Safest Cities in Georgia

AdvisorSmith studied reported levels of crime in cities across the state of Georgia to find the safest cities in the state. Our study was based on crime data published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which includes data from cities and law enforcement agencies around the state. AdvisorSmith used data on reported crimes such as murder, rape, robbery, assault, and others to create a proprietary, population-adjusted crime score for cities in Georgia. We found the average crime score in the state was 64, with a range between 7 and 323.

We segmented Georgia’s cities into one of three groups based on the city’s population. Cities with over 50,000 residents were considered large cities. Midsize cities were those having populations between 10,000 and 50,000, and small cities were those with under 10,000 residents. This study included 272 Georgia cities in total, with 197 small cities, 60 midsize cities, and 15 large cities included in this analysis.

Read on to discover the safest cities in the state of Georgia.

• Safest Large Cities in Georgia
• Safest Midsize Cities in Georgia
• Safest Small Cities in Georgia

Safest Large Cities in Georgia

Our study included 15 large cities in the state of Georgia which had populations exceeding 50,000 residents. The range of crime scores in large Georgia cities was as low as 12 and as high as 138. The average crime score for large cities in Georgia was 64.

The safest large city in Georgia was Johns Creek. Located in Fulton County, this city is a suburb in the northeast part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Key to the development of the city was the Johns Creek Technology Park, which was formed by graduates of Georgia Tech University. This office complex attracted high-quality employers and new residents to the area. Johns Creek is also home to the Atlanta Athletic Club, which has hosted the PGA Championship in the past.

Albany, Georgia, located in the southwest of the state, had the highest crime score among large cities. Historically, the city’s location along the Flint River made it a center for shipping and river trade, served by riverboats. The city also played an important role in the civil rights movement, and also is home to Albany State University.

Rank	City	Violent Crimes per 1,000 Residents	Property Crimes per 1,000 Residents	Crime Score
1	Johns Creek	3.1	6.2	11.6
2	Alpharetta	4.3	18.0	26.0
3	Sandy Springs	5.7	18.5	30.5
4	Roswell	7.5	15.7	30.8
5	Smyrna	13.1	25.4	49.1
6	Athens	2.2	3.3	49.5
7	Dunwoody	7.1	40.6	56.1
8	Savannah	10.3	24.6	57.0
9	Brookhaven	13.1	26.9	58.3
10	Valdosta	16.2	35.9	64.1
11	Marietta	13.6	31.6	64.5
12	Columbus	13.0	37.3	79.2
13	Atlanta	18.3	50.0	112.6
14	Warner Robins	39.9	55.8	129.0
15	Albany	29.1	51.0	138.4

Safest Midsize Cities in Georgia

The average crime score for midsize cities in Georgia was 80, and the scores ranged from as low as 14 to as high as 228. We included 60 midsize cities in Georgia with between 10,000 and 50,000 residents in our analysis.

The safest midsize city in Georgia was Milton. Milton is a rural suburb with a population of roughly 40,000 in the northern part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. The city is known for a high quality of life and has home communities that include equestrian and golf facilities. The city also includes the Crabapple Market which features upscale shopping and dining.

Rank	City	Violent Crimes per 1,000 Residents	Property Crimes per 1,000 Residents	Crime Score
1	Milton	4.4	7.2	13.7
2	Holly Springs	3.1	9.9	14.2
3	Peachtree City	1.8	13.2	18.0
4	Jefferson	6.7	13.3	25.5
5	Grovetown	8.9	12.8	27.1
6	Duluth	5.7	18.2	27.5
7	Woodstock	6.0	14.9	28.0
8	Kennesaw	6.7	12.3	29.2
9	Acworth	1.3	21.8	29.4
10	Canton	7.4	23.3	37.1
11	Kingsland	7.9	11.4	38.4
12	Perry	10.1	15.8	38.6
13	Decatur	6.2	23.5	39.1
14	Powder Springs	10.7	18.7	40.3
15	Suwanee	6.8	25.9	41.8
16	Fayetteville	7.2	25.9	42.7
17	Mcdonough	8.6	26.4	43.6
18	Pooler	9.8	30.7	45.9
19	Richmond Hill	8.6	22.4	46.7
20	Dallas	14.7	22.5	50.8
21	Rincon	13.8	31.3	54.0
22	Lawrenceville	8.0	20.9	55.7
23	Dalton	12.9	29.2	57.1
24	Lilburn	9.2	31.7	60.1
25	Calhoun	15.4	29.7	61.5
26	Snellville	10.4	39.9	66.5
27	Newnan	18.1	26.4	68.6
28	Fairburn	11.4	41.5	70.6
29	Gainesville	20.3	30.9	72.4
30	Statesboro	27.0	26.6	73.0
31	Norcross	14.5	33.6	73.4
32	Milledgeville	16.0	41.0	75.8
33	Clarkston	20.5	32.0	79.3
34	Covington	14.7	47.0	82.2
35	Riverdale	8.1	50.7	82.9
36	Hinesville	26.0	36.2	85.4
37	Thomasville	35.4	46.5	91.9
38	Rome	15.5	22.1	92.3
39	Lagrange	24.5	46.0	92.7
40	Winder	15.1	27.2	93.3
41	Conyers	18.1	38.1	94.9
42	Moultrie	21.8	50.0	100.5
43	Carrollton	26.9	41.3	100.5
44	Bainbridge	23.1	37.9	101.1
45	Doraville	18.4	60.0	103.7
46	Vidalia	27.3	47.6	107.5
47	Cordele	21.7	52.6	108.4
48	Monroe	27.9	46.3	110.0
49	Waycross	32.5	51.7	110.7
50	Forest Park	29.6	48.0	113.8
51	Douglasville	32.0	54.0	115.4
52	Americus	21.4	60.7	126.4
53	Dublin	35.5	49.1	127.5
54	Tifton	30.0	47.8	133.3
55	Brunswick	30.4	52.5	137.6
56	Griffin	35.1	47.6	143.1
57	College Park	33.0	75.9	168.4
58	Cartersville	40.1	80.4	177.7
59	Union City	8.6	80.5	201.6
60	East Point	43.0	120.0	228.4

Safest Small Cities in Georgia

The average crime score for small cities in Georgia was 62, and these scores ranged from 7 to 322. The safest small city in Georgia was Abbeville, a city of just under 3,000 residents in Wilcox County. This circular-shaped city offers opportunities for hunting and fishing and is also well known for its annual Wild Hog Festival.

The table below shows the safest small cities in Georgia, including each city’s violent and property crimes per 1,000 residents and each city’s crime score. Cities in this table have 10,000 or fewer residents, and this table includes 197 small cities in the state.

Rank	City	Violent Crimes per 1,000 Residents	Property Crimes per 1,000 Residents	Crime Score
1	Abbeville	0.0	2.9	6.9
2	Davisboro	0.0	1.2	7.0
3	Ball Ground	0.0	6.1	8.1
4	Summerville	0.0	10.3	10.3
5	Alamo	0.3	5.3	10.6
6	Edison	0.0	2.7	11.0
7	Reynolds	0.0	2.0	12.1
8	Winterville	0.0	12.1	14.5
9	Lookout Mountain	0.0	12.1	14.6
10	Cuthbert	0.3	13.4	15.1
11	Canon	0.0	2.5	15.3
12	Senoia	5.3	7.6	15.3
13	Zebulon	0.0	5.1	15.3
14	Tyrone	0.1	14.6	15.4
15	Lumber City	0.8	7.2	16.0
16	Franklin Springs	0.9	9.5	17.7
17	Ludowici	1.3	5.2	19.7
18	Waverly Hall	0.0	6.6	19.8
19	Mount Zion	2.8	5.0	19.9
20	Braselton	5.6	14.3	21.0
21	Butler	3.9	13.3	21.8
22	Thunderbolt	5.6	14.8	22.2
23	Hephzibah	2.0	6.8	22.8
24	Brooklet	1.2	6.1	22.9
25	Auburn	1.1	17.9	23.7
26	Demorest	6.7	10.8	24.0
27	Ivey	0.0	12.1	24.1
28	Chatsworth	6.5	5.6	24.3
29	Hagan	0.0	10.2	24.4
30	Gray	1.9	11.9	24.5
31	Doerun	6.6	12.0	24.8
32	Nahunta	0.0	6.6	26.3
33	Watkinsville	1.4	6.2	26.5
34	Buena Vista	1.0	23.5	26.7
35	Glennville	5.9	16.3	27.0
36	Enigma	0.8	11.3	27.1
37	Oxford	2.2	11.6	27.2
38	Hampton	2.4	13.5	27.3
39	Harlem	5.9	10.0	28.3
40	Donalsonville	4.4	21.0	29.3
41	Flowery Branch	3.4	11.9	29.4
42	Blairsville	0.0	9.8	29.5
43	Chickamauga	2.2	16.5	29.9
44	Warwick	0.0	7.6	30.5
45	Tunnel Hill	4.6	18.3	30.5
46	Statham	2.6	15.8	31.2
47	Chattahoochee Hills	1.7	16.8	32.2
48	Fairmount	0.0	16.2	32.4
49	Leslie	0.0	5.4	32.5
50	Plains	2.8	4.2	33.3
51	Lake Park	5.5	14.3	33.6
52	Temple	9.6	19.0	34.1
53	Midway	5.4	26.7	34.6
54	Baldwin	3.1	22.1	34.8
55	Franklin	14.7	21.0	35.7
56	Ray City	2.8	18.8	35.7
57	Danielsville	0.0	27.3	36.3
58	Marshallville	3.2	7.2	36.6
59	Springfield	4.5	21.0	37.0
60	Bloomingdale	11.6	18.4	37.2
61	Blue Ridge	2.8	20.5	37.4
62	Byron	7.0	29.1	38.0
63	Social Circle	10.6	16.6	38.1
64	Lyons	14.9	7.7	38.5
65	Hahira	1.7	28.8	38.8
66	Guyton	1.5	6.5	39.1
67	Adairsville	7.8	22.3	39.1
68	Alapaha	1.5	7.5	39.6
69	Pembroke	11.2	17.4	39.9
70	Gordon	4.3	13.9	40.3
71	Avondale Estates	1.6	21.8	40.4
72	Oglethorpe	3.4	19.8	40.5
73	Graham	6.8	0.0	40.7
74	Maysville	2.0	18.3	40.7
75	Palmetto	8.3	20.7	41.4
76	Sardis	9.3	22.8	42.7
77	Folkston	3.6	21.0	42.9
78	Port Wentworth	9.7	13.2	42.9
79	Eton	3.3	23.8	43.3
80	Alto	3.0	22.5	43.7
81	Sparta	11.4	8.9	44.6
82	Trenton	3.1	24.7	45.1
83	Mcintyre	1.7	16.6	45.6
84	Cochran	2.3	31.3	45.7
85	Kingston	0.0	22.9	45.8
86	Clarkesville	4.3	20.1	46.1
87	Willacoochee	5.1	22.6	46.3
88	Grantville	11.4	17.8	46.5
89	Bowdon	5.2	22.8	47.0
90	Screven	5.2	19.6	47.1
91	Tennille	9.1	14.2	47.5
92	Norman Park	8.2	12.3	48.0
93	Ellaville	5.9	7.5	48.0
94	Oak Park	0.0	40.1	48.1
95	Commerce	9.5	19.8	50.1
96	Cave Spring	14.1	10.6	50.9
97	Darien	7.1	39.2	51.7
98	Metter	14.1	28.1	52.0
99	Hogansville	1.6	43.0	52.6
100	Cumming	10.4	32.7	52.7
101	Barnesville	2.8	22.8	54.3
102	Vienna	4.9	20.2	55.1
103	Madison	8.8	32.7	55.9
104	Loganville	13.9	34.3	57.2
105	Pine Mountain	15.2	28.1	58.5
106	Stone Mountain	5.1	27.5	58.8
107	Cairo	13.3	34.0	58.9
108	Ellijay	4.0	34.0	59.4
109	Wadley	5.8	24.8	59.6
110	Cohutta	0.0	49.9	59.9
111	Greensboro	10.4	24.4	60.2
112	Eatonton	8.0	27.2	61.5
113	Arlington	5.0	31.9	61.8
114	Sandersville	4.0	40.5	63.3
115	Dawson	13.6	28.0	63.6
116	Roberta	6.2	21.6	64.1
117	Mount Airy	3.1	3.1	64.3
118	Hiawassee	8.7	22.9	64.3
119	Montezuma	7.3	26.1	64.4
120	Dillard	8.1	10.8	65.0
121	Manchester	10.3	31.8	65.1
122	Greenville	14.3	22.7	65.6
123	Talbotton	8.3	16.6	66.4
124	Forsyth	7.6	44.6	66.6
125	Cleveland	2.3	53.6	67.0
126	Waynesboro	5.5	32.2	67.2
127	Jackson	15.3	33.7	67.4
128	Oakwood	6.9	43.6	68.0
129	Omega	6.6	33.1	68.7
130	Claxton	18.8	41.1	68.8
131	Warrenton	8.8	17.5	69.4
132	Austell	10.7	23.1	69.6
133	Lafayette	19.0	45.4	72.0
134	Colquitt	6.4	32.2	73.0
135	Hazlehurst	8.2	44.2	73.9
136	Arcade	17.3	31.0	74.0
137	Woodbury	4.5	42.8	74.4
138	Clayton	19.0	30.5	74.6
139	Cornelia	15.7	39.5	75.0
140	Sparks	5.0	43.2	75.0
141	Toomsboro	2.3	4.7	75.1
142	Rochelle	34.4	37.1	76.1
143	Tallapoosa	6.6	36.4	77.6
144	Bremen	13.9	56.5	78.8
145	Ocilla	21.9	29.6	78.8
146	Jasper	2.8	60.6	79.6
147	Buchanan	7.7	33.4	79.8
148	Camilla	24.5	35.7	79.9
149	Lake City	4.9	49.0	80.0
150	Blakely	12.8	21.5	81.5
151	Poulan	5.1	19.1	82.0
152	Centerville	18.9	43.9	82.6
153	Locust Grove	14.4	59.1	84.6
154	Homerville	12.1	43.0	86.5
155	Fort Oglethorpe	13.9	55.8	88.3
156	Lakeland	2.5	4.9	89.0
157	Sylvania	5.3	55.9	89.6
158	Wrens	24.3	26.8	91.7
159	Whitesburg	8.2	27.7	92.0
160	Jonesboro	15.8	52.7	92.4
161	Tybee Island	26.0	51.1	94.0
162	Swainsboro	8.5	46.3	94.4
163	Jesup	21.4	54.0	94.5
164	Royston	5.2	41.1	95.7
165	Hartwell	15.9	47.2	96.7
166	Thomaston	16.2	52.6	97.1
167	Pelham	16.8	33.9	98.3
168	Hiram	14.8	70.9	100.1
169	Ringgold	7.8	45.8	100.9
170	Emerson	23.6	40.4	101.2
171	Toccoa	24.1	55.4	103.0
172	Nashville	16.5	41.1	103.3
173	Cedartown	22.5	48.9	103.4
174	Alma	9.8	56.8	103.6
175	Ashburn	21.0	29.8	104.8
176	Fitzgerald	26.6	52.8	105.2
177	Louisville	7.2	52.1	106.2
178	Fort Valley	23.2	30.2	107.9
179	Millen	17.7	36.5	108.3
180	Pine Lake	3.9	83.1	116.2
181	Lavonia	22.7	46.7	117.4
182	Elberton	24.4	50.9	122.6
183	Sylvester	11.8	41.6	125.8
184	Rossville	7.3	81.7	127.6
185	Villa Rica	30.8	63.3	128.5
186	Blackshear	26.7	54.7	129.0
187	Morrow	10.1	99.6	131.9
188	West Point	29.8	59.9	132.1
189	Eastman	9.9	86.3	143.5
190	Helen	42.0	82.3	159.0
191	Rockmart	32.0	79.2	159.3
192	Hapeville	16.6	111.5	166.5
193	Remerton	36.5	58.3	168.6
194	Baxley	16.7	82.2	179.7
195	Garden City	32.1	35.5	183.5
196	Quitman	17.6	51.2	189.7
197	East Ellijay	22.7	247.8	322.9

Methodology

This study was based on data collected from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Data Set. This data set collects data on reported crimes from law enforcement agencies and cities around the country as reported on Return A. Crimes reported in this data set include violent crimes such as murder, rape, robbery, and assault, and property crimes including larceny, burglary, and motor vehicle theft. In this study, we studied crime levels in 272 cities in the state of Georgia.

To conduct this analysis, we segmented cities in Georgia into three groups based upon population size. Cities with under 10,000 residents were grouped together as small cities, while cities with between 10,000 and 50,000 residents were labeled midsize cities. Cities with over 50,000 residents were labeled large cities.

Based on the data reported by each city, we excluded cities that reported fewer than two months of data to the Uniform Crime Reporting Data Set. We scaled the crime reports for cities that reported fewer than 12 months of data in order to calculate the proportionate reported crime for the full year.

Using the reported levels of crime for each city, we created a crime score for each city. This crime score was based upon the levels of each crime multiplied by a weighted factor that accounted for the severity of each crime, with more serious crimes receiving a higher multiple. The weighted reported crimes were then scaled for each city by population to calculate the crime score. Within each city size group, we ranked the cities to determine the safest cities in Georgia.

Sources

1. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A, 2018