According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Atlanta is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States, with a 2024 population estimated at around 6.4 million. But only about half a million people live within the city limits — the vast majority reside in Atlanta's suburbs. There's Milton, one of the wealthiest suburbs in Georgia. Then there's Buckhead, which some call "the Beverly Hills of Atlanta," and lively Sandy Springs, one of the city's enchanting riverfront suburbs. But only one suburb earned the highest honor in U.S. News & World Report's 2025-2026 "Best Places to Live" rankings: Johns Creek, a thriving community of 79,322 people that's located 25 miles northeast of Atlanta.

The "Best Places to Live" rankings are based on a combination of factors. "To make the top of the list," per U.S. News & World Report, "a place [has] to have good value, be a desirable place to live, have a strong job market, and a high quality of life." To understand how Johns Creek earned the top distinction, here's an overview of how the Atlanta suburb scored in each category. First up: good value. The report notes that it's comparatively expensive to live in Johns Creek, where the median home value is $587,438. (The average home value nationwide is $370,489.) But residents also tend to earn more, with a median household income of $165,117 compared to the national average of $79,466. All told, the study concludes, "Johns Creek offers a higher value of living compared to similarly sized cities."

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