Georgia's Safest Atlanta Suburbs In 2026 To Visit, According To Data

If you're planning a trip to Atlanta, it can pay to know where to stay and explore during your visit. Georgia's capital city is renowned for its Southern history and a long-thriving music scene that has helped grow hip-hop, blues, R&B, and numerous other genres in the U.S. Whether you're coming here for the music, major league sports, incredible shopping, vibrant street art, or all the above, it's important to stay safe and enjoy your stay without too many hiccups.

Recent data from WalletHub, which analyzed over 40 safety indicators for 182 U.S. cities, listed Atlanta as the 171st safest. You could also look at this as Atlanta being the 12th most dangerous, behind other major cities like New Orleans, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Bigger cities tend to have higher crime rates than smaller ones, but that's not to say they should be avoided. While Atlanta may have high crime rates in certain neighborhoods and suburbs, other parts of the city are known for being safe and family-friendly.

We wanted to help you find Atlanta's safest suburbs, including how they perform in terms of diversity, entertainment, sightseeing, and family-friendly environments. By using public data from the FBI and U.S. Census, plus testimonials and surveys from residents, we've tallied five of the safest suburbs for your next visit. Some of these may not appeal or align with how you want to experience the city, but within this list you may find your ideal areas for exploring Atlanta's various sides.

Milton is a city suburb of Atlanta, about 30 miles from downtown. It's one of Georgia's wealthiest suburbs, with a crime rate more than 75% below the national average. Niche gives Milton an overall livability grade of A+, including a B+ for crime and safety, housing, and nightlife. While it's home to predominantly white residents, Milton also receives an A grade for diversity with its mix of Asian, African American, and Hispanic folks.

Niche ranks Milton in the top three suburbs in Georgia to live and raise a family. One reason is its low rates of violent and property crimes, but its rural setting, highly rated schools, and proximity to Atlanta's city center also play a part. Residents here often comment on how separated Milton feels from the city's hustle and bustle, despite only being 40 minutes' drive away. "The community and culture in Milton are outstanding," one local said on Niche. "Everyone can always come together and support each other."

For visitors, the lack of public transport is a problem, particularly into downtown. If you stay here, it's more convenient to have your own car. You can find plenty of things to do in the local area, too, including outdoor recreation, horseback riding, and community events. Visit the Milton Farmers Market on a Wednesday afternoon to shop for fresh produce, handmade desserts, meats, and more from local providers. The market is located in the suburb's downtown area, called Crabapple, which also has a range of shops and restaurants to explore.

Not only is Senoia one of the safest Atlanta suburbs, it's also a charming town serving iconic filming locations and tours. Georgia's Hollywood scores an A- grade for crime and safety on Niche, making it one of the best in the bunch. For a town with just over 6,000 people, crime rates here are seriously low, with very few violent and property crimes reported annually.

If you're a fan of the television series, "The Walking Dead", Senoia is a great place to visit for reliving scenes and settings from the show. You need only drive into town to see these filming locations, but guided walking tours provide a more informative experience. Georgia Tour Company covers all the spots, including locations from "Fried Green Tomatoes", "Pet Sematary II," and "Drop Dead Diva". The town's Main Street is worth exploring even if you're not a movie buff: It has family-friendly restaurants and cafes, plus various antique and gift shops.

Unfortunately, Senoia isn't as easy to access as other Atlanta suburbs. There isn't any public transport into downtown, and the 40-mile drive can take around one hour. This could be why Senoia is often overlooked and still considered one of the best-kept secrets of the Atlanta Metro region. "What a secret of the metro," one resident wrote on Niche. "It is peaceful living, almost no crime, and the people are great."

Johns Creek was voted the nation's best place to live by U.S. News & World Report, so this suburb already comes highly recommended. Around 28 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta, it's a sprawling suburb with numerous parks and outdoor areas for families, animal lovers, and adventurers. One of these, the Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center, offers over 2.5 miles of walking trails with historic landmarks, creek crossings, and animal sightings. Culture lovers can also admire vibrant murals in the Johns Creek Tunnel, hunt for sculptures around town, and attend a performance by the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra. The Atlanta Athletic Club also hosts golf championships, with two challenging courses for amateurs and pros alike.

Niche ranks Johns Creek as the best suburb to live in Georgia, giving it an A+ grade for overall livability, schools, and families. Johns Creek also receives an A grade for diversity and a B for crime and safety. The majority of residents polled by Niche don't have any safety concerns. Unsurprisingly, the overall crime rate here is almost 80% below the national average. This includes significantly lower rates of robbery, assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.

Racial diversity is also one of Johns Creek's strengths, with a more balanced mix of white and non-white residents compared to other suburbs on this list. While many people here would be considered upper class, they're also friendly, based on survey responses. "My overall experience living in Johns Creek has been great. I have lived here my whole life, and it is full of great people and a very safe environment," one happy local wrote on Niche. One thing to remember is that Johns Creek doesn't have a true downtown area, so be prepared to do a lot of driving.

Woodstock makes it into the top 20 family suburbs in Georgia with an A+ family grade and an A grade for public schools on Niche. It also has a B grade for safety, with almost 95% of surveyed residents feeling generally safe most of the time. Below-average violent and property crime rates certainly help people feel safer here. Yearly assaults, robberies, and home thefts are all significantly lower than in the majority of U.S. suburbs.

Complementing this overall safe and family-friendly environment is a trendsetting downtown scene that has Woodstock dubbed Georgia's "City Unexpected". The city's Main Street is a leafy and wide strip with plenty of bars, restaurants, cafes, and boutiques. Businesses like Pie Bar, a go-to spot for sweet and savory pies, and Truck & Tap, an indoor-outdoor hangout with rotating food trucks and craft beers, keep everyone well fed and watered. You can also browse boho-chic fashion at Spirited Boutiques or bespoke diamond jewelry at Cultured Brilliance. Woodstock is also where people go hunting for discounted designer goods at over 100 retailers inside the Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta.

"I like that although this is a suburb of Atlanta, the city of Woodstock still continues to share strong family values," one resident wrote on Niche. It's this family-friendly nature that flows throughout Woodstock, whether you're watching a tribute band at MadLife Stage & Studios, exploring the play structures at The Downtown Playground, or heading to nearby Lake Allatoona for fishing and boating. You'll need a car to get here from Atlanta, but it only takes a little over 30 minutes along Interstate 75.

Of the safest Atlanta suburbs on this list, Duluth is rated highest for diversity (A+) and nightlife (A-) while still receiving a B for safety and an A+ for overall livability from Niche. A cultural melting pot only 28 miles from Atlanta's center, Duluth has a nearly even mix of white, Asian, African American, and Hispanic residents, considered to be friendly, family-focused, and accepting. This could be why Duluth has made news headlines in the past for its American values and affordability.

When it comes to crime rates, Duluth's reported violent and property crimes are well below the national average. The city sees a fraction of the robberies, home burglaries, and car thefts that most other U.S. cities and towns experience. "Living in Duluth, Georgia, has been a peaceful and supportive experience. It's a clean, safe, and family-friendly city where the community truly cares about its surroundings," one local wrote on Niche. Downtown Duluth is also picturesque, with a beautiful city hall, various parks and green spaces, and a range of cafes and restaurants on either side of the railway tracks.

Some residents say Duluth is becoming less diverse, while others say they're constantly exposed to different cultures living here. One of the reasons for the latter is the suburb's packed calendar of annual events, including the Duluth Fall Festival in September and the Duluth Spring Arts Festival around May. These events give people of various races and cultures an opportunity to showcase their artwork, food, music, and traditions over two weekends of family-friendly fun.

To put together this list, we reviewed Niche's list of the safest suburbs in the Atlanta area, prioritizing suburbs with a crime and safety grade of B or higher. Niche is a school-finder platform that uses data from the FBI and U.S. Census Bureau, along with real reviews and surveys from actual local residents, to determine its scores for overall livability and other elements such as crime and safety.

To complement this data, we also cross-referenced the chosen suburbs with those listed by local blogs and media. Going one step further, we reviewed the testimonials of residents on Niche to ensure people living in these places were experiencing safe and friendly environments. We should note that some, but not all, of the suburbs were cited by residents for their lack of diversity, so they may not be as safe or welcoming for people of certain cultures or races.