Smyrna, Georgia | |
|---|---|
 Smyrna City Hall | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Show Smyrna Show Cobb County Show Georgia Show the United StatesLocation inCobb County and the state ofGeorgia | |
| Coordinates:33°52′19″N84°31′6″W / 33.87194°N 84.51833°W /33.87194; -84.51833 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Cobb |
| Established | 1832 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Derek Norton |
| Area | |
• Total | 15.61 sq mi (40.42 km2) |
| • Land | 15.56 sq mi (40.31 km2) |
| • Water | 0.042 sq mi (0.11 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,060 ft (323 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 55,663 |
| • Density | 3,576/sq mi (1,381/km2) |
| Demonym | Smyrnite[3] |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 30080–30082, 30126[4] |
| Area codes | 770/678/470 |
| FIPS code | 13-71492[5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0356541[6] |
| Website | smyrnaga.gov |
Smyrna is a city inCobb County, Georgia, United States. It is located northwest ofAtlanta, and is in theinner ring of theAtlanta Metropolitan Area. It is included in the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Alpharetta MSA, which is included in the Atlanta–Athens-Clarke–Sandy SpringsCSA.
From 2000 to 2012, Smyrna grew by 28%. Historically it is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, and one of the most densely populated cities in the metropolitan area.[7] In the 2020 Census, Smyrna's population was 55,663.[2]
Smyrna was ranked #44 inMoney's 2018 survey of "The Best Places to Live in America" for balancing economic growth, affordability, and quality of life.[8]
In 2025, Smyrna was ranked #5 Best Place to live in Georgia, and #158 Best Place to Live in the Country according to U.S. News.[9]
Cherokee Indians live in the area.[10]
Pioneers began settling the area in 1832. By the late 1830s, a religious encampment called Smyrna Camp Ground had become a popular travel destination and was well known throughout Georgia. It is a Greek name for the Biblical city ofSmyrna, modern dayİzmir in Turkey, the home of the Christian martyrPolycarp. After the completion of theWestern and Atlantic Railroad in 1842, the area began to grow. It was known by several names until 1872—Varner's Station, Ruff's Siding, Neal Dow, and Ruff's Station. The city was incorporated with the name Smyrna in 1872.[11]
TwoCivil War battles occurred in the area, the Battle of Smyrna Camp Ground and the Battle of Ruff's Mill, both on July 4, 1864.[12] The area's businesses, homes, and 1849covered bridge (since rebuilt and still in use today) were burned bySherman's troops.
The nearby Bell Bomber plant that producedB-29 bombers during World War II was reopened byLockheed in 1951, and became a catalyst for growth. The city's population grew during the next two decades, from 2,005 in 1950 to almost 20,000 by 1970.[citation needed]
Smyrna is part of theAtlanta metropolitan area, located about 1 mile (1.6 km) northwest of the Atlanta city limits, and with Smyrna's downtown approximately 16 miles (26 km) from downtown Atlanta. Smyrna is located just west of the northern intersection ofI-285 andI-75, which is the site of the edge cityCumberland and theCobb Galleria.
Smyrna is bordered byVinings to the east,Marietta to the north and west, andMableton to the south and southwest. The city ofSandy Springs and the affluent Atlanta neighborhoods ofPaces andBuckhead are approximately within 10 miles of Smyrna's center.
The center of Smyrna is located at33°52′19″N84°31′06″W / 33.871854°N 84.518380°W /33.871854; -84.518380.[13]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.4 square miles (39.9 km2), of which 15.4 square miles (39.8 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.23%, is water.[14] The general terrain of the area is characteristic of thePiedmont region of Georgia, characterized by hills with broad ridges, sloping uplands, and relatively narrow valleys.
The city's official symbol is thejonquil (a flower). Known as the "Jonquil City", it derives this name from the thousands of jonquils that flourish in gardens and along the streets in early spring.
| Climate data for Smyrna, GA | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 79 (26) | 80 (27) | 89 (32) | 93 (34) | 97 (36) | 102 (39) | 105 (41) | 104 (40) | 102 (39) | 95 (35) | 84 (29) | 79 (26) | 105 (41) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 52 (11) | 57 (14) | 65 (18) | 73 (23) | 80 (27) | 86 (30) | 89 (32) | 88 (31) | 82 (28) | 73 (23) | 64 (18) | 54 (12) | 72 (22) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 34 (1) | 38 (3) | 44 (7) | 52 (11) | 60 (16) | 68 (20) | 71 (22) | 71 (22) | 65 (18) | 54 (12) | 45 (7) | 37 (3) | 53 (12) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −8 (−22) | −9 (−23) | 10 (−12) | 25 (−4) | 37 (3) | 39 (4) | 53 (12) | 55 (13) | 36 (2) | 28 (−2) | 3 (−16) | 0 (−18) | −9 (−23) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.20 (107) | 4.83 (123) | 4.81 (122) | 3.36 (85) | 3.67 (93) | 3.95 (100) | 5.27 (134) | 3.90 (99) | 4.47 (114) | 3.41 (87) | 4.10 (104) | 3.90 (99) | 49.87 (1,267) |
| Source:[15] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 259 | — | |
| 1890 | 416 | 60.6% | |
| 1900 | 238 | −42.8% | |
| 1910 | 599 | 151.7% | |
| 1920 | 791 | 32.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,178 | 48.9% | |
| 1940 | 1,440 | 22.2% | |
| 1950 | 2,005 | 39.2% | |
| 1960 | 10,157 | 406.6% | |
| 1970 | 19,157 | 88.6% | |
| 1980 | 20,312 | 6.0% | |
| 1990 | 30,981 | 52.5% | |
| 2000 | 40,999 | 32.3% | |
| 2010 | 51,265 | 25.0% | |
| 2020 | 55,663 | 8.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[16] 1850-1870[17] 1870-1880[18] 1890-1910[19] 1920-1930[20] 1940[21] 1950[22] 1960[23] 1970[24] 1980[25] 1990[26] 2000[27] 2010[28] 2020[2] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 24,159 | 43.4% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 17,032 | 30.6% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 7,665 | 13.77% |
| Asian | 3,698 | 6.64% |
| Other/Mixed | 2,985 | 5.36% |
| Native American | 103 | 0.19% |
| Pacific Islander | 21 | 0.04% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 55,663 people, 24,736 households, and 13,669 families residing in the city.
At the 2018 census, there were 56,271 people, with 35% growth since 2000. There were 23,002 households. The population density was 3,300 people per square mile (1,300 people/km2). The racial make-up of the city was 29.3%African American, 46%White, 0.4%Native American, 7.71%Asian, 0.10%Pacific Islander and 3.1% from two or more races. 14.9% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
The population was distributed by age as follows: 22.6% under the age of 18, 18.8% from 18 to 29, 20% from 30 to 39, 14.9% from 40 to 49, 14.2% from 50 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males.
52.6% of Smyrna residents lived in families with an average of 2.2 people per household.
In 2012, 52.2% of Smyrna residents had a college degree and 91.3% of residents had a high school diploma. This is one of the highest rates in the state of Georgia.[30]
The city is governed by a seven-member council, elected bywards, and a mayor elected at-large.[31] Max Bacon served as themayor of Smyrna starting in 1985; in July 2019 he announced his retirement from city politics.[32] The current mayor is Derek Norton, who took office January 6, 2020. Norton previously served on the City Council since 2015.[33] Like most municipalities in the state of Georgia, elective city offices in Smyrna arenonpartisan.
The city operates theSmyrna Public Library, the only library in the county which is not a part of theCobb County Public Library System.
Themedian household income in 2018 was $73,788. Theper capita income was $44,823, a 24.7% increase from 2000.
In 2018, the place with the highest median household income in Smyrna was census tract 312.09, with a value of $143,443, followed by census tracts 311.12 and 311.17, with respective values of $108,229 and $89,769.
TheAtlanta Bread Company has its headquarters in Smyrna.[34]
Companies with an office includeEaton Corporation andIBM. Smyrna was the site of the corporate offices of the now-defunctWorld Championship Wrestling.
According to the city's2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:[35]
| # | Employer | Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Distributors | 800 |
| 2 | Glock | 638 |
| 3 | UCB | 499 |
| 4 | Publix | 384 |
| 5 | City of Smyrna | 381 |
| 6 | RV Behavioral LLC | 350 |
| 7 | FedEx Freight | 282 |
| 8 | The Kroger Company | 244 |
| 9 | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta | 200 |
| 10 | Delmar Gardens of Smyrna, LLC | 183 |
On October 31, 2014, Emory Healthcare closed the Emory Adventist Hospital at Smyrna. They have since announced plans to renovate and reopen the hospital.[36]
In 1991, the city began a community redevelopment project known as "Market Village," in order to create a well-defined downtown. Included were a community center and 28,000-square-foot (2,600 m2) public library. A mixed retail and residential district was modeled after an early 1900s city village, including a square with a fountain. This, and other expansions have revitalized the downtown area. Further redevelopment has occurred throughout the city—including thousands of new homes – mostly cluster homes, townhouse and condo communities replacing older neighborhoods.[37][38] The population has risen as a result of redevelopment, a few annexations, and Smyrna's location as a residential suburb in the Northwest center of metro Atlanta.[39][40]
There are additional mixed retail/residential/office redevelopments near the city center, including Jonquil Plaza, Belmont Hills plaza, and The Crossings.
In September 2019, the James M. Cox Foundation gave $6 million to thePATH Foundation, which will connect the Silver Comet Trail terminus in Smyrna to theAtlanta Beltline. It is expected to be completed by 2022. The combined length of the Silver Comet and the Beltline will make it the longest paved trail surface in the U.S., totaling approximately 300 miles (480 kilometers); one could travel from Atlanta toAnniston, Alabama via the trail alone.[41]
Smyrna and Vinings' community newspaper isThe Bright Side. It is dedicated to publishing positive events that occur in Cobb County.[42]
Downtown Redevelopment
The Downtown Smyrna Redevelopment project is an ongoing initiative by the city to revitalize and expand its downtown area, enhancing its appeal as a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly destination. Building on the 2020 B.O.L.D. Downtown Master Plan, the project focuses on improving public spaces, mobility, and connectivity while incorporating extensive community input. Key components include:
The redevelopment builds on Smyrna’s history of successful revitalization, including the Urban Land Institute award-winning Village Green and Market Village. Despite some opposition citing traffic concerns and perceived rushed planning, the project aims to strengthen downtown Smyrna as a regional hub for living, working, and recreation, with completion of the First Baptist site planning expected by 2027.[43][44][45]
Public schooling in Smyrna falls under the jurisdiction of theCobb County School District. The city's students are served by 12 of the district's schools. The largest schools by enrollment are:[46]
Several private schools are inside Smyrna's city limits, including St. Benedict's Episcopal School,[47] Covenant Christian School, Whitefield Academy,[48] and a satellite campus of Buckhead Preparatory Academy.
Market Village in the city center often has open-air concerts and festivals. There are also various small parks such as Cobb Park, public pools such as Aline Wolfe Center for the elderly and Tolleson park pool for all ages, tennis courts and playgrounds and a linear park with walking trail along Spring Road.
The ARTery is a community-driven public art initiative in Smyrna, located primarily in the downtown area, with key installations around Jonquil Plaza and the Village Green. This project enhances the city's cultural landscape through vibrant, accessible art, featuring a rotating outdoor gallery of murals, sculptures, and interactive pieces. Launched to promote local artists and foster community engagement, it celebrates Smyrna’s identity as the "Jonquil City" and its diverse, creative community. Supported by the City of Smyrna and local arts organizations, the ARTery includes events like art walks and workshops to encourage public participation. It contributes to the ongoing revitalization of downtown Smyrna, complementing its mixed-use developments and green spaces.[49]
The Smyrna Art Council is an organization established to promote the arts within the community. Lectures, art exhibits and other activities are part of their calendar.[50]
The Smyrna Historical Society (SHS) was born from a shared vision of preserving the rich history of Smyrna and its surrounding communities.[51]
Several major roadways, such asI-285, Cobb Parkway (U.S. Route 41), Atlanta Road (OldState Route 3), and South Cobb Drive (State Route 280), pass through the municipality.[citation needed]
Smyrna is served byCobbLinc andMARTA public buses.[citation needed]
The restaurant scene in the filmJoyful Noise was shot at Howard's Restaurant in Smyrna in 2011.[58]
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