3 Georgia Towns Named 'Best Places To Live In America' By Money

JOHNS CREEK, GA — Three Georgia towns made Money magazine's coveted list of Best Places To Live In America for 2019.

The new rankings, released Monday, were derived from more than 80 types of data tied to the economy, cost of living, diversity of population, education, housing, health and safety, amenities, and ease of living. Reporters also researched each community, interviewed residents and checked out neighborhoods.

The magazine's writers looked only at cities with populations of 50,000 or greater. Any place that had more than double the national crime risk, less than 85 percent of its state's median household income, or a lack of ethnic diversity was eliminated. Places that made the list last year were not included in this year's ranking.

Johns Creek is No. 16 on the list, Savannah is No. 49, and Warner Robins at No. 87.

No. 1 on the list was Clarksville, Tennessee, which is within commuting distance of Nashville and has a red-hot real estate market with millennials snapping up houses. The rest of the top 5 places are Round Rock, Texas; Fishers, Indiana; the Fulton River District in Illinois; and Country Club Heights, North Carolina.

Johns Creek — no stranger to best lists because of the strong school system and low crime rate — is described by the magazine as a safe and diverse suburb 40 minutes away from Atlanta, with one of the best public school systems in the country and no shortage of family-friendly activities, making it an ideal place to raise children.

Here's how Money describes Johns Creek:

"Since it was incorporated as a city back in 2006, it’s become the 10th largest city in the state, home to over 80,000 residents. In 2018, the median household income was about $119,000, and almost three-fourths of the population were homeowners. Owning a home can be a little costly. Last year, houses sold for a median $383,439 (about $150 per square foot), although loans were an option. Of the nearly 17,000 loans issued in 2018, 94 percent were considered to have 'good' loan-to-value ratios. And those residents who aren't looking to buy anytime soon can find very reasonable rental rates.

The diversity within Johns Creek’s borders is impressive — a positive for many reasons — and the racial representation here is pretty evenly dispersed throughout the city, according to census data analyzed by Synergos Technologies, making it a true melting pot.

In addition to the cultural exposure, Johns Creek residents enjoy its proximity to the city, access to major chains and restaurants, and low violent crime rate, but the real draw is the city's well-respected education system. The district has 19 public schools, including four high schools known for their inclusive extracurricular programs and excellent academics. Students in the Johns Creek area scored 37.4 percent above the state average in math and 34.3 percent above average in reading.

Outside of school walls, there’s plenty more to do. Johns Creek has a surprising number of nature trails for a suburb of its developed size. Ocee Park offers grounds for seemingly every outdoor activity, and the non-profit Ocee Park Athletic Association hosts recreational sports there."

Earlier this year, Johns Creek was named one of the safest cities in America, and the third safest city to raise a child.

See the full top 100 list here.