10 Safest Cities in Georgia  

Every family prioritizes different features when searching for their dream home. One thing people share in common is a desire to live in safe neighborhoods. We want to feel comfortable going to and from our homes, hanging out outside, or walking our pets. While no place is 100% secure, certain communities are safer than others–that is, they report lower instances of crime. 

 The released FBI crime statistics are one way to find the safest cities in Georgia. Their system classifies data into property crimes and violent crimes. It then calculates a ratio based on the average number of incidents per 1,000 people. The only drawback is that only some jurisdictions report their numbers to the FBI crime database. Nonetheless, these numbers indicate which cities are safe places to buy a home in Georgia. 

The Big Picture on Safety in Georgia

Good news if you want to know if Georgia is a safe state to live in. The national incidents of violent crime was four and property crime was 19.3 in 2023. Georgia crime rates were below both of these figures for 2023. And, looking year over year, violent and property crime rates declined.

However, the outlook wasn’t entirely rosy, as SafeWise noted in its review. Georgia reported the fourth-highest number of murders in the US. It also ranked fifth in the nation for robberies and aggravated assaults. Georgia had the nation’s fifth-highest incidents of mass shooting events (five or more persons injured or killed).

Larceny-theft tracks high, representing 76% of all property crimes and 4% above the national average.

Safest Cities in Georgia

Reporting figures for individual cities increased in 2023, resulting in multiple new additions and rankings as the safest places to live in Georgia.

Nearly all of the top-rated places to live based on crime metrics had average violent crime rates under one per 1,000 persons. Property crime rates averaged 6.6.

Given how Georgia’s population is concentrated in the Atlanta metro, most of the top ten cities appear in the north-central part of the state. 

Holly Springs

Beautiful Holly Springs is an outlier suburb of the greater Atlanta metro. This small town in Cherokee County rests in the Appalachian foothills right off I-575 and close to Lake Altoona. Even though it’s rapidly expanding and today has over 17,000 residents, it had no reported incidents of violent crime in 2023. Property crime was also very low, at 2.7 per 1,000 persons. That made it the safest city in Georgia based on crime rates. It’s continually been featured as a top-ten safe city by SafeWise and the National Council for Home Safety and Security since 2019.

 As a place to live, Holly Springs is surrounded by parks and recreation even as it grows and adds new homes. It has a historic Train Depot, 27 holes of golf at The Golf Club at Bradshaw Farm, a mountain bike trail system, and an aquatic center. Nearby is lake access and outdoor fun with hiking, camping, and fishing.

Kingsland

Welcome to beautiful coastal Georgia, where the nearby Sea Islands and nature preserves beckon as peaceful escapes. This small town is one of the few not in the Atlanta metro, and with its low crime rate, it takes second-place honors for 2023. Kingsland reported just four violent crimes in 2023 and an even lower property crime rate than Holly Springs: 2.3.

Kingsland is a few miles off I-95, with a beautiful crossing into town over an iconic blue bridge. Life here promises all the best of southern coastal living. The historic downtown feels authentically modern, with a small-town coffee shop, paint studios, and fun events. Walk under roads shaded with century-old moss-draped live oaks. Enjoy fresh-caught seafood at the local restaurants, and make friends with the wait staff at the local diner. 

Hampton

Moving up into third place, Hampton has reported violent crime rates under one per 1,000 persons going back three years, with just five reported for the year. Its property crime rates have dropped, too, with 2023 reporting at 2.8. 

Around 8,000 persons live in this town south of Atlanta off I-75. But calling it the home of the Atlanta Motor Speedway refers to the actual oval track and not the traffic on the Interstate. The speedway is one of the visitor draws to this small town. Multiple NASCAR races are on its calendar. Hampton’s other claims to fame are its Civil War sites, Walking Dead tours, serving as Atlanta’s Air Route Traffic Control Center, and its Army Aviation Heritage Museum.

Johns Creek

The safest city in 2022 fell to no. 4, primarily because of all the new reporting cities added for 2023. It’s still a great place to live, with violent crime reported at 0.2 and property crimes at 4.2. It was a year-over-year decline. Johns Creek ranked the second-safest city in Niche.com’s evaluation, and the site called it the third-best place to live in Georgia.

 This city is one of the most populated on this list, with about 86,000 residents. That makes it among Georgia’s ten largest cities by population. It’s also more affluent than other editions, with a median income of $133,948. However, being closer to Atlanta, Duluth, and Sandy Springs does push up its cost of living. In exchange for a higher cost of living, Johns Creek has numerous perks for its residents: access to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, championship golf courses, and top-rated public schools.

Barnesville

New addition Barnesville is not far from Hampton and is considered part of the greater Atlanta metro. You could say it’s off the beaten path, sitting 13 miles from Forsyth and I-75 and about 60 miles from downtown ATL.

Just under 7,000 people called this small-town home. For 2023, it reported a 0.8 violent crime rate and a 3.3 property crime rate. In fact, it had no reported burglaries in 2023. It’s highly agricultural, but many beautiful downtown buildings may surprise you. Barnesville was founded as the “Buggy Capital of South” and even built them for Presidents. Today, it’s a collection of antique stores, mom-and-pop shops, and southern art murals.

Milton

With over 40,000 residents, it had a violent crime rate of 0.8 and a property crime rate of 5.0. While Milton was seventh on SafeWise, Niche.com ranked it the state’s tenth-safest city. 

This Atlanta metro suburb is just north of Alpharetta. But it’s not a classic suburb. Erase notions of block after block of master-planned single-family homes. Milton is long known for its equestrian heritage and still considers itself a “rural paradise.” Over 85% of its land is “agriculturally zoned,” so residential lots must be a minimum of one acre. 

As a modern city, it intends to implement smart land use to balance its growth with providing residents the quality schools, commercial businesses, and entertainment they desire. The idea is “rural not remote.” Milton has earned accolades for its high quality of life.

Douglas

This small town is another rare edition outside the Atlanta metro. Find Douglas in southeastern Georgia’s Coffee County. The 11,000 residents reported a violent crime rate of 0.9 and a property crime rate of 6.2. The latter was lower than its 2022 report and had no motor vehicle thefts.

In this rural community, enjoy abundant outdoor recreation. The most well-known is Broxton Rocks, one of Georgia’s Natural Wonders. But locals stay busy in their off time hunting, fishing, horseback riding, and exploring the outdoors.

Tyrone

The 8,000 residents that live in this Atlanta suburb enjoy a low property crime rate of 6.2. Violent crime increased slightly to 0.9 for 2023 but is still low. 

Find Tyrone southwest of Atlanta and just north of Peachtree City. Jump on I-85 to reach Atlanta proper. It prides itself on its small-town feel and invests in its residents through parks and recreation, sporting leagues, and annual celebrations like its week-long Founders’ Day celebration. 

McRae-Helena

Escape to the pine hills of central Georgia and find the McRae-Helena, a designated “Four for the Future” city by the University of Georgia. The historic small town of 8,000 residents had a violent crime rate of 1.3, but its property crime rate dropped to 5.2. 

Location is one of its advantages, as it’s about 2.5 hours from Atlanta or the Atlantic Coast. Its nearby Montgomery Lake is renowned for bass fishing, and the lands are prime hunting grounds.

Palmetto

Rounding out the top ten for 2023, the new edition Palmetto has just over 5,000 residents in small-town living off I-85. It’s just a short distance north from another list edition, Tyrone. Historically, it was a railroad hub. Palmetto is also one of the highest points between Atlanta and New Orleans. It has long been a farming community. 

Safest Cities in Georgia

What makes these the safest cities in Georgia is purely a look at crime rates per person. It doesn’t factor in other characteristics, like natural disasters or the perks you may want in your home. And just because a town you’re considering doesn’t appear here doesn’t mean it is an unsafe city. Many other towns and suburbs across Georgia have low crime rates. As always, check with a local real estate expert for the true big picture of where you’re buying a home.