While big cities like Atlanta offer culture, cuisine, and charisma, they also deliver terrible traffic, towering expenses, and a taxing quality of life.
With that in mind, we wanted to uncover the best suburbs around Atlanta. These burbs have all of the benefits of being near Atlanta without actually having to be in the city.
Of course, not all suburbs of Atlanta are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. Using Saturday Night Science, we delve into the factors that matter most, from commutes and housing costs to community vibes, to help you uncover the perfect suburban spots in the Greater Atlanta area.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 best suburbs to live around Atlanta for 2025:
What’s the best suburb of Atlanta? Decatur ranks as the best suburb of Atlanta for 2025 based on the most recent Census and FBI data. If you happen to be a resident of Decatur, you’re probably not too surprised to find it on the top our list.
We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 Atlanta ‘burbs better than the rest–but first, a bit about our methodology.
Feel free to check out some more reading about Georgia:
The 10 Best Atlanta Suburbs To Live For 2025
/10
Population: 24,470
Median Income: $140,480
Unemployment Rate: 3.5%
Poverty Rate: 5.2%
More on Decatur: Data
Decatur is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the Atlanta area. We’ll tell you the good about “Awesome Decatur.”
Everyone here is rich; families average $140,480 a year, which is the 5th highest in the Atlanta region. And only 3.48% are out of work. Homes average more than $655,900 each.
If you can deal with the surrounding Atlanta traffic, Decatur is a very nice city. It is very up-and-coming, with lots of trendy restaurants, a few small art galleries, and a very walkable landscape, which is rare in the Atlanta area. There are many festivals throughout the year, including art festivals, beer festivals, and a book festival in September.
Everything at Leon’s Full Service restaurant, especially the beef brisket, is great. Parking in Decatur can be a hassle, though, so be prepared to drive around looking for a spot.
/10
Population: 3,525
Median Income: $118,929
Unemployment Rate: 1.5%
Poverty Rate: 5.2%
More on Avondale Estates: Data
Avondale Estates is the second best ‘burb we looked at near Atlanta for 2025.
It ranks 9th for incomes in the area and only 4.34% of residents lack insurance, good for 5th best.
/10
Population: 2,615
Median Income: $160,505
Unemployment Rate: 2.2%
Poverty Rate: 1.9%
More on Berkeley Lake: Data
Here in Berkeley Lake, it’s really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you’ll see in the Atlanta metro area.
The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.
But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in Berkeley Lake.
/10
Population: 51,563
Median Income: $109,116
Unemployment Rate: 1.9%
Poverty Rate: 6.9%
More on Dunwoody: Data
Dunwoody ranks as the 4th best suburb of Atlanta for 2025.
You won’t find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in Dunwoody and the schools are some of the best around.
/10
Population: 82,115
Median Income: $160,185
Unemployment Rate: 4.2%
Poverty Rate: 3.9%
More on Johns Creek: Data
Coming in as the fifth best is Johns Creek.
Johns Creek gets kudos for having the 7th most expensive homes in the Atlanta area, where houses sell for an average of $583,700. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.
/10
Population: 107,198
Median Income: $101,593
Unemployment Rate: 3.7%
Poverty Rate: 7.4%
More on Sandy Springs: Data
Sandy Springs is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here’s why.
Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 3.75%.
According to online reports, Sandy Springs is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the Atlanta area, meaning you need to get in soon.
/10
Population: 66,355
Median Income: $146,581
Unemployment Rate: 5.5%
Poverty Rate: 5.3%
More on Alpharetta: Data
The 7th best suburb on our list goes to Alpharetta.
Alpharetta schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.
And, it’s only 22.9 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.
The schools here are great. They are safe and the teachers really care for your success. My alma mater we had a lot of graduates go off to really great colleges and it’s great that these schools are public.
Alpharetta has a lot of white and asian affluent people so not a lot of diversity. The houses here are expensive but it is worth it as the area not only has great schools but is comfortable. There are clean and safe parks situated everywhere.
/10
Population: 41,305
Median Income: $151,235
Unemployment Rate: 3.5%
Poverty Rate: 4.4%
More on Milton: Data
Milton is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.
A solid 5.05% of people lack insurance, good for 6th in the area.
/10
Population: 7,803
Median Income: $133,773
Unemployment Rate: 1.9%
Poverty Rate: 2.1%
More on Tyrone: Data
Is ‘Everything Better In Tyrone?’
Almost.
It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it’s really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.
/10
Population: 36,297
Median Income: $105,396
Unemployment Rate: 2.6%
Poverty Rate: 6.4%
More on Woodstock: Data
And rounding out the top ten for 2025 is Woodstock.
This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It’s far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around Atlanta for 2025
Figuring out the best suburbs around Atlanta was simple. We used Saturday Night Science to find things people like about living in the suburbs and then locate the suburbs with those things.
We analyzed the newest American Community Survey data for 2019-2023 to research each suburb. We decided upon the following criteria:
- Low unemployment rate
- High median household incomes
- Population density (lots of things to do)
- High home values
- A lot of college-educated people
- Low poverty
- High rate of insured families
We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Atlanta.
Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 2,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 52 suburbs to evaluate around Atlanta.
We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 52 in each category, where 1 was the “best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality-of-life index.
Finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index, the “Best Suburb near Atlanta.” We’re lookin’ at you, Decatur.
This result may differ from our state-wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a more extensive selection of suburbs.
We updated the data for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking the best Atlanta suburbs. Skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.
Summary: Welcome to the Best Atlanta ‘Burbs of 2025
We said it once, and we’ll say it again–life in the big city isn’t for everyone. At least not all the time.
The best suburbs of Atlanta are .
So if you’re craving the amenities of a larger city like Atlanta but don’t want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might be for you.
For more Georgia reading, check out:
Table: Best Atlanta Suburbs
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Decatur, GA | 24,470 | $140,480 | $655,900 |
| 2 | Avondale Estates, GA | 3,525 | $118,929 | $522,500 |
| 3 | Berkeley Lake, GA | 2,615 | $160,505 | $674,400 |
| 4 | Dunwoody, GA | 51,563 | $109,116 | $579,400 |
| 5 | Johns Creek, GA | 82,115 | $160,185 | $583,700 |
| 6 | Sandy Springs, GA | 107,198 | $101,593 | $583,900 |
| 7 | Alpharetta, GA | 66,355 | $146,581 | $605,700 |
| 8 | Milton, GA | 41,305 | $151,235 | $712,200 |
| 9 | Tyrone, GA | 7,803 | $133,773 | $436,600 |
| 10 | Woodstock, GA | 36,297 | $105,396 | $387,300 |
| 11 | Holly Springs, GA | 17,693 | $111,224 | $414,700 |
| 12 | Roswell, GA | 92,577 | $124,422 | $520,500 |
| 13 | Grayson, GA | 4,699 | $125,704 | $457,000 |
| 14 | Smyrna, GA | 56,285 | $96,780 | $409,000 |
| 15 | Peachtree Corners, GA | 42,184 | $81,413 | $467,300 |
| 16 | Brookhaven, GA | 57,224 | $117,448 | $660,300 |
| 17 | Suwanee, GA | 21,811 | $105,878 | $439,700 |
| 18 | Duluth, GA | 31,958 | $95,580 | $366,000 |
| 19 | Snellville, GA | 21,203 | $88,378 | $293,400 |
| 20 | Chattahoochee Hills, GA | 3,537 | $76,552 | $338,800 |
| 21 | Fayetteville, GA | 19,364 | $82,144 | $331,700 |
| 22 | Powder Springs, GA | 17,414 | $96,961 | $283,700 |
| 23 | Hampton, GA | 8,491 | $77,973 | $265,100 |
| 24 | Kennesaw, GA | 33,627 | $79,759 | $291,300 |
| 25 | Mcdonough, GA | 30,056 | $77,734 | $285,800 |
| 26 | Acworth, GA | 22,370 | $80,703 | $309,800 |
| 27 | Chamblee, GA | 30,369 | $81,774 | $407,900 |
| 28 | Villa Rica, GA | 17,798 | $86,052 | $250,700 |
| 29 | Douglasville, GA | 36,284 | $76,591 | $313,500 |
| 30 | Marietta, GA | 61,773 | $70,086 | $401,100 |
| 31 | Fairburn, GA | 16,609 | $89,276 | $249,200 |
| 32 | Norcross, GA | 17,669 | $75,068 | $375,900 |
| 33 | Lovejoy, GA | 10,967 | $67,872 | $228,500 |
| 34 | Riverdale, GA | 14,866 | $62,627 | $160,000 |
| 35 | Stockbridge, GA | 35,475 | $70,579 | $248,000 |
| 36 | Palmetto, GA | 4,681 | $54,745 | $203,600 |
| 37 | Doraville, GA | 10,738 | $60,618 | $297,700 |
| 38 | Lawrenceville, GA | 30,626 | $58,606 | $335,100 |
| 39 | Hiram, GA | 5,073 | $80,278 | $236,700 |
| 40 | Stone Mountain, GA | 6,639 | $49,661 | $190,700 |
| 41 | Hapeville, GA | 6,590 | $63,673 | $283,600 |
| 42 | Austell, GA | 8,351 | $67,500 | $255,700 |
| 43 | Dallas, GA | 14,440 | $73,387 | $234,700 |
| 44 | East Point, GA | 38,233 | $58,983 | $247,500 |
| 45 | Conyers, GA | 17,916 | $58,141 | $218,000 |
| 46 | Clarkston, GA | 14,560 | $46,495 | $279,500 |
| 47 | College Park, GA | 13,969 | $48,505 | $314,500 |
| 48 | Lilburn, GA | 14,939 | $57,266 | $278,600 |
| 49 | Morrow, GA | 6,519 | $61,215 | $221,900 |
| 50 | Forest Park, GA | 19,619 | $42,286 | $119,000 |
| 51 | Jonesboro, GA | 6,137 | $50,060 | $142,900 |
| 52 | Lithonia, GA | 2,614 | $49,438 | $171,500 |