13 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. Which of these are among the safest places in Georgia?

 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 averaged four and property crime was 20.7 per 1,000 persons in 2024. While under national averages in 2023, the chances of being a victim of crime rose slightly across Georgia in 2024.

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 and just 0.2 in 2024. Property crime was also very low, at 3.4 per 1,000 persons. That made it the safest city in Georgia based on crime rates for the second year in a row. 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 beautiful 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. It has plans to update the historic charm of its downtown and bring in more restaurants, unique shops, and businesses around its outdoor market plaza.

Senoia

About 5,500 people live in the historic town. A new entry for 2024, Senoia’s claim to fame has been all its cultural sites used in filming The Walking Dead. Now, it stands as Georgia’s second most-safest city, with a 0.4 violent crime rate and a 3.6 property crime rate.

Senoia is just outside the Atlanta metro in Coweta County. The central historic downtown has the classic American Main Street look, with wide streets, brick-laid buildings with fading murals on the side, and ornate details of a bygone era. The charm and look have lured the film industry to seek these locations, and many sites around town have been backdrops for television productions.

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. Even better was its property crime rate of 2.0, one of the few to drop statewide. Douglas was one of four cities that reported no murders and no robberies, and the only one with no reported bulgaries, for 2024That propelled its statewide status to third for safety. The latter was lower than its 2022 report and had no motor vehicle thefts.

Enjoy abundant rural living and recreation activities around this historic town. 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

Jumping upward three spots for 2024, the 8,000 residents of this Atlanta suburb enjoy a low property crime rate of 5.1. Violent crime increased slightly to 0.5. It’s one of four Georgia cities that reported no robberies or murders. Both these figures declined year-over-year, a testament to Tyrone’s commitment to safety.

Find Tyrone southwest of Atlanta and just north of Peachtree City in Fayette County. 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. 

Johns Creek

Even though Johns Creek is one of the more populated urban centers on this list, it still earns accolades as one of the safest neighborhoods in Georgia. For three years running, it took the 4th spot in the rankings. It’s a great place to live, with violent crime reported at 0.4 and property crimes at 4.8. Johns Creek also ranked the second-safest city in Niche.com’s evaluation, and the site called it the third-best place to live in Georgia.

About 86,000 residents make the safe city among Georgia’s ten largest 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 Fulton County’s 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. Throw in the low rate of crime, and it’s easy to see why this is a top neighborhood in Georgia.

Barnesville

For 2023 and 2024, Barnesville broke in the ten safest places in Georgia. Find this small town not far from Hampton. Even though it’s out from downtown a ways, the town 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 2024, it reported a 0.9 violent crime rate and a 5 property crime rate. 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 41,000 residents, Milton was one of the few cities where the violent crime rate fell year-over-year. The 2024 crime reports show 0.7 and a property crime rate of 6.3. While Milton held strong to the seventh spot 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 excellent schools, commercial businesses, and entertainment they desire. The idea is “rural not remote.” Milton has earned accolades for its high quality of life, because you get southern charm, outdoor activities, and one of the safest towns in Fulton County.

Jefferson

The eighth safest city in 2024 had a low violent crime rate of 0.5 and property crime rate of 7.8. That number feel over 3 persons on average from 2023 to 2024, helping its safety rankings rise. Around 15,000 people live in Jefferson.

This town, named for President Thomas Jefferson, has a rich history going back 200 years. It is located in northeast Georgia, a region of beautiful rolling hills dotted with small farms and towns. Its Main Street oozes character and is the site of the town’s holiday parades and outdoor concerts. Although it is rural, it has an award-winning recreation department and consistently top-ranked public schools.

Braselton

Another town of around 15,000, Braselton had a significantly low 0.2 violent crime rate. Property crimes were up year-over-year to 9.2

Another Atlanta suburb, this one straddles four counties, including Gwinnett and Jackson. Braselton leans into its southern charm, with an incredibly vibrant downtown district. It’s exciting, with Ferraris buzzing around the Lanier Raceplex and the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Three iconic motorsport racing events and other professional and amateur events come to town. Relax at a winery and resort, where you can indulge in 30 local vintages, world-class dining, and championship golf. Downtown is the epicenter for antique shows and arts festivals, wine walks, and farmer’s markets. A vintage trolley navigates the town’s many landmarks.

Peachtree City

Growing Peachtree City saw its crime rates fall year-over-year. To help it crack into the safest places in Georgia, the rate of crime dropped to 0.3 for violent crime while property crime fell to 9.3. Part of the Georgia metro in Fayette County, Peachtree City is a master-planned community now with over 35,000 residents and five villages. Outdoor spaces and recreational facilities help it have a small-town feel. A multi-use path system spanning over 100 miles connects the many neighborhoods to the shopping districts, quality public schools, and recreational activities. You’ll see golf carts being used in place of cars.

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. In 2024, it fell to 13th because of slight increases in violent crime and property crime rates.

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.

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, and its year-over-year rate of property crime 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.

Kingsland

Welcome to beautiful coastal Georgia, where the nearby Sea Islands and nature preserves beckon as peaceful escapes. This small town in Camden County 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. 

Safest Cities in Georgia

What makes these the safest places 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. 

Updated August 2024