Have you heard of Johns Creek, Georgia? If not, I’m glad you’re here today. If you’re considering moving to the greater Atlanta area, Johns Creek is definitely worth a look. According to Niche.com it’s the #1 Best Place to raise a family and the #2 Best Suburb to call home in Georgia, right behind its neighbor, Alpharetta. Stay tuned ’cause today I’m talking all about the pros and cons of living in Johns Creek, Georgia.
Johns Creek is one of our specialties! In fact, I live in Johns Creek, so I know all about it! Johns Creek, Georgia is a relatively young city, but has grown to a population of around 84,000 residents and is steadily attracting new residents and businesses. Johns Creek is located about 30 minutes north of downtown Atlanta and is right between Alpharetta to the west and Duluth to the east.
So let’s get right to the pros and cons Johns Creek, GA.
Pro number 1: Johns Creek is Family-Friendly
Johns Creek is full of fun places for families to enjoy time together. With miles of trails and over 200 acres of parkland and nature reserve, you’ll have plenty of new places to explore. The city borders the Chattahoochee River and has 5 entry points where you can swim, kayak, go tubing, or just enjoy the view as you walk along one of the many trails beside the river.
Autrey Mill Nature Preserve is a perfect place for a family visit. My kiddos love it there. It has 3 miles of walking trails, historic buildings to explore, and even an opportunity to feed small animals like snakes, turtles, and chickens and goats! Just down the road, Newtown Park hosts a variety of events all year long like concerts in the amphitheater, a movie night on the lawn, and arts festivals to name a few. And that’s not all they have! With amenities like athletic fields, parks, tennis and pickleball courts, it’s easy to find something everyone in the family will enjoy. But before we move on, we can’t leave out Newtown’s Dream Dog Park! It’s rated one of the best dog parks in the country and you can see why! Our dog Dasher loves running around with other pups and splashing in the water.
Pro number 2: Johns Creek has Excellent Schools
The schools in Johns Creek, Georgia are among the highest rated, not only in Atlanta, but in the state of Georgia. According to greatschools.org, Northview and Chattahoochee are ranked in the top 10 in the state and Johns Creek High School is not far behind. Elementary and Middle Schools are strong as well, ranking in a range of 8-10 out of 10. In addition to the great public schools, Johns Creek has one charter school and 4 private schools. To find out more about the school you’re interested in, check out greatschools.org.
Pro number 3: Johns Creek is Well-Cared for City
Another pro I think is worth mentioning is that Johns Creek is a well cared-for city. Roads are maintained well and repaved as needed, and where possible, they are manicured beautifully with flowers and trees. Many neighborhoods are also HOA run which ensures residents maintain the exterior of their property to a certain standard. Many limit rental properties to keep consistency in the neighborhood, which confirms why homeowners make up about 75% of the population according to the census data from 2020. Some of you, however, might find an HOA a con. Especially if you don’t prefer to have to ask for permission and wait for an answer before you can get that deck or screened-in porch built.
Pro Number 4: Johns Creek is Safe
Johns Creek, Georgia is a SAFE city. It ranked #1 this year, 2022, as the SAFEST city in all of Georgia. It can give you some piece of mind living in Johns Creek, knowing that it is very safe in comparison to many other areas.
As you can see, there are some great pros to living in Johns Creek, but there are a few cons worth considering:
Con Number 1: No Main Downtown Area
There is no main downtown area or city center to gather with friends and family after work or on the weekends. In fact, though Johns Creek, Georgia has some great restaurants, most of the existing retail space in Johns Creek is in outdated strip centers. Johns Creek has plans to change that and is working to create a new revitalized downtown area that will include a high-end mixed-use facility attracting young professionals and those looking to downsize. It will include some great restaurant options, a plethora of shopping destinations and more. But for now, you’ll have to wait. Luckily the cities adjacent to Johns Creek like Alpharetta, Peachtree Corners, and Duluth have one or more of these destinations and each one is just about a 10-20 minute drive away. So, until Johns Creek joins in, you will have to drive.
Con Number 2: Housing is EXPENSIVE!
The median home price in Johns Creek as of this article in 2022 is $700,000. If you compare that to the national median home price of $405,000, – whoa, that’s expensive, making it especially difficult for first time home buyers to move here.
Con Number 3: Traffic
If you are commuting daily to downtown during traffic hours for work, you’re in for a long drive and a good dose of patience. Johns Creek is not super close to major interstates which makes it a bit of a trek to get downtown. And traffic during peak hours, especially heading into downtown Atlanta, will be a bear. But if you’re interested in a drive downtown to enjoy the Aquarium, or a soccer game at the Mercedes Benz Stadium, or to check out the newest museum exhibit, it’s not a bad drive for special occasions. AND it’s amazing to have such incredible amenities nearby.
Con Number 4: No Big Box Shopping
Another Con is that there are no big box shops like Costco, Sam’s Club or even Walmart in Johns Creek, Georgia. I am a huge Costco shopper and though I still make the 20 minute drive once a week to Alpharetta to shop, it sure would be nice to have one closer by. One pro though, is that there are a number of grocery stores in Johns Creek. Publix and Kroger grocery stores are all throughout the city, and there is also an Aldi and an H Mart, which is an Asian grocery store that carries many Korean favorites. Though there is no Trader Joe’s (which is another one of my favorites), it is just a 10-15 minute drive away, in nearby Peachtree Corners and Whole Foods is even closer in Duluth.
So what do you think? Is Johns Creek, Georgia a place you’d like to live or learn more about? We have helped lots of clients move to the Johns Creek area and we’d love to answer any questions you may have.
