Did you grow up as a Southern child in the U.S. or have you always wanted to have souther children? Well then, you’ve come to the right place, as HomeSnacks has the research to identify which places in Georgia are the best for raising a family in 2026.
If you grew up in Georgia, perhaps some of your favorite childhood memories were sparked while reading this. In Georgia, many people live outside of large towns, so childhood is filled with playing outdoors, with imaginary games, and with riding bikes with your friends. Obviously, you want to raise your children in the best of places. Georgia is a great state for families because it’s super affordable, there are a bunch of family activities available, and vacation options are plentiful and cheap.
From Atlanta to Savannah, you can find a suburb, city, or small town that’s bristling with family fun for all ages. Whether it be a simple trip to the local library or making a day to trip Neptune Park, there’s something for the whole family to enjoy in the Peach State.
So where are the best cities for families in Georgia? Luckily for you, we have figured out which cities are the best of the best and if you had to pick one, we would recommend Decatur.
$139,397 median income · 34.2% households with kids
Located in
DeKalb County, Georgia
Decatur is a city in, and the county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States and is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. With a population of 20,148 in the 2013 census, the municipality is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name. The city is served by three MARTA rail stations. The city is located approximately 5 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta and shares its western border with Atlanta.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$109,828 median income · 46.4% households with kids
Located in
Jackson County, Georgia
Jefferson is a city in Jackson County, Georgia, United States. The population was 9,432 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Jackson County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$160,093 median income · 41.2% households with kids
Located in
Fulton County, Georgia
Johns Creek is a city located in Fulton County in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population was 76,728. The city is a northeastern suburb of Atlanta. In 2017 Johns Creek ranked third on the USA TODAY list of “50 best cities to live in.”
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$171,295 median income · 39.5% households with kids
Located in
Fulton County, Georgia
Milton is a city and suburb in Fulton County, Georgia, United States. Incorporated on December 1, 2006, it was created out of the entire unincorporated northernmost part of northern Fulton County. It is an affluent community, with an average household income within the ZIP code 30004 of $99,412. As of the 2010 census, Milton’s population was 32,661, with an estimated population of 36,662 in 2014.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$72,725 median income · 28.2% households with kids
Located in
Cobb County, Georgia
Marietta is located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is the county’s seat and largest city.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$113,992 median income · 43.3% households with kids
Located in
Cherokee County, Georgia
Holly Springs is a city in Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. Holly Springs is located south of the center of Cherokee County
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$80,091 median income · 37.1% households with kids
Located in
Cherokee County, Georgia
Canton is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 22,958, up from 7,709 in 2000.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$54,379 median income · 33.9% households with kids
Located in
Carroll County, Georgia
Carrollton, Georgia is a town located in the north west region of Georgia, United States. It is located within the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, and it is about ten miles from the Alabama state line. As of the 2015 United States Census, the city had a population of 25,515. The city is rapidly growing as the University of West Georgia continues to expand. The city is the county seat of Carroll County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$128,654 median income · 32.6% households with kids
Located in
Fulton County, Georgia
Roswell is a city in north Fulton County, Georgia, United States. At the 2010 census it had a population of 88,346, and in 2014 the estimated population was 94,089, making it Georgia’s seventh largest city.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$103,496 median income · 32.6% households with kids
Located in
Cherokee County, Georgia
Woodstock is a city in Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. The population was 23,896 at the 2010 census. Originally a stop on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, Woodstock is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. In 2007 it was the tenth fastest-growing suburb in the United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Georgia’s statewide median.
Georgia statewide median: $77,353
Georgia statewide median: $332,063
On the map
Where Georgia’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Georgia anyways?
To give you the places in Georgia that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Georgia, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Georgia, that meant a total of 72 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Georgia.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Georgia
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Decatur | 24,518 | $139,397 | $279,470 | 34.2% |
| 2 | Jefferson | 14,990 | $109,828 | $416,353 | 46.4% |
| 3 | Johns Creek | 81,988 | $160,093 | $703,497 | 41.2% |
| 4 | Milton | 41,546 | $171,295 | $941,274 | 39.5% |
| 5 | Marietta | 62,263 | $72,725 | $471,588 | 28.2% |
| 6 | Holly Springs | 18,627 | $113,992 | $433,920 | 43.3% |
| 7 | Canton | 35,741 | $80,091 | $514,412 | 37.1% |
| 8 | Carrollton | 27,392 | $54,379 | $285,669 | 33.9% |
| 9 | Roswell | 92,621 | $128,654 | $658,156 | 32.6% |
| 10 | Woodstock | 37,381 | $103,496 | $460,207 | 32.6% |
| 11 | Kennesaw | 34,605 | $83,356 | $403,299 | 33.0% |
| 12 | Alpharetta | 66,855 | $147,612 | $726,349 | 33.7% |
| 13 | Savannah | 147,898 | $57,137 | $326,509 | 24.1% |
| 14 | Lawrenceville | 30,954 | $61,561 | $382,152 | 36.9% |
| 15 | Fairburn | 16,831 | $91,897 | $321,971 | 31.4% |
| 16 | Cartersville | 24,074 | $84,437 | $323,100 | 31.7% |
| 17 | Duluth | 32,426 | $95,331 | $448,806 | 32.2% |
| 18 | Sandy Springs | 107,087 | $104,340 | $691,063 | 22.1% |
| 19 | Loganville | 15,527 | $83,605 | $392,226 | 42.1% |
| 20 | Dallas | 14,714 | $75,545 | $354,268 | 47.2% |
| 21 | Flowery Branch | 10,925 | $103,942 | $425,109 | 32.7% |
| 22 | Newnan | 44,235 | $82,292 | $363,872 | 33.5% |
| 23 | Richmond Hill | 18,181 | $92,824 | $420,904 | 56.0% |
| 24 | Braselton | 15,178 | $120,984 | $447,114 | 31.1% |
| 25 | Smyrna | 56,633 | $100,061 | $447,948 | 27.9% |
| 26 | Perry | 23,001 | $76,909 | $273,009 | 37.4% |
| 27 | Acworth | 22,473 | $83,539 | $409,265 | 29.0% |
| 28 | Snellville | 21,620 | $89,896 | $355,608 | 36.2% |
| 29 | Suwanee | 22,349 | $103,260 | $607,322 | 34.7% |
| 30 | Grovetown | 17,014 | $85,660 | $304,550 | 38.6% |
| 31 | Brookhaven | 57,855 | $117,663 | $741,429 | 26.2% |
| 32 | Columbus | 203,711 | $58,073 | $173,152 | 30.6% |
| 33 | Norcross | 18,007 | $75,266 | $327,599 | 29.4% |
| 34 | Gainesville | 45,032 | $66,974 | $373,267 | 33.5% |
| 35 | Fayetteville | 19,719 | $82,188 | $455,206 | 31.6% |
| 36 | Kingsland | 19,627 | $77,944 | $297,403 | 39.3% |
| 37 | Lilburn | 15,390 | $63,581 | $397,448 | 41.4% |
| 38 | Thomasville | 18,666 | $49,673 | $232,158 | 29.4% |
| 39 | Cairo | 10,055 | $40,920 | $178,784 | 39.2% |
| 40 | St. Marys | 19,166 | $74,288 | $309,204 | 35.5% |
| 41 | Dalton | 34,538 | $63,577 | $242,582 | 31.0% |
| 42 | Covington | 14,584 | $58,810 | $292,187 | 38.7% |
| 43 | Douglasville | 37,536 | $79,107 | $301,700 | 40.8% |
| 44 | Rome | 38,189 | $54,435 | $229,355 | 31.4% |
| 45 | Conyers | 18,512 | $63,140 | $297,597 | 28.2% |
| 46 | Locust Grove | 10,532 | $75,083 | $324,432 | 46.5% |
| 47 | Pooler | 28,466 | $91,766 | $351,155 | 26.1% |
| 48 | Stockbridge | 35,737 | $70,136 | $289,839 | 30.5% |
| 49 | Statesboro | 34,149 | $44,737 | $276,367 | 21.8% |
| 50 | McDonough | 30,947 | $75,343 | $334,349 | 38.2% |
| 51 | Chamblee | 30,895 | $84,452 | $479,015 | 21.8% |
| 52 | Griffin | 23,761 | $43,632 | $240,028 | 33.5% |
| 53 | Bainbridge | 14,404 | $45,422 | $172,159 | 24.9% |
| 54 | Winder | 19,437 | $63,779 | $338,264 | 34.4% |
| 55 | Albany | 67,224 | $47,240 | $129,374 | 28.7% |
| 56 | Valdosta | 55,252 | $45,925 | $210,105 | 27.4% |
| 57 | Doraville | 11,134 | $67,235 | $366,889 | 30.2% |
| 58 | Warner Robins | 82,990 | $66,970 | $212,129 | 36.1% |
| 59 | Milledgeville | 16,748 | $41,616 | $244,327 | 19.4% |
| 60 | Americus | 15,813 | $39,176 | $128,313 | 24.4% |
| 61 | Vidalia | 10,752 | $49,370 | $184,385 | 28.9% |
| 62 | Forest Park | 19,504 | $41,211 | $165,626 | 36.9% |
| 63 | Monroe | 15,648 | $44,656 | $371,278 | 37.4% |
| 64 | Waycross | 13,756 | $38,301 | $146,386 | 28.9% |
| 65 | Port Wentworth | 12,892 | $79,731 | $290,499 | 26.8% |
| 66 | East Point | 38,335 | $68,598 | $231,600 | 28.5% |
| 67 | Cedartown | 10,227 | $34,754 | $205,346 | 48.3% |
| 68 | Moultrie | 14,588 | $43,670 | $170,768 | 32.6% |
| 69 | LaGrange | 32,078 | $43,708 | $236,813 | 35.2% |
| 70 | College Park | 14,712 | $51,635 | $277,094 | 29.6% |
| 71 | Hinesville | 35,679 | $60,028 | $237,454 | 35.7% |
| 72 | Fort Oglethorpe | 10,416 | $51,867 | $245,691 | 22.4% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 72 Georgia cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Georgia
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Georgia ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Georgia are Decatur, Jefferson, Johns Creek, Milton, Marietta, Holly Springs, Canton, Carrollton, Roswell, and Woodstock.
