downtown Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. 

Busy Dekalb Peachtree Airport is classified as a “general aviation reliever 

airport” for the Atlanta metropolitan area. It encompasses approximately 

700 acres of land in the northern part of Dekalb County, the majority of 

which is within the Chamblee city limits. The Chamblee area has grown and 

is one of the most ethnically diverse areas in the Southeast. Chamblee is rich 

in culture and has an international atmosphere. The International Village 

is considered one of the most diverse areas in the country, with residents 

of over 30 nationalities and businesses that introduce visitors to different 

cultures. The central business district in Chamblee hosts the nationally 

known Antique Row, and this section of town strives to retain the history of 

the city while incorporating modern developments. 

Clarkston • cityofclarkston.com (404) 296-6489 • Pop. 7,733 

Clarkston is a small town that retains its southern appeal while having the 

amenities of Atlanta close by. Milam Park is a beautiful 7.6-acre park in the 

area that has a modern playground, tennis courts, pavilions for picnics, a 

softball field, and a multiuse field. Clarkston Dog Park provides a great place 

for pet owners to let their dogs play. Friendship Forest has approximately 16 

acres of streams, trees, fields, and stands. Many wildlife attractions are in 

the area, such as butterflies, birds, vegetation, and small mammals. 

Decatur • decaturga.com (404) 370-4100 • Pop. 20,000 

The city of Decatur is the heart of the county and has the warmth, charm 

and accessibility of the best small towns. With exceptional services and 

amenities and its close proximity to Emory University and the Centers 

for Disease Control, Decatur is one of the most desirable places to live in 

Dekalb County and the metro Atlanta area. Decatur’s historic town square, 

anchored by the old courthouse that is now home to the county’s historical 

society and arts council, is ringed with galleries, cafes, and boutiques. With 

its own MARTA station in the middle of the square complex, Decatur is easily 

accessible and pedestrian friendly. 

Doraville • doravillega.us (770) 451-8745 • Pop. 8,500 

Doraville has been growing since 1871, and the city is now very industrially 

advanced. Located about 10 miles from Atlanta, Doraville links the city of 

Atlanta to the surrounding suburbs. Transportation by four major interstates 

that go through the city is easily accessible, and the business climate 

is thriving. Two airports, the Dekalb Peachtree Airport and Hartsfield- 

Jackson Atlanta International Airport, are within 30 minutes of Doraville. 

The Doraville MARTA station provides convenient public transportation. 

The people of the community are very culturally diverse and economically 

driven. 

Druid Hills • druidhills.org • Pop. 15,000 

Historic mansions that date back to the 19th century reside in the beautiful 

planned community of Druid Hills. Asa Candler, the founder of Coca-Cola, 

helped to develop the community that was originally formed by Joel Hurt. 

The main campus of Emory University, one of the world’s top research 

institutions, is in Druid Hills. In 1975 the parks along Ponce de Leon Avenue 

were listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and those parks 


along with the rest of the development are now known as the Druid Hills 

Historic District. Four National Register Districts are located in the Druid 

Hills community: Druid Hills, Emory Grove, Cameron Court, and University 

Park-Emory Highlands-Emory Estates. 

Dunwoody • dunwoodyga.gov • Pop. 48,000 

Officially incorporated in 2008, Dunwoody is the 17th largest city in Georgia. 

Dunwoody has a total area of 13.7 square miles, 80 percent of which is 

residential homes, and 100,000 people commute daily to Dunwoody to 

work in Perimeter Center. Dunwoody Village is the historic heart of the 

community. As late as the 1970s, Dunwoody was mostly farm land. The 

area where Perimeter Mall is today was a pasture filled with farm animals. 

Perimeter Mall is Georgia’s second largest shopping mall with 18 million 

visitors per year. Dunwoody schools are among the best in the state. 

Median income for a family is $106,777. 

Panthersville • Pop. 9,800 

Panthersville is a shopping mecca that offers many opportunities for 

residents and visitors. The Gallery at South Dekalb is a regional shopping 

center that offers department stores such as Macy’s. Rainbow Village 

Shopping Center and Sunshine Shopping Center are two other shopping 

centers in the area that provide unique and convenient shopping. A nice 

natural attraction in the area is Exchange Park, where people can participate 

in recreational activities and enjoy the scenery. 

Stone Mountain • stonemountaincity.org (770) 498-8984 • 

Pop. 5,802 

The town is named for Stone Mountain, the largest exposed granite dome 

in North America. Stone Mountain harbors plant and animal life found 

no other place in the world. It is also the site of a famous giant carving 

commemorating the military leaders of the Confederacy, as well as a state 

park and museum, including a steam railroad. The city of Stone Mountain 

is also home to the ART Station Contemporary Arts Center and Theatre 

Company as well as the Stone Mountain Arts Incubator Program. Median 

household income is $50,100. The city has a total area of 1.6 square miles. 

Tucker • tuckerga.com (770) 938-1356 • Pop. 28,000 

Only 14 miles from Atlanta, Tucker offers family-friendly living with the 

amenities of a major city close by. At the center of the community is Main 

Street, where local restaurants and shops provide entertainment original 

to the area. Tucker Day Festival takes place on Main Street every year, and 

people from all over enjoy live music, arts, crafts, food, and a lively parade. 

Many beautiful parks decorate the area and allow for recreational activities 

that the whole family can enjoy. Transportation to and from Atlanta is easy 

via MARTA and major interstates. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International 

Airport and Dekalb Peachtree Airport are both within a very short distance 

of Tucker, making travel very accessible. 

Power 

Georgia Power 

(888) 660-5890 


Snapping Shoals EMC 

(770) 786-3484 

ssemc.com 

Walton EMC 

(770) 267-2505 

waltonemc.com 

Gas 


(877) 427-4321 


Gas South 

(877) 472-4932 

gas-south.com 


(877) 850-6200 

onlygng.com 


(877) 342-5434 



(877) 746-4362 



(770) 267-2505 



Dekalb County Water and 

Sewer 

(404) 378-4475 

dekalbwatershed.com 

Recycling 

DeKalb County 

(404) 294-2900 

co.dekalb.ga.us 

City of Decatur 

(404)377-5571 

Dream Sanitation 

(800) 835-0212 

Telephone 

AT&T 

(877) 736-0890 

att.com 

Cable 

Comcast 

(866) 942-1341 

comcast.com 

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Douglas County 

co.douglas.ga.us (770) 535-8288 


County Seat: Douglasville 



Municipalities: Douglasville, Lithia Springs and Villa Rica 

Nicely situated in the foothills of the Appalachian Piedmont and bordered 

by the Chattahoochee River, Douglas County is a very enjoyable and scenic 

place to live. The county is about 20 miles outside of Atlanta, so all of the 

amenities in the city are easily accessible. Some of the nature attractions 

in the county include Sweetwater Creek State Conservation Park, Dog 

River Reservoir, and Clinton Nature Preserve. Douglas County is a very 

attractive place to live for those who love being in nature while still close to a 

large city. 

Douglasville • ci.douglasville.ga.us • Pop. 31,269 

Douglasville is a unique blend of small-town charm coupled with metropolitan 

amenities. The central business district is listed on the National Register of 

Historic Places as an historic district. The town of Douglasville was established by 

the Georgia General Assembly on February 25, 1875. The city of Douglasville is 20 

miles from downtown Atlanta and just 10 minutes west of Six Flags Over Georgia. 

The Douglas County Cultural Arts Center holds art shows as well as special events 

throughout the year and hosts events for schools across the county. Median 

household income is $48,000. The city is 21.5 square miles. 

Fayette County 

fayettecountyga.gov (770) 460-5730 

County Population: 112,000 County Seat: Fayetteville 



Municipalities: Brooks, Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone, and Woolsey 

Named one of the best places to live in the U.S., Fayette County prides itself in 

its unique communities and historic landmarks. Peachtree City is an intricately 

planned municipality in the county with over 90 miles of pathways for 

pedestrians and golf carts that connect every part of the city. The Fayette County 

Historical Society displays historical collections pertaining to the Civil War as well 

as local genealogical records. Their school system is nationally renowned for 

cutting edge academic programs and they have the highest SAT, CRCT and ITBS 

scores in the state.They have attracted the movie industry, Pinewood Atlanta 

Studios and a 234 acre residential and mixed use development adjacent to it. 

Brooks • brooksga.com (770) 460-5730 • Pop. 528 

The southernmost community in Fayette County, Brooks is located near a former 

Creek Nation village and trading post. The median income for a household in the 

town is $65,000, and the median income for a family is $70,625. Brooks’ education 

falls under the Fayette County Board of Education. The only public school in Brooks 

is Brooks Elementary. Middle school students attend Whitewater Middle, and high 

school students attend Whitewater High in Fayetteville, both of which are of recent 

construction. 

Fayetteville • fayetteville-ga.gov (770) 461-6029 • Pop. 17,516 

Fayetteville is proud of its picture-book courthouse, built in 1825 and the oldest in 

the state. The courthouse boasts what is said to be the “world’s largest courthouse 

bench,” located alongside the walkway to the building. Fayetteville is the county 

seat of Fayette County and strives to provide a quality atmosphere for its residents. 

Located close to Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, 

Fayetteville is ideal for home buyers seeking to live in a residential community that 

allows easy access to a major city and excellent transportation. The area provides an 

historic atmosphere, along with many community events, excellent neighborhoods, 

and high-quality schools. Fayetteville has been referred to as one of the top 10 

suburbs to retire and one of the top 20 places for a “budding technology economy.” 

38 

Power 

Georgia Power 

(888) 660-5890 


Greystone Power Corp. 

(770) 942-6576 


Gas 


(877) 427-4321 


Austell Natural Gas 

System 

(770) 948-1841 

austellgas.com 

Gas South 

(877) 472-4932 

gas-south.com 

Villa Rica • villarica.org (770) 459-7000 • Pop. 16,000 

Villa Rica is located only 35 miles from the city of Atlanta. The city has a 

total area of 12.7 square miles. Two famous people call Villa Rica home: Asa 

Candler, the founder of Coca-Cola, and Thomas A. Dorsey, the gospel music 

founder. The first gold strike in Georgia took place in Villa Rica, and the Pine 

Mountain Gold Museum allows visitors to walk along the same trails where 

the miners walked, pan for gold, and see the museum. Historic Downtown 

Villa Rica is filled with authentic architecture as well as unique shops and 

restaurants. Median household income is $47,400. The population was 

4,134 at the 2000 census. By the 2010 census, the population had jumped 

to 13,956. 

Power 

Cowetta-Fayette EMC 

(770) 502-0226 

utility.org 

Georgia Power 

(888) 660-5890 


Gas 


(877) 427-4321 


Gas South 

(877) 472-4932 

gas-south.com 

SCANA Energy 

Natural Gas 

(877) 467-2262 


SCANA Energy 

Natural Gas 

(877) 467-2262 



(877) 746-4362 



Douglasville-Douglas Co. 

Water & Sewer Authority 

(770) 949-7617 

ddcwsa.com 

Cable 

Comcast 

(866) 942-1341 

comcast.com 


(877) 746-4362 



Fayette Co. Water System 

(770) 461-1146 

fayettecountyga.gov 

City of Fayetteville Water 

Department 

(770) 460-4237 

fayetteville-ga.gov 

Peachtree City Water & 

Sewerage Authority 

(770) 487-7993 

Cable 

Comcast 

(866) 942-1341 

comcast.com 

Fayetteville is also home to Pinewood Atlanta Studios, one of the top 5 production 

studios consisting of 11 movie soundstages on 700 acres. 

Peachtree City • peachtree-city.org (770) 487-7657 • Pop. 35,000 

In 1959 Peachtree City was chartered, and the ideas of some real estate developers to 

make a planned community started to become a reality. The developers envisioned 

villages in Peachtree City that would each have its own schools, parks, shopping centers, 

and more. The current villages in Peachtree City are Aberdeen, Braelinn, Glenloch, 

Kedron, and Wilksmoor. The city is best known for its 90 miles of multiuse paths for 

golf carts, cyclists, and pedestrians. The residents of Peachtree City can easily access the 

amenities of their village, and people driving by will almost always see golf carts traveling 

alongside the roads. Peachtree City has been referred to as one of the best places to live 

in the nation, and the master planned community has won awards for its unique design. 

Tyrone • tyrone.org 

(770) 487-4038 • Pop. 7000 

The town of Tyrone originally belonged to the Creek 

Indians before being settled by Irish farmers in the 

late 1800s. Some homes built by those first Irish 

settlers are still occupied by their descendants. The 

name comes from County Tyrone in Ireland. The 

town has a total area of 12.8 square miles. Tyrone is 

located only 25 miles from Atlanta. The proximity to 

Atlanta makes it convenient for residents to access 

the many amenities that the large city has to offer. 

Estimated median household income is $76,000. 

Telephone 

AT&T 

(877) 736-0890 


Recycling 

(770) 920-3133 

celebratedouglascounty.com 

Telephone 

AT&T 

(877) 736-0890 


Recycling 

fayettecountyga.gov 

Courtesy of Visit Peachtree City 


Forsyth County 

forsythco.com (770) 781-2101 

County Population: 221,009 County Seat: Cumming 



Municipalities: Cumming 

Forsyth County has experienced significant population growth and in the last 2 

years they attracted over $240 million in capital investment and over 1500 new 

jobs were created. Northside Hospital-Forsyth is their largest employer, their 

schools boast the highest graduation rate, their SAT scores are the highest in the 

metro area and they are ranked the Healthiest County 5 years running. A large 

new mixed use project called Halcyon at exit 12 on 400 in under construction. 

They are one of the 10 fastest growing communities in the nation, and home 

to over 70 international companies and are the 13th wealthiest county in the 

nation. 

Power 

Georgia Power 

(888) 660-5890 


Sawnee EMC 

(770) 887-2363 

sawnee.com 

Gas 


(877) 427-4321 


Gas South 

(877) 472-4932 

gas-south.com 


(877) 746-4362 



Cumming Utilities 

(770) 781-2020 

cummingutilities.com 

Forsyth Co. Water 

& Sewer 

(770) 781-2160 

forsythco.com 

Cable 

AT&T 

(888) 695-3398 


Comcast 

(866) 942-1341 

comcast.com 

Telephone 

AT&T 

(877) 736-0890 

Cumming • cityofcumming.net (770) 781-2010 • Pop. 5,532 

Cumming is rich in Native American lore, and most of its eastern border lies on the 

shores of Lake Lanier, which offers a habitat to the endangered Southern bald eagle 

and peregrine falcon. Estimated median household income in 2011 was $34,572. 

Cumming encompasses 5.89 square miles. Booming residential development has 

been accommodated without harming its many natural resources and attractions. 

The Cumming Fairgrounds provide many events for Cumming’s residents, including 

the annual county fair, the IPRA World Championship Rodeo, a weekly farmer’s 

market, an Indian festival, an annual steam and gas engine expo, yard sales, and a 

July 4th celebration. The Cumming Fairgrounds also host events such as Relay for 

Life, Christmas in Cumming Arts & Crafts Show, business picnics, Laps for Life, and 

the Taste of Forsyth. 

Forsyth County Government 

Corporate Golf Entertainment 

Hospitality 

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beginning, intermediate and passionate golfers. Golf schools, 

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We developed a concept that provides your company a unique 

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Need traffic in your trade show booth? Our instructors can stop 

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with a visual appeal that stops show goers in their tracks. Add to 

that an instructor/performer who knows how to draw people into 

your space and you have a recipe for success. Golfers and nongolfers 

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tips or clinics for how to swing or play. 

Golf Course 

If you’ve been asked to plan your company golf outing or need 

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Intown 

Communities 

Ansley Park 

Population: 2,113, 0.589 square miles, MHHI $84,000; 

Ansley Park is an affluent residential neighborhood and 

the first Atlanta suburban neighborhood designed for 

automobiles. The neighborhood was completed by 

1930 and is 275 acres (1.11 km2) with Ansley Golf Club 

bordering the community. It is designated a historic 

district on the National Register of Historic Places. 

First developed in 1904 by Edwin P. Ansley, Ansley 

Park was designed to attract Atlanta’s wealthiest and 

most prestigious families and was home to Georgia’s 

Governor’s mansion for decades. The Ansley Park 

Civic Association is an active force in maintaining the 

neighborhood’s character and sense of community. 

Atlantic Station 

Population: 2,408, 0.683 square miles, MHHI $57,000 

Atlantic Station has it all. The community has a 

vibrant retail and dining district coupled with office 

space attached housing and apartments. Rather than 

commuting to work, Atlantic Station residents can work 

two blocks from home and shop around the corner. 

Visitors from all around the Atlanta metro area shop at 

over 35 stores such as West Elm and Dillard’s or poke 

into charming shops like Kilwin’s ice cream shop and 

Kinnucan’s adventure gear for the outdoors. 

Since it’s opening in 2005, Atlantic Station has also 

served as the go to spot for entertainment. The 

complex houses Regal Cinemas, the annual Skate the 

Station ice skating rink and touring acts such as Cirque 

du Soleil. 

Buckhead 

Population: 24,000, 4.7 square miles, MHHI is $95,000 

Buckhead is a large, prosperous area with upscale 

residential, retail, dining, entertainment and 

commercial venue. In addition to one of the most 

attractive neighborhoods in Atlanta, it is a major 

financial center. The area has high rise office 

buildings, hotels, and condominiums are an urban 

landscape along Peachtree Road. However, homes in 

neighborhoods such as West Paces Ferry and Peachtree 

Park are nestled in Piedmont forests. 

Cabbagetown 

0.141 square miles, Population: 780, MHHI is $65,000 

Cabbagetown is a neighborhood on the east side of 

Atlanta and adjacent to historic Oakland Cemetery. The 

historic district is listed on the U.S. National Register of 

Historic Places and is characterized by art and music 

40 

festivals. Art is managed by the neighborhood’s own 

Wall Keepers Committee. Stop and check out street 

art by La Pandilla and Trek Matthews who painted two 

murals at the request of their Living Walls street art 

organization. 

Castleberry Hill 

Population: 2,151, .26 square miles 

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and 

thriving with retail shops, coffee shops, art galleries, 

restaurants, apartments and condos, Castleberry 

Hill is in the midst of a renaissance. The unique 

urban community has converted early 20th century 

warehouse buildings to lofts to house a culturally 

diverse group of Atlantans. The area is in with these 

old commercial structures being turned into cool lofts. 

The proximity to all that Atlanta has to offer is within a 

short walking distance and it’s easy highway and public 

transportation options are, and will continue to be, 

major draws to the area. 

Downtown 

Population: 26,700 residents as of 2010, 4 square miles 

The central business and government district of Atlanta 

can be found in Downtown Atlanta. Many Fortune 500 

companies can be found near the capital building and 

its many federal government facilities. Georgia State 

University brings top academics as well as sporting, 

cultural and entertainment venues. Only in Downtown 

Atlanta can you see whale sharks at the Georgia 

Aquarium, the world’s second largest aquarium, 

and taste every variety of Coca-Cola at The World of 

Coca-Cola. Centennial Olympic Park offers the city a 

21-acre public park that hosts millions of visitors a 

year and several events, including a summer popular 

music concert series and an annual Independence 

Day concert and fireworks display. Downtown Atlanta 

is currently undergoing a transformation with new 

condos and lofts, a renovation of historic buildings and 

is attracting many new residents as a great place to live, 

work and play. 

Grant Park 

Population 7,782, 1.7 square miles, HHI $70,000 

Grant Park is a residential district, known for its Victorian 

mansions and Craftsman bungalows. Grant Park itself 

is a 131-acre green space and recreational area and 

is the fourth-largest park in the city. Surrounding the 

showstopper park are walking trails and Zoo Atlanta, 

which attracts millions of visitors per year. The vibrant 

community just south of Oakland Cemetery has many 

festivals, their own farmers market and many 

dining options. The Grant Park Neighborhood 

Association represents local residents. 

Inman Park 

Population: 3,200, 0.547 square miles. MHHI 

$70,000 

Curved streets, large residential lots and 

verdant parks characterize Inman Park. 

Established at the start of the 20th century, 

the community was built upon the land of 

Atlanta’s Civil War battlefield, two miles east 

of Downtown. It was Atlanta’s first planned 

residential suburb and also Atlanta’s first 

electric trolley neighborhood. Restoration and 

preservation of the Victorian houses began in 

the 1970’s and in 1973 the entire neighborhood was 

added to the National Register of Historic Places. The 

historic appearance of the district is regulated by the 

City of Atlanta. 

Little Five Points 

Population: 1,000, 0.164 square miles; MHHI $75,000 

The hippie hood of Little Five Points is characterized 

by street art, apparel shops, eateries, smoke shops, 

clothing bazaars, tattoo parlors, a natural food coop, 

an indie radio station, independent bookstores, 

pubs, and last but not least, a 30-foot-tall skull. As a 

neighborhood, Little Five Points is one of Atlanta’s most 

walkable neighborhoods, a place to stroll and people 

watch. 

Midtown 


Midtown is defined by a concentration of businesses, 

residences, hotels, restaurants, cultural, retail 

destinations, greenspaces, pedestrian-friendly 

sidewalks and safe streets. They have a master plan, 

Blueprint Midtown, and serves as a national model for 

urban excellence and recently made American Planning 

Association’s (APA) list of Great Places in America. One 

of Atlanta’s hottest residential markets, Midtown has 

150+ restaurants and shops. Midtown residents often 

get active at Piedmont Park and the Atlanta BeltLine 

Eastside trail. 

Old Fourth Ward 

Population: 6,442, 0.690 square miles; MHHI $69,000 

Recognized as one of the hottest neighborhoods in 

America and the 9th best in America, Old Fourth Ward 

benefits from the Eastside Beltline Trail, the Ponce City 

Market, and their own Old Fourth Ward Park. It consists 

of single family residential units and is one of the oldest 

residential areas in the City. 

Poncey-Highland 


Named after its location near the intersection of Ponce 

de Leon Avenue and North Highland Avenue, Poncey- 

Highland is home to the Jimmy Carter Presidential 

Library and Manuel’s Tavern, a local political hangout 

and one of Atlanta’s oldest taverns. The Carter Center 

serves as a nonprofit to address democracy, building, 

conflict resolution, human rights, mental health, 

among many others. 

Virginia-Highland 


The chic neighborhood of Virginia-Highland near 

Midtown boasts beautiful 1920s and 1930s homes 

and feels like a small town within the heart of the city. 

Many of Atlanta’s top restaurants and bars are located 

along tree-lined Highland Avenue, rivaling other top 

Atlanta neighborhoods for evening activities. Friendly, 

charming vibe with restaurants, bars, trend-setting 

apparel, local and global art and decor, whimsical 

and modern decorative accessories, natural linens, 

gourmet food, and interesting specialty stores can be 

found within walking distance of Piedmont Park. 


Fulton County 

fultoncountyga.gov (404) 730-4000 

Strategically located in the heart of Metro Atlanta; connected by 4 major 

interstates and MARTA, the region’s only transit rail system; Fulton County 

is the state’s largest county in terms of population, real estate and economic 

activity. With 15 unique cities, including the great City of Atlanta; the State 

Capitol and major attractions; Fulton County is the political and lifestyle 

epicenter for Georgia and the Southeast. Living in Fulton County offers easy 

access to the region’s best, from arts and culture events, to premiere sports 

and entertainment facilities, to a wide variety of local and international 

cuisine and shopping. Visit the nationally recognized Atlanta Beltline; the 

new home of the Atlanta Falcons, Mercedes-Benz Stadium; Alpharetta’s 

luxury lifestyle center, Avalon; and Fulton’s many vibrant downtown main 

streets from Roswell to College Park. Outside of Atlanta, Fulton County 

provides high-quality living experiences with a more suburban feel and 

a wide range of single and multifamily residential options. Recreational 

choices are abundant, with thousands of acres of parks and green space. 

From north to south, Fulton County is a community that offers a little bit of 

everything, no matter your lifestyle preference.. 

Alpharetta • alpharetta.ga.us (678) 297-6000 • Pop. 62,000 

Alpharetta is a city in north Fulton County and is considered one of the more 

affluent communities in the Atlanta area. According to the 2012 census, 

Alpharetta covers an area of 23 square miles. The city was recognized by 

Forbes Magazine as the 2009 best city to relocate to and one of the 2013 

top 10 friendliest towns. Its historic town square features antique, gift, and 

flower shops as well as numerous restaurants. Alpharetta’s North Point 

Mall has over 1.3 million square feet of retail, dining, and entertainment 

experiences. The Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre offers residents of 

Alpharetta and its surrounding communities entertainment of all sorts. The 

amphitheatre has been awarded best new major concert venue and the 

best major outdoor concert venue. The new Avalon development is an 86- 

acre development with more than 500,000 square feet of retail, a 12-screen 

all premium theater, a full-service hotel coming Class A office, single-family 

residences and luxury rental homes. 

Chattahoochee Hills • chatthillsga.us (770) 463-8881 • Pop.2,610 

Chattahoochee Hill Country became a city on December 1, 2007, with the 

first elected officials taking office a few days later. On September 23, 2008, 

the city was renamed by an ordinance from Chattahoochee Hill Country to 

“Chattahoochee Hills” 

College Park • collegeparkga.com (404) 767-1537 • Pop.20,000 

College Park is known as one of the “sister suburbs” along with East Point 

and is approximately 9 square miles. The area has been referred to as “one 

of the best places to call home” and has one of the largest urban historic 

districts in Georgia. Many colleges and universities are in the area, as well 

as the largest independent school in the nation: Woodward Academy. The 

city’s proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport makes it 

popular with those connected to the expanding aviation complex, as well as 

with Atlanta commuters who prefer a small hometown feel with easy access 

to big-city amenities. Originally known as Manchester and incorporated in 

1895, College Park is also home to Cox College and more than 850 properties 

listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The town’s avenues and 

streets take their names from Ivy League colleges and influential College 

Park residents. Notable onetime College Park residents include rapper 

Ludacris, Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Cam Newton, and Atlanta 

Hawks’ ballplayer Josh Smith. 

East Point • eastpointcity.org (404) 765-1014 • Pop. 35,000 

East Point is known as one of the “sister suburbs” along with College Park. 

East Point is approximately 13.8 square miles. The city has experienced a 

great revival in the past few years and is now populated with new residences 

and businesses. Many homes from World War II have been refurbished, and 

they provide an historic atmosphere for the area. Camp Creek Marketplace 

was recently built on the western side of the city, and it offers great shopping 

County Population: 1,014,932 

County Seat: Atlanta 



Municipalities: Alpharetta, Atlanta, College Park, East Point, Fairburn, Hapeville 

Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Palmetto, Roswell, Sandy Springs 

and Union City 

opportunities. The Fulton County School System has its headquarters 

in East Point, and the school system operates all of the public schools in 

the area. Chartered in 1890, East Point grew rapidly in its early years, its 

proximity to the railroad and industry buoying its development. Today, the 

area continues to grow. The Federal Bureau of Prisons Southeast Region 

Office headquarters is in East Point. East Point has the only velodrome in 

the world that has a green space and a creek running through the infield. 

Football players Reggie Rutland and Jonas Jennings have also called East 

Point home. 

Fairburn • fairburn.com (770) 964-2244 • Pop. 14,000 

Fairburn’s slogan, “History Lives Here,” is evident in the historic downtown 

area. With many buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, 

Fairburn has a rich culture enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. 

Fairburn covers 7.3 square miles. The downtown Commercial District, 

which has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places, offers 

various commercial buildings and two historic train depots. The center 

of the community provides original shopping, entertainment, and dining 

surrounded by housing and business opportunities. Fairburn continues to 

grow exponentially while retaining its small-town atmosphere. The annual 

Fairburn Festival, the Georgia Renaissance Festival, and the Southside 

Theatre attract many residents and visitors to Fairburn. This county offers 

both the benefits of being in the country and a fast-paced city life. 

Hapeville • hapeville.org 404-669-2120 • Pop. 6,500 

Hapeville is located six miles south of Atlanta and is adjacent to Hartsfield- 

Jackson Atlanta International Airport. It is headquarters for Delta Airlines 

and Korean Air Cargo, and Porsche’s $100-million U.S. headquarters 

complete with Porsche experience driving track. The city is also home to 

the original Chick-fil-A Dwarf House and many hotels serving business 

travelers. Hapeville offers many attractions, including the new Academy 

Theatre. Residential neighborhoods feature a wide variety of homes, 

from bungalows to Chicago style townhouses to lofts and condominiums. 

Business will benefit from their commercial Opportunity Zone offering 

the maximum tax advantages allowable by the state. The city government 

is focused on planning and has experienced significant revitalization. 

Hapeville is a designated Main Street City and has an historic downtown 

including a Historical Society Depot Museum, the Historic Christ Church and 

Carriage House, the Hoyt Smith Conference Center, and many downtown 

storefronts. The city features a downtown park and a unique public arts 

program, including murals and a flurry of painted butterflies. Hapeville’s 

Development Authority develops and promotes trade, commerce, industry, 

and employment opportunities.. 

Johns Creek • johnscreekga.gov (678) 512-3200 • Pop. 82,000 

Johns Creek occupies 32.5 square miles in Northeast Fulton County. 

Sixty-three percent of the adults have a college degree or better, and the 

median home value in Johns Creek is $372,000. It is the tenth largest city 

in Georgia. The city was originally a “sacred place” for tribal meetings 

between the rival Cherokee and Creek native American Indian tribes. Stateof-the-art 

public and private schools are located in Johns Creek, which 

are consistently ranked among the tops in the state, and regularly receive 

national recognition for academic excellence. High schoolers in Johns Creek 

have the highest average test scores in the state of Georgia. The city is also 

consistently ranked as the safest in the state and among the safest in the 

nation. Alcon, State Farm Insurance, Macy’s Technology Systems, Saia, Inc., 

and Ebix each maintain a large corporate presence in Johns Creek. The city 

also includes world-class health care options between the highly acclaimed 

Emory Johns Creek Hospital campus and other health care providers. The 

Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center offers 46 acres of Georgia 

woodlands in addition to three other beautiful city parks in the area. The 

city is in the process of building out five new parks, which will more than 


double its parks and recreation acreage. Additionally, the city is bordered 

by the Chattahoochee River, and includes three National Park Recreation 

Areas. For arts and entertainment, the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra, 

which is a fully professional orchestra, is a major attraction, along with the 

Johns Creek Arts Center. Connected by four major interstates and MARTA, 

the region’s only transit rail system, Fulton County is the state’s largest 

county in terms of population, real estate and economic activity. With 15 

unique cities, including the great City of Atlanta; the State Capitol and major 

attractions; Fulton County is the political and lifestyle epicenter for Georgia 

and the Southeast. Living in Fulton County offers easy access to the region’s 

best, from arts and culture events, to premiere sports and entertainment 

facilities, to a wide variety of local and international cuisine and shopping. 

Visit the nationally recognized Atlanta Beltline; the new home of the Atlanta 

Falcons, Mercedes-Benz Stadium; Alpharetta’s luxury lifestyle center, 

Avalon; and Fulton’s many vibrant downtown main streets from Roswell 

to College Park. Outside of Atlanta, Fulton County provides high-quality 

living experiences with a more suburban feel and a wide range of single 

and multifamily residential options. Recreational choices are abundant, with 

thousands of acres of parks and green space. From north to south, Fulton 

County is a community that offers a little bit of everything, no matter your 

lifestyle preference. 

Milton • cityofmiltonga.us (678) 242-2500 • Pop. 35,000 

The city of Milton became incorporated in 2006 and adopted Fulton County 

ordinances. The city covers over 23,000 acres. The city’s vision statement is 

to maintain a distinctive community embracing small-town life and heritage 

while preserving and enhancing a rural character. The average household 

income is $99,412. Milton’s residents are served by the Fulton County 

School System. Milton was recently recognized as having the highest quality 

of life in the state of Georgia and ninth-highest quality of life in the southern 

United States by the Atlanta Business Journal. The city was named after 

Revolutionary War hero John Milton. 

Mountain Park • mountainparkgov.com (770) 993-4231 • Pop. 576 

Mountain Park is an official wildlife refuge, which means that all wildlife, 

including birds, reptiles, and animals, in the area are protected. Mountain 

Park is less than one mile in total square footage. Despite its small footprint, 

it has a wealth of history and is home to Indian Spring, a spring Cherokee 

Indians believed had medicinal, life-sustaining value. Braves would leave 

their homes in the hills and travel miles to retrieve Indian Spring water for 

an ailing Cherokee chieftain. Local lore holds that those who find their way 

into Mountain Park and the area of Indian Spring are drawn by the powers 

of the healing waters. Interestingly as well, until the 1960s, Indian Spring was 

the only source of water for many residents. For more than 25 years before 

incorporation in July 1927, Mountain Park largely revolved around life in the 

summer cottages of Atlanta’s elite. 

Palmetto • citypalmetto.com (770) 463-3377 • Pop. 4,400 

Palmetto was established in 1833 as Johnson’s Store and has an area of 5.3 

square miles. Palmetto got its current name from a company of soldiers from 

South Carolina that were passing through on their way to the Mexican War. 

These soldiers were reminded of their state, known as the “Palmetto State.” 

Located only 25 miles from Atlanta, Palmetto is a very appealing place for 

residents who want to enjoy suburban living while having easy access to a large 

city. With an elevation of 1050 feet, Palmetto was actually built on the highest 

point above sea level from Atlanta to New Orleans. The area is booming with 

business opportunities, especially for entrepreneurs. Two of the parks in the 

area are Wayside Park, located on Main Street, and Veterans Park, located on 

Park Street. These parks provide relaxing areas for recreation or leisure. 

Roswell • roswellgov.com (770) 641-3727 • Pop. 94,000 

Incorporated on February 16, 1854, Roswell is 39 square miles. One of the 

original settlers of the area, Roswell King, traveled from the Georgia coast 

with the hopes of investing in mining. After discovering that this area lay near 

the Chattahoochee River, King decided instead to build a major textile mill 

powered by the water. The Roswell Manufacturing Co. and the Roswell Mill 

played key roles in the development of the town during its earlier history. 

Roswell maintains a number of historic homes, notably Bulloch Hall, the 

childhood home of President Theodore Roosevelt’s mother, Martha “Mittie” 

Bulloch. Also of interest are the Archibald Smith Plantation, the preserved 

42 

home of one of Roswell’s founding families, and Barrington Hall, the home 

of Barrington King, Roswell King’s son. For visitors who’d rather spend time 

outdoors, the Chattahoochee Nature Center encompasses 127 acres and 

offers four nature trails that wind through wetlands and woodlands. The 

city has received many accolades such as sixth best place to retire, 18th 

safest place in the nation, safest city in Georgia, top 20 cities in the U.S. 

with a population under 100,000, and the best place to live in Atlanta. 

Sixty percent of adults have a college degree or professional degree. The 

city has a AAA bond rating. Average household income is approximately 

$125,000. Historic Roswell, founded in 1839, embodies the grace and spirit 

of the quintessential southern town. Roswell features a downtown district 

of restored landmark buildings that house antique and gift shops, an awardwinning 

parks system, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, 

and the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, which is home to the Atlanta Wind 

Symphony and the Georgia Ensemble Theatre. 

Sandy Springs • sandyspringsga.gov (770) 730-5600 • Pop. 100,000 

Located just north of Atlanta, Sandy Springs has grown to become an urban 

center and home to citizens from around the nation and the world. Downtown 

Sandy Springs is a nontraditional area that surrounds the nine-story Northside 

Tower. The downtown area is where the actual sandy springs that inspired the 

name of the city are located. The western district of Sandy Springs is Riverside, 

an affluent area that contains mansions on beautiful rolling hills. Perimeter 

Center is the business district of Sandy Springs surrounding Perimeter Mall. 

Northside Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta 

are all located in Perimeter Center. The Dunwoody Panhandle is another 

affluent area of Sandy Springs, located between the Chattahoochee River and 

Dunwoody. Many Fortune 500 companies have their headquarters in Sandy 

Springs, including First Data, Newell Rubbermaid, and the United Parcel Service. 

Four Fortune 1000 companies are also based in the city: GenOnev, Wendy’s/ 

Arby’s Group, Spectrum Brands, and Global Payments, Inc. 

South Fulton • Pop.121,000 

The City was incorporated in May, 2017 and at the time of this writing it is in 

transition of services from the County. The Mayor is Bill Edwards. It is 107.3 

square miles. 

Union City • unioncityga.org (770) 964-2288 • Pop.21,189 

Union City was incorporated on August 17, 1908. Prior to the city’s incorporation, 

the Farmer’s Union opened its national headquarters in the area, and the 

City takes its name in honor of those farmers. The City is 8.5 square miles, just 

15 minutes from downtown Atlanta and 10 miles to 

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The average sale price for a 

detached home in December, 2017 was approximately $151,000 and the median 

HHI is $53, 119. 54% of their land area is undeveloped and they have several 

programs to attract business such as their: Tax Allocation District, Opportunity 

Zone and Foreign Trade Zone. The Atlanta Metro Studios has headquartered 

Power 

City of East Point 

(404) 270-7096 

eastpointcity.org 

City of Fairburn 

(770)969-3481 

fairburnutilities.org 

Cobb EMC 

(770) 429-2100 

cobbemc.com 

College Park Power 

(404) 669-3759 

collegeparkga.com 

Georgia Power 

(888) 660-5890 


Greystone Power Corp 

(770) 942-6576 


Sawnee EMC 

(770) 887-2363 

sawnee.com 

Gas 


(877) 427-4321 


Gas South 

(877) 472-4932 

gas-south.com 


(877) 850-6200 

onlygng.com 


(877) 342-5434 


SCANA Energy 

Natural Gas 

(877) 467-2262 



(877) 746-4362 



(770) 267-2505 



Fulton County Water 

& Sewer Billing 

(404) 730-6830 

fultoncountyga.gov 

Cable 

Comcast 

(866) 942-1341 

comcast.com 

Fulton County Office 

of Broadcast and Cable 

(404)-612-8394 


Telephone 

AT&T 

(877) 736-0890 

att.com 

Recycling 

Merk Miles Transfer 

Station and Recycling 

Center 

(404) 629-1700 



there on the site of the former Shannon Mall and is one of the nation’s largest 

studios. They have an 18 hole golf course, a 25,000 square foot Community 

Center is underway, the famous Green Manor Restaurant, a 500 acre senior 

housing facility and their Comprehensive Master Plan 2030 has been launched 

Gwinnett County 

gwinnettcounty.com (770) 822-8000 

County Population: 895,823 County Seat: Lawrenceville 

Median Household Income: $61,732 Median Detached Home Price: $183,200 


Municipalities: Auburn, Berkeley Lake, Braselton, Buford, Dacula, Duluth, 

Grayson, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Loganville, Peachtree Corners, Norcross, Rest 

Haven, Snellville, Sugar Hill and Suwanee 

The second largest county in Georgia, Gwinnett County is a metro Atlanta’s 

hub for technology, bioscience and business.. Leading Atlanta’s job creation 

for over the past two years and home to many FORTUNE 500 and 1000 

companies, Gwinnett County has a wide range of businesses, including 

industry giants, international companies and small businesses. 

The county offers quality shopping, fine dining, and many beautiful parks. 

Home to minor-league affiliate of the MLB Atlanta. Gwinnett County is the 

future home of Atlanta Media Campus & Studios, a 5-million-square-foot 

complex that will feature six soundstages, classrooms, offices, and multifamily 

housing. Entertainment, shopping and recreation include the Aurora Theater, 

Infinite Center, Lake Lanier, and the Gwinnett Mall. Their diverse population 

continues to grow, with more than 100 different languages and dialects spoken 

in households and a student population representing more than 180 countries 

across the County. One out of five Gwinnett residents was born outside of the 

U.S. It has the l Largest school system in Georgia and the #4 Best High School 

in the Country: The Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology, 

U.S. News and World Report, 2015. They received in 2010 and 2014 the Broad 

Prize ,for their Gwinnett County Public Schools. Gwinnett Parks & Recreation 

named #1 park agency in the state of Georgia, 2014.. 

Auburn • cityofauburn-ga.org (770) 963-4002 • Pop. 7,000 

Auburn is a relatively small community that strives to focus on the individual 

residents while it expands progressively. The city has a good school system, 

medical offices, a veterinary office, multiple active service organizations, a 

public library system, a museum, and excellent police and fire departments. 

James Shackelford Memorial Park is a beautiful recreation area with the 

Appalachee River and Sandy Creek running alongside it. The park offers a 

camping area, walking trails, and several pavilions. The J.D. Withers building 

provides a nice space for small events. 

Berkely Lake • berkeley-lake.com (770) 368-9484 • Pop. 1,707 

Developed in the late 1940s, Berkeley Lake’s 700-acre lake properties were 

primarily used as summer retreats. As permanent residents moved in, 

area leaders sought to protect and control development, and the city was 

incorporated in 1956. Strict ordinances and zoning have kept the integrity 

and intent of the area intact. 

Braselton • braselton.net (706) 654-3915 • Pop. 7,900 

The world-class Chateau Elan Winery and Resort is a major attraction in 

Braselton. Over half a million visitors flock to the winery each year and 

enjoy the Chateau Elan golf and residential community. Easy access to I-85 

makes the area a great attraction for employment, and it also provides 

residents with many entertainment opportunities. Some of the corporate 

businesses in the region are PetCo, Tractor Supply, SafeLite, Whole 

Foods, Home Depot, Dayton Superior, and Haverty Furniture’s Southeast 

Distribution Center. 

Buford • cityofbuford.com (770) 945-6761 • Pop. 14,356 

Originally a railway depot between Atlanta and Charlotte, the present-day 

city of Buford represents far more than just a rail stop. The Buford Dam 

not only powers the state, but also provides a great source of recreation 

with Lake Lanier Islands. The friendliness of this small town welcomes 

new residents and weekend visitors perusing the many shops, restaurants, 

and galleries along Main Street Buford. The Mall of Georgia in Buford is 

the largest enclosed shopping mall in Georgia and attracts visitors from 

all over the state and Southeast. Recreational opportunities are abundant 

in the area, and they include swimming, skiing, camping, boating, fishing, 

and hiking. More than 10 universities are within a 50-mile radius, and an 

independent city school system controls elementary, middle, and high 

schools. 

Dacula • daculaga.gov (770) 963-7451 • Pop. 4,600 

Those wanting big-city access and small-town living are finding Dacula offers 

the perfect opportunity. Explosive growth along the Highway 316 corridors 

has led many new residents to the area. Convenience to the regional air 

services at Briscoe Field provides additional transportation options for the 

busy executive. This residential community has built many subdivisions in 

recent years to accommodate the growing number of residents in the area. 

Duluth • duluthga.net (770)-476-3434 Population 28,000 

A culturally diverse and vibrant community, Duluth is a place where families 

and businesses can thrive. Now the third largest city in Gwinnett County, it 

offers everything to truly capture the spirit of good living. With sidewalks and 

bikeways that connect all areas of the city, celebrations such as the Barefoot 

in the Park Fine Arts Festival, Duluth Fall Festival, concerts, dining delights, 

and multiple entertainment and shopping venues, Duluth is a prosperous 

community with small-town sensibilities. Designated a Tree City USA, Duluth’s 

residents and leaders work constantly to develop and preserve the area’s 

green spaces and expand its many parks. With easy access to Atlanta, Duluth 

offers the best of big-city amenities and small-town ambiance. It was named a 

Top 10 City for Best American Values by NewsMax magazine. 

Grayson • cityofgrayson.org (770) 963-8017 • Pop. 2,700 

A growing area of the county, the city of Grayson has numerous city parks 

and an annual Grayson Day festival. This city is living up to its slogan-”A Great 

Place to Live!” Tribble Mill Park provides Grayson residents with 700 acres of 

recreation, including two lakes, trails, biking, fishing, and horseback riding. The 

Grayson Arts and History Center preserves the history of the city, showcases 

local artists’ work, and holds many cultural events throughout the year. 

Lawrenceville • lawrencevillega.org (770) 963-2414 • Pop. 30,500 

Lawrenceville is the County seat of Gwinnett County, has a population of 

30,000, is 13 square miles and is 30 miles from downtown Atlanta. They 

City of Lawrenceville are currently undergoing a resurgence of growth. 

Developments and improvements include the College Corridor, the cultural 

arts facility, the South Lawn project, the Lawrenceville Housing Authority 

project and the City View project. 

“The City’s vision is to realize the potential that exists for a walkable urban 

environment from Gwinnett’s government facilities to City Hall, from the 

square to the Police Station and everything in between. Their desire is to 

reflect the diversity of the community with this development, infuse their 

core with new residential and complimenting retail and transform the heart 

of Gwinnett into a melting pot for the Arts, education and living unlike any 

other community has witnessed.” 

They have broken ground on a project bringing a Class A mixed-use 

residential development to the heart of downtown. The $200 million 

mixed-use, town center development is called “SouthLawn,” and it will add 

more than 600 residences, more than 15,000 square feet of retail space and 

a town green in close proximity to the historic downtown. It will connect 

City Hall and the Police Station with the increasingly popular Lawrenceville 

Lawn and create a walkable environment that includes the Lawn as well as 

the Historic Lawrenceville Square. 

This announcement comes on the heels of the City’s commitment to 

preserve and redevelop the original 12,000 square foot structure for the 

Hooper-Renwick School; work in tandem with Gwinnett County to install a 

Library around that location and invest $26 million in the expansion of the 

arts complex currently home to the Aurora Theater. 

Lilburn • cityoflilburn.com (770) 921-2210 • Pop. 13,500 

For Atlantans, Lilburn may best be recognized as the city “just over the 

Gwinnett County line.” To those who live here, Lilburn is a quaint and friendly 

“small-town” city with a multicultural flair. It is home to a 32,000-squarefoot 

Hindu temple built in 2007. The main route of transportation in the 


area is Highway 29, and the railroad also travels through the Old Town area 

of the city. A greenway was recently built in the heart of town and is always 

a popular spot for walking and biking. Lilburn is 25 miles from downtown 

Atlanta. Money Magazine ranked it No. 5 on the “Best Affordable Places to 

Live in America”.Their new Downtown Development Authority is creating a 

new identity for the City. 

Norcross • norcrossga.net (770) 448-2122 • Pop. 12,200 

Gwinnett’s second oldest city, Norcross was incorporated in 1870. Preserving 

the city’s charm and downtown district are priorities for citizens wishing 

to share the architecture and atmosphere with generations to come. The 

112-acre Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Convenience to metro Atlanta and award-winning schools has kept families 

coming to the area. The city prides itself in its strong community atmosphere 

and family values. Many early craftsman cottages have been restored and 

offer a warm sense of escape from the hustle of the city.families coming 

to the area. The city prides itself in its strong community atmosphere and 

family values. Many early craftsman cottages have been restored and they 

offer a warm sense of escape from the hustle of the city. 

Peachtree Corners • cityofpeachtreecornersga.com 

(678) 691-1200 • Pop. 35,000 

The city was incorporated in 2012. In the late 1960s, businessman Paul Duke 

pitched the idea of creating Peachtree Corners, a planned community to be 

constructed in the area that was once known as Pinckneyville. Duke envisioned 

a place where people could live, work, and play in the same qualitycontrolled 

environment, thus diminishing the need for long commutes. In 

1967, Duke initiated the planning of the office component of Peachtree Corners, 

Technology Park/Atlanta, a campus of low-rise buildings that would 

house low-pollution, high-technology industries to employ, among others, 

engineer graduates from Georgia Tech. The median household income is 

$59,000, and it is 17 square miles. The Chattahoochee River flows in close 

proximity to many beautiful neighborhoods and parks. Canoeing, hiking, 

swimming, and biking are everyday activities as temperatures are moderate 

most of the year. The Forum is at the heart of the city and a sought-out 

destination for dining and shopping. 

Snellville • snellville.org (770) 985-3500 • Pop. 20,000 

A city of friendly Southern charm on the eastern edge of Atlanta with an 

award winning farmers market and easy access to the airport. Distinctly 

located in southern Gwinnett’s shopping district on Scenic Highway. The 

city offers numerous restaurants, shops, churches, cultural events, schools, 

and recreational opportunities. Snellville is known for its entrepreneurial 

mindset, being founded by two young London immigrants who started the 

Snell Store in the early 1880’s. Come follow the Critter Crawl at City Hall or 

attend one of the many events on the Towne Green. 

Sugar Hill • cityofsugarhill.com (770) 945-6716 • Pop. 21,000 

Sugar Hill has an impressive downtown with a stately City Hall, an awardwinning 

outdoor amphitheater called The Bowl, and over $300 million of 

private investment set to start construction before the end of the year. 

Their newest project - called the E Center - is under construction and when 

finished in early summer 2018, it will include a 387 seat performing arts 

theater, a multi-use gymnasium and over 40,000sf of restaurant, retail and 

office space. Private sector investments on the horizon include a new mixeduse 

development called the “ICONIC” that will include a full-service hotel 

and conference center, rooftop restaurant, retail, office, a niche’ grocery 

store and 60 condominiums; the “NEXUS”, which will bring 300 high-end 

luxury rental units and 25 townhomes to downtown; and “Dogwood Forest” 

and the “HOLBROOK” which will bring over 300 high-end senior cottages, 

independent living apartments and assisted living units to downtown. The 

new Sugar Hill Greenway will connect downtown to city and county parks, 

neighborhoods and its golf course and stretch 16.5 miles around the city. 

Sugar Hill Mayor Steve Edwards proudly embraces their “Go Big or Go Home” 

mentality. Residents and guests alike can share photos and stories of their 

love of the city on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #InMySweetCity. 

. 

Suwanee • suwanee.com (770) 945-8996 • Pop. 16,000 

A highly educated and skilled workforce is the reason businesses and new 

residents are relocating to Suwanee. Easy access to major employment, 

shopping, and entertainment centers are other factors in the growth 

experienced in this city. Median household value is $266,100. The population 

has doubled since 2000. Suwanee has won many awards, including the title of 

one of the country’s best small communities and Voice of the People Awards for 

Excellence in three different categories (code enforcement, overall city services, 

and parks) from the International City/County Management Association and 

National Research Center (2013). Kiplinger.com rates the city as the #3 place in 

the U.S. to raise children, and Money Magazine rates the Suwanee as among 

the top 50 best places to live in the U.S. In 2013, Family Circle magazine rated 

the city as among the 10 best towns for families. The area has over 500 acres 

of beautiful parks, entertaining events, and high-quality developments. The 

Gwinnett County School System is the largest public school system in Georgia, 

and it serves the youth of the city with very fine schools. 

Power 

Georgia Power 

(888) 660-5890 


Jackson EMC 

(770)963-6166 

jacksonemc.com 

Sawnee EMC 

(770) 887-2363 

sawnee.com 

Marietta Power 

(770) 972-2917 

waltonemc.com 

Gas 


(877) 850-6200 

gasguy.com 

Gas South 

(877) 472-4932 

gas-south.com 

SCANA Energy 

Natural Gas 

(877) 467-2262 


Gas Key 

(877) 427-1539 

gaskey.com 


(877) 746-4362 



Gwinnett Co. Govt. 

Department of Water 

Resources 

(770) 423-1000 

gwinnettcounty.com 

Cable 

Charter 


(888) 438-2427 

charter.com 

City of 

Comcast 

(866) 942-1341 

comcast.com 

AT&T 

(800) 288-2020 

att.com/u-verse 

Telephone 

AT&T 

(877) 736-0890 


Recycling 

gwinnettcounty.com 

Look for the E Center, opening in 2018, which will bring a 

performing arts theater, gymnasium, restaurants, retail space, 

and a rooftop bar into downtown Sugar Hill. In the mean time, 

check out what else makes Sugar Hill such a Sweet City! 

44 


Hall County 

hallcounty.org (770) 535-8288 


County Seat: Gainesville 



Municipalities: Braselton, Clermont, Flower Branch, Gainesville, Gillsville, 

Lula, and Oakwook 

Located in North Georgia, Hall County is a beautiful place to live with a 

great quality of life. The foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains provide great 

scenery, and Lake Lanier is a nice spot for outdoor enjoyment. The county 

is a great focal point in Northeast Georgia for education, arts, and business. 

Sporting events, recreational opportunities, and friendly residents are some 

of the many attractions to living in Hall County. 

Flowery Branch • flowerybranchga.org (770) 967-6371 • Pop. 6000 

With many historic buildings still intact from the 1800s, the small town of 

Flowery Branch has a lovely historic atmosphere intertwined with modern 

amenities. A major attraction in the area is Lake Lanier, where residents and 

visitors can enjoy parks, camping, boating, swimming, and other outdoor 

activities. 

Gainesville • gainesville.org (770) 535-6865 • Pop. 35,000 

Gainesville, the county seat, is the heart of the region’s poultry processing 

industry, but its residential and industrial growth has been steady and high 

quality, due in part to its proximity to Lake Lanier. One of the wealthiest 

communities outside the metro-Atlanta area, Gainesville serves as a second 

home for many prosperous Atlantans with a passion for boating. The parkland 

in the area includes 443 acres of beautiful land for recreation and leisure. The 

Roosevelt Square and the Roosevelt Monument reside in Gainesville, and 

President Franklin D. Roosevelt himself dedicated them in 1938. 

Power 

Georgia Power 

(888) 660-5890 


Gas 

Atmos Energy 

(706) 576-2906 

atmosenergy.com 


(877) 850-6200 

onlygng.com 


(877) 746-4362 


Cable 

Charter 


(888) 438-2427 

charter.com 

Comcast 

(866) 942-1341 

comcast.com 

Telephone 

AT&T 

(877) 736-0890 

att.com 

Recycling 

(770) 531-7125 

hallcounty.org 

Henry County 

co.henry.ga.us (770) 954-2400 


County Seat: McDonough 



Municipalities: Hampton, Locust Grove, McDonough and Stockbridge 

Many family activities and sporting events are held in the metro-Atlanta area of 

Henry County. Fairs and festivals are common, and they are a great attraction. 

The Atlanta Motor Speedway is located in Hampton, and it hosts two major 

NASCAR events. The Panola Mountain State Conservation Park is located on 

the border of the county, and it surrounds Panola Mountain. Henry County is a 

very appealing place to live for those who enjoy outdoor activities and want to 

live close to the city of Atlanta. 

Hampton • hamptonga.gov • Pop. 7000 

Located only 30 miles from Atlanta, Hampton offers close proximity to a major 

city while retaining a small community atmosphere. Hampton is home to 

the Atlanta Motor Speedway and the Nash Farm Battlefield. It is only a few 

hours away from the Atlantic Ocean and the Appalachian Mountains. The city 

has maintained many historic homes and traditions. The National Registry of 

Historic Places recognizes the 100-year-old train depot, which is open daily for 

visitors. Hampton has been coined as a “tree city” and a “bird sanctuary” for 

its beautiful natural attractions. 

Locust Grove • locustgrove-ga.gov (770) 957-5043 • Pop. 5,600 

Locust Grove is being “discovered” by locals as a charming, woodsy community 

with affordable housing, a rural feel, and accessibility to downtown Atlanta 

via interstate highway. Locust Grove also is home to the Cubihatcha Outdoor 

Education Center. In 1999 Henry County’s wetland enhancement and 

preservation corridor was created to improve and protect existing wildlife 

habitats while also providing a place for public education. The center 

encompasses almost 1000 contiguous acres. Situated between three of the 

county’s reservoirs, the center protects the diverse fish and wildlife habitats. 

McDonough • mcdonoughga.org (770) 957-3915 • Pop.22,500 

The county seat, McDonough, contains many historic attractions, including 

the Brown House, which was built in 1826 for a man from South Carolina who 

fought in the Revolutionary War. The city also has the Shingleroof Campground, 

which was a training camp for Confederate troops during the Civil War. The 

business district, right outside the beautiful town square, provides antiques, 

shops, and dining for residents and visitors. McDonough has a welcome center 

in the square that is a 1920s prototype service station, and it is home for Main 

Street McDonough and McDonough Hospitality and Tourism. Only 25 miles 

from Atlanta and 20 minutes from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International 

Airport, residents of McDonough have easy access to every amenity. 

Power 

Central Georgia EMC 

(770) 775-7857 

cgemc.com 

Georgia Power 

(888) 660-5890 


Snapping Shoals EMC 

(770) 786-3484 

ssemc.com 

Gas 

Atmos Energy 

(706) 576-2906 

atmosenergy.com 


(877) 850-6200 

onlygng.com 


(877) 746-4362 



Henry Co. Water & Sewage 

Authority 

(770) 957-6659 

www.hcwsa.com 

Hampton City Clerk 

(770) 946-4306 

Locust Grove City Hall 

(770) 957-5043 

Stockbridge City Hall 

(770) 389-7900 

McDonough City Hall 

(770) 957-3915 

Cable 

Charter 


(888) 438-2427 

charter.com 

Comcast 

(866) 942-1341 

comcast.com 

Telephone 

AT&T 

(877) 736-0890 

att.com 

Recycling 

(770) 288-6410 

co.henry.ga.us 

Stockbridge • cityofstockbridge.com (770) 389-7900 • Pop. 26,200 

Incorporated as a town in 1895 and as a city in 1920, Stockbridge lies at the 

northern part of Henry County. A settlement as early as 1829, it became a 

crossroads when it applied for a post office prior to the Civil War. Today, it is 

a booming suburb and a crossroads city for Interstates 75 and 675 for those 

looking for alternate commuting routes to Atlanta. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta 

International Airport is only 12 miles from Stockbridge, providing easy access 

for travel. 


A B C D E F G H 

1 

30734 

30175 

2 

30701 

3 

30139 

30143 

4 

30183 

5 

30171 

30107 

30145 

6 

30121 

30184 

30115 

7 

8 

9 

30120 30137 

30101 

30102 

30144 

30066 

30188 

16 

11 

30075 

30004 

15 

8 

5 

30009 

10 

30152 

30060 

30062 

30067 

30068 

30350 

30076 

18 



J K L M N P Q R 

1 

30533 

30528 

2 

3 

30534 

30564 

4 

30506 

5 

30028 

30501 

30543 

6 

30507 

30575 

7 

19 

30542 

30567 

4 

30005 

30022 

30092 

6 

30041 

30097 

1 3 

10 

30096 

30024 

14 

30518 

13 

30519 

30019 

30517 

30011 

30548 

8 

9 

10 

30680 




30338 

7 

1 

30132 

30141 

30064 

30328 

30068 

30067 

17 

30041 

2 

30157 

30127 

30106 

30080 

30082 

9 

30327 

30342 

30319 

30305 

30345 

30053 

3 

30187 

30134 

30122 

30126 

30168 

30318 

30314 

30306 

30030 

30317 

4 

5 

30180 

30135 

30349 

30331 

30311 

30344 

30337 

30315 

30354 

30316 

30288 

30213 

30291 

30296 

30297 

30273 

6 

30213 

30185 

30268 

30238 

7 

30214 

30236 

30290 

8 

30228 

30265 

30269 

9 

30263 

30215 

10 

30259 30276 30205 

30223 

48 


CommunityProfiles >> 2017


12 

1 

INDEX 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

BELLMOORE PARK 

Single Family • Johns Creek 

BROOKE FALLS 

Single Family • Marietta 

BROOKMERE AT JOHN’S 

CREEK 

Single Family & Townhomes 

• Johns Creek 

CENTRAL PARK AT 

DEERFIELD 

Single Family • Alpharetta 

CHELSEA WALK 

Townhomes • Alpharetta 

CRESSLYN 

Townhomes • Johns Creek 

DUNWOODY TOWNESHIP 

Townhomes • Dunwoody 

EAST OF MAIN 


• Alpharetta 

HIGHPOINTE AT VININGS 

Single Family • Smyrna 

RIVER’S EDGE AT ABBOTS 

BRIDGE 


• Duluth 

ROSWELL TOWNESHIP 

Townhomes • Roswell 

SEVEN NORCROSS 

Townhomes • Norcross 

THE ENCLAVE AT SUWANEE 

STATION 

Townhomes • Suwanee 

THE GLENS AT SUGARLOAF 

Townhomes • Duluth 

THE PARC AT COGBURN 

Single Family • Alpharetta 

THE RESERVE AT 

PROVIDENCE 

Single Family • Milton 

THE TOWNES AT CHASTAIN 

Townhomes • Sandy Springs 

THE TOWNS AT EAST 

VILLAGE 

Townhomes • Roswell 

TRADITIONS 

Single Family • Cumming 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

Published by: 

Lou@communityprofiles.info 

Phone: 678-319-4433 

©2017CommunityProfiles 

10 


CommunityProfiles >> 2017

A collection of 62 beautifully appointed homes nestled behind 

collection of 62 beautifully appointed homes nestled behind 

the main entrance gates of The Manor Golf & Country Club, 

the main entrance gates of The Manor Golf Country Club, 

ideally located to take advantage of low Forsyth County 

ideally located to take advantage of low Forsyth County 

taxes. Artfully designed floor plans, exquisite craftsmanship, 

taxes. Artfully designed floor plans, exquisite craftsmanship, 

luxurious finishes and a hassle-free lifestyle; homesites 

luxurious finishes and hassle-free lifestyle; homesites 

overlooking the golf course, woods and park are available. 

overlooking the golf course, woods and park are available. 

From the $900s 

Call for entry through the guard gate: 

Call for entry through the guard gate: 

770.442.7300 

770.442.7300 

For more information, please contact 

For more information, please contact 

themanor@atlantafinehomes.com 

themanor@atlantafinehomes.com 

TheManorCottages.com | AtlantaFineHomes.com | 770.442.7300 | Milton, Georgia 

TheManorCottages.com AtlantaFineHomes.com 770.442.7300 Milton, Georgia 

Sales by Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, 770.442.7300. All properties subject to availability. Information contained herein is believed to be accurate but is not warranted and 

50 Sales is subject by Atlanta to change Fine without Homes notice. Sotheby’s © MMXVII International Sotheby’s Realty, International 770.442.7300. Realty All Affiliates, properties Inc. subject All Rights to availability. Reserved. Equal Information Housing contained Opportunity. herein Each is believed Office CommunityProfiles is to Independently be accurate but Owned is >> not and 2018/2019 

warranted Operated. and 

is subject to change without notice. © MMXVII Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

2018 Atlanta CommunityProfiles

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