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Safest Cities in Georgia

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

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.

RankCityViolent Crimes per 1,000 ResidentsProperty Crimes per 1,000 ResidentsCrime Score
1Johns Creek3.16.211.6
2Alpharetta4.318.026.0
3Sandy Springs5.718.530.5
4Roswell7.515.730.8
5Smyrna13.125.449.1
6Athens2.23.349.5
7Dunwoody7.140.656.1
8Savannah10.324.657.0
9Brookhaven13.126.958.3
10Valdosta16.235.964.1
11Marietta13.631.664.5
12Columbus13.037.379.2
13Atlanta18.350.0112.6
14Warner Robins39.955.8129.0
15Albany29.151.0138.4

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.

RankCityViolent Crimes per 1,000 ResidentsProperty Crimes per 1,000 ResidentsCrime Score
1Milton4.47.213.7
2Holly Springs3.19.914.2
3Peachtree City1.813.218.0
4Jefferson6.713.325.5
5Grovetown8.912.827.1
6Duluth5.718.227.5
7Woodstock6.014.928.0
8Kennesaw6.712.329.2
9Acworth1.321.829.4
10Canton7.423.337.1
11Kingsland7.911.438.4
12Perry10.115.838.6
13Decatur6.223.539.1
14Powder Springs10.718.740.3
15Suwanee6.825.941.8
16Fayetteville7.225.942.7
17Mcdonough8.626.443.6
18Pooler9.830.745.9
19Richmond Hill8.622.446.7
20Dallas14.722.550.8
21Rincon13.831.354.0
22Lawrenceville8.020.955.7
23Dalton12.929.257.1
24Lilburn9.231.760.1
25Calhoun15.429.761.5
26Snellville10.439.966.5
27Newnan18.126.468.6
28Fairburn11.441.570.6
29Gainesville20.330.972.4
30Statesboro27.026.673.0
31Norcross14.533.673.4
32Milledgeville16.041.075.8
33Clarkston20.532.079.3
34Covington14.747.082.2
35Riverdale8.150.782.9
36Hinesville26.036.285.4
37Thomasville35.446.591.9
38Rome15.522.192.3
39Lagrange24.546.092.7
40Winder15.127.293.3
41Conyers18.138.194.9
42Moultrie21.850.0100.5
43Carrollton26.941.3100.5
44Bainbridge23.137.9101.1
45Doraville18.460.0103.7
46Vidalia27.347.6107.5
47Cordele21.752.6108.4
48Monroe27.946.3110.0
49Waycross32.551.7110.7
50Forest Park29.648.0113.8
51Douglasville32.054.0115.4
52Americus21.460.7126.4
53Dublin35.549.1127.5
54Tifton30.047.8133.3
55Brunswick30.452.5137.6
56Griffin35.147.6143.1
57College Park33.075.9168.4
58Cartersville40.180.4177.7
59Union City8.680.5201.6
60East Point43.0120.0228.4

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.

RankCityViolent Crimes per 1,000 ResidentsProperty Crimes per 1,000 ResidentsCrime Score
1Abbeville0.02.96.9
2Davisboro0.01.27.0
3Ball Ground0.06.18.1
4Summerville0.010.310.3
5Alamo0.35.310.6
6Edison0.02.711.0
7Reynolds0.02.012.1
8Winterville0.012.114.5
9Lookout Mountain0.012.114.6
10Cuthbert0.313.415.1
11Canon0.02.515.3
12Senoia5.37.615.3
13Zebulon0.05.115.3
14Tyrone0.114.615.4
15Lumber City0.87.216.0
16Franklin Springs0.99.517.7
17Ludowici1.35.219.7
18Waverly Hall0.06.619.8
19Mount Zion2.85.019.9
20Braselton5.614.321.0
21Butler3.913.321.8
22Thunderbolt5.614.822.2
23Hephzibah2.06.822.8
24Brooklet1.26.122.9
25Auburn1.117.923.7
26Demorest6.710.824.0
27Ivey0.012.124.1
28Chatsworth6.55.624.3
29Hagan0.010.224.4
30Gray1.911.924.5
31Doerun6.612.024.8
32Nahunta0.06.626.3
33Watkinsville1.46.226.5
34Buena Vista1.023.526.7
35Glennville5.916.327.0
36Enigma0.811.327.1
37Oxford2.211.627.2
38Hampton2.413.527.3
39Harlem5.910.028.3
40Donalsonville4.421.029.3
41Flowery Branch3.411.929.4
42Blairsville0.09.829.5
43Chickamauga2.216.529.9
44Warwick0.07.630.5
45Tunnel Hill4.618.330.5
46Statham2.615.831.2
47Chattahoochee Hills1.716.832.2
48Fairmount0.016.232.4
49Leslie0.05.432.5
50Plains2.84.233.3
51Lake Park5.514.333.6
52Temple9.619.034.1
53Midway5.426.734.6
54Baldwin3.122.134.8
55Franklin14.721.035.7
56Ray City2.818.835.7
57Danielsville0.027.336.3
58Marshallville3.27.236.6
59Springfield4.521.037.0
60Bloomingdale11.618.437.2
61Blue Ridge2.820.537.4
62Byron7.029.138.0
63Social Circle10.616.638.1
64Lyons14.97.738.5
65Hahira1.728.838.8
66Guyton1.56.539.1
67Adairsville7.822.339.1
68Alapaha1.57.539.6
69Pembroke11.217.439.9
70Gordon4.313.940.3
71Avondale Estates1.621.840.4
72Oglethorpe3.419.840.5
73Graham6.80.040.7
74Maysville2.018.340.7
75Palmetto8.320.741.4
76Sardis9.322.842.7
77Folkston3.621.042.9
78Port Wentworth9.713.242.9
79Eton3.323.843.3
80Alto3.022.543.7
81Sparta11.48.944.6
82Trenton3.124.745.1
83Mcintyre1.716.645.6
84Cochran2.331.345.7
85Kingston0.022.945.8
86Clarkesville4.320.146.1
87Willacoochee5.122.646.3
88Grantville11.417.846.5
89Bowdon5.222.847.0
90Screven5.219.647.1
91Tennille9.114.247.5
92Norman Park8.212.348.0
93Ellaville5.97.548.0
94Oak Park0.040.148.1
95Commerce9.519.850.1
96Cave Spring14.110.650.9
97Darien7.139.251.7
98Metter14.128.152.0
99Hogansville1.643.052.6
100Cumming10.432.752.7
101Barnesville2.822.854.3
102Vienna4.920.255.1
103Madison8.832.755.9
104Loganville13.934.357.2
105Pine Mountain15.228.158.5
106Stone Mountain5.127.558.8
107Cairo13.334.058.9
108Ellijay4.034.059.4
109Wadley5.824.859.6
110Cohutta0.049.959.9
111Greensboro10.424.460.2
112Eatonton8.027.261.5
113Arlington5.031.961.8
114Sandersville4.040.563.3
115Dawson13.628.063.6
116Roberta6.221.664.1
117Mount Airy3.13.164.3
118Hiawassee8.722.964.3
119Montezuma7.326.164.4
120Dillard8.110.865.0
121Manchester10.331.865.1
122Greenville14.322.765.6
123Talbotton8.316.666.4
124Forsyth7.644.666.6
125Cleveland2.353.667.0
126Waynesboro5.532.267.2
127Jackson15.333.767.4
128Oakwood6.943.668.0
129Omega6.633.168.7
130Claxton18.841.168.8
131Warrenton8.817.569.4
132Austell10.723.169.6
133Lafayette19.045.472.0
134Colquitt6.432.273.0
135Hazlehurst8.244.273.9
136Arcade17.331.074.0
137Woodbury4.542.874.4
138Clayton19.030.574.6
139Cornelia15.739.575.0
140Sparks5.043.275.0
141Toomsboro2.34.775.1
142Rochelle34.437.176.1
143Tallapoosa6.636.477.6
144Bremen13.956.578.8
145Ocilla21.929.678.8
146Jasper2.860.679.6
147Buchanan7.733.479.8
148Camilla24.535.779.9
149Lake City4.949.080.0
150Blakely12.821.581.5
151Poulan5.119.182.0
152Centerville18.943.982.6
153Locust Grove14.459.184.6
154Homerville12.143.086.5
155Fort Oglethorpe13.955.888.3
156Lakeland2.54.989.0
157Sylvania5.355.989.6
158Wrens24.326.891.7
159Whitesburg8.227.792.0
160Jonesboro15.852.792.4
161Tybee Island26.051.194.0
162Swainsboro8.546.394.4
163Jesup21.454.094.5
164Royston5.241.195.7
165Hartwell15.947.296.7
166Thomaston16.252.697.1
167Pelham16.833.998.3
168Hiram14.870.9100.1
169Ringgold7.845.8100.9
170Emerson23.640.4101.2
171Toccoa24.155.4103.0
172Nashville16.541.1103.3
173Cedartown22.548.9103.4
174Alma9.856.8103.6
175Ashburn21.029.8104.8
176Fitzgerald26.652.8105.2
177Louisville7.252.1106.2
178Fort Valley23.230.2107.9
179Millen17.736.5108.3
180Pine Lake3.983.1116.2
181Lavonia22.746.7117.4
182Elberton24.450.9122.6
183Sylvester11.841.6125.8
184Rossville7.381.7127.6
185Villa Rica30.863.3128.5
186Blackshear26.754.7129.0
187Morrow10.199.6131.9
188West Point29.859.9132.1
189Eastman9.986.3143.5
190Helen42.082.3159.0
191Rockmart32.079.2159.3
192Hapeville16.6111.5166.5
193Remerton36.558.3168.6
194Baxley16.782.2179.7
195Garden City32.135.5183.5
196Quitman17.651.2189.7
197East Ellijay22.7247.8322.9

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

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