Alpharetta, Georgia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alpharetta, Georgia
City
Alpharetta City Hall
Location in Fulton County and the state of Georgia
Alpharetta, Georgia Location in Metro Atlanta Show map of Metro Atlanta Alpharetta, Georgia Location in Georgia (U.S. state) Show map of Georgia (U.S. state) Alpharetta, Georgia Location in the United States Show map of the United States Alpharetta, Georgia Location in North America Show map of North America
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Fulton
Incorporated	December 11, 1858
Area
• Total	27.27 sq mi (70.62 km2)
• Land	26.90 sq mi (69.67 km2)
• Water	0.37 sq mi (0.95 km2)
Elevation	1,135 ft (346 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	65,818
• Density	2,446.77/sq mi (944.70/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	30004, 30005, 30009, 30022
Area codes	770, 404, 678
FIPS code	13-01696
GNIS feature ID	0310497

Alpharetta is a city located in northern Fulton County, Georgia, United States, and is a part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Alpharetta's population was 57,551. The estimated population in 2019 was 67,213.

History

In the 1830s, the Cherokee people in Georgia and elsewhere in the South were forcibly relocated to the Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) under the Indian Removal Act. Pioneers and farmers later settled on the newly vacated land, situated along a former Cherokee trail stretching from the North Georgia mountains to the Chattahoochee River.

One of the first permanent landmarks in the area was the New Prospect Camp Ground (also known as the Methodist Camp Ground), located beside a natural spring near what is now downtown Alpharetta. It later served as a trading post for the exchanging of goods among settlers.

Known as the town of Milton through July 1858, the city of Alpharetta was chartered on December 11, 1858, with boundaries extending in a 0.5-mile (0.80 km) radius from the city courthouse. It served as the county seat of Milton County until 1931, when Milton County was merged with Fulton County to avoid bankruptcy during the Great Depression.

The city's name is a variation of a fictional Indian girl, Alfarata, in a 19th-century song, "The Blue Juniata". The name of the city is also believed to have been derived from the first letter of the Greek alphabet.

Geography

Downtown Alpharetta

Alpharetta is located in northern Fulton County at 34°4′24″N 84°16′52″W / 34.07333°N 84.28111°W / 34.07333; -84.28111 (34.073318, −84.281086). It is bordered to the southeast by Johns Creek, to the south and west by Roswell, to the north by Milton, and to the northeast by unincorporated land in Forsyth County. Downtown Alpharetta is 26 miles (42 km) north of downtown Atlanta.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Alpharetta has a total area of 27.3 square miles (70.7 km²), of which 26.9 square miles (69.7 km²) is land and 0.39 square miles (1.0 km²), or 1.37%, is water.

Major highways

• State Route 9
• State Route 120
• State Route 140
• State Route 372
• State Route 400

Climate

Alpharetta has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) and is part of USDA hardiness zone 7b.

Demographics

2010 census

According to the 2010 census, the racial composition of the city of Alpharetta was as follows:

• White: 72.0%
• Asian: 13.7%
• Black or African American: 11.2%
• Hispanic or Latino : 8.7%
• Other: 2.9%
• Two or more races: 2.8%
• Native American: 0.2%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%

There were 13,911 households, out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the city, 27.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 40.5% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $95,888, and the median income for a family was $111,918. The per capita income for the city was $42,431. Males had a median income of $79,275 versus $59,935 for females. About 2.9% of families and 1.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.3% of those under age 18 and 0.6% of those age 65 or over.

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 65,818 people, 25,391 households, and 18,167 families residing in the city.

Attractions and events

Wills Park

The Downtown Alpharetta Welcome Center is located at 178 South Main Street and has more than 200 complimentary brochures providing information on the surrounding area. The center is open Monday — Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The Alpharetta Family Skate Center (aka The Cooler) is on 10800 Davis Drive. It is also home to the Atlanta Sparks special needs hockey team.

The Alpharetta Brew Moon Fest is held the first Saturday in October on the streets of downtown Alpharetta.

The Scarecrow Harvest is held the first Saturday in October in downtown Alpharetta. The streets are lined with 100 scarecrows to celebrate its fall spirit.

The Alpharetta Arboretum at Wills Park was established in September 2008 and includes 26 trees. A brochure about the arboretum guides readers through a walking tour of the trees and is available at the Downtown Alpharetta Welcome Center.

The Alpharetta Arboretum at Cogburn Road Park was established in December 2008 and showcases seven trees. A complimentary brochure for the arboretum is available at the Downtown Alpharetta Welcome Center and provides a starting point for a self-guided walking tour.

The Alpharetta Farmers Market is a weekly farmers' market in the downtown area that opens every Saturday from 8 AM to 12:30 PM from April to October, and features farmers and gardeners from the surrounding area selling fresh vegetables, flowers, and edible goods such as jam. The market was named "Best Saturday Morning Excursion" in 2007 by Atlanta magazine.

The Downtown Alpharetta Historic District is located in the center of Alpharetta at the intersection of North Main Street, South Main Street, Milton Avenue, and Academy Street. Around this area are several historic buildings dating from the late 19th century and older. The downtown area has been restored, replacing more modern buildings with period structures, and includes dining, shopping, and widened brick sidewalks.

The Mansell House and Gardens is a 1912 Queen Anne-style home that serves as a special event facility in Alpharetta. It also serves as home to the Alpharetta Historical Society.

The Milton Log Cabin was built by Future Farmers of America students during the 1934-35 school year and resembles life during the late 19th century.

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park is a 12,000-capacity outdoor venue that serves as the summer home to the Grammy Award-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and plays host to acts like the Dave Matthews Band, Rod Stewart and the Eagles.

The Walk of Memories is located at American Legion Post 201 and pays tribute to veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, community and friends, through a brick walk inscribed with the names of all Georgia residents killed in service including and following World War II. A separate section is reserved for those who served in the military and survived. A tank and helicopter are on display.

The Alpharetta Big Creek Greenway is a 6.1-mile-long (9.8 km), 12-foot-wide (3.7 m) concrete path that meanders through the woods along Big Creek, offering a place to walk, jog, inline skate and bike. The path includes additional mountain bike trails.

The Taste of Alpharetta is an annual food festival featuring food from local restaurants, live music, and art exhibits.

The Wire and Wood Alpharetta Songwriters Festival in downtown Alpharetta is held in October.

Avalon is a multi-use development on the east side of downtown adjacent to State Route 400. It includes 500,000 square feet (46,000 m²) of retail space, a 12-screen Regal Cinemas theater, 105,000 square feet (9,800 m²) of office space over retail, 101 single-family residences and 250 luxury rental homes.

Economy

Top employers

According to the City's 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top private sector employers in the city are:

Retail and mixed-use complexes

Complexes in the area include:

• North Point Mall, a traditional mall set for redevelopment
• An 86-acre (35 ha) mixed-use development, Avalon, opened in 2014.
• The Halcyon mixed residential-retail-entertainment-dining complex opened in 2019 in nearby Forsyth County, has an Alpharetta postal address, but in not within the city limits or in the same county.

Tech Alpharetta

Tech Alpharetta (formerly known as the Alpharetta Technology Commission or simply ATC) is an advisory organization established by the City of Alpharetta in 2012. The organization is an independent, 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization which aims to help the City of Alpharetta lead in technology innovation. Tech Alpharetta runs an advisory board of technology companies based in the city, holds monthly technology events for technology executives, and operates the Tech Alpharetta Innovation Center, a technology startup incubator. As of early 2020 about ten companies have "graduated" from Tech Alpharetta's incubator and were hiring employees in the North Fulton County region.

Major companies

McKesson Corporation offices

Travelers Insurance offices

Cynergy Data is headquartered in Alpharetta, as was NetBank when it existed.

The following companies also have offices in Alpharetta:

Education

Primary and secondary schools

The city is served by Fulton County Schools.

Elementary schools (Grades K-5)

• Abbotts Hill Elementary School
• Alpharetta Elementary School
• Birmingham Falls Elementary School in Milton
• Cogburn Woods Elementary School in Milton
• Crabapple Crossing Elementary School in Milton
• Creek View Elementary School
• F.A.S.T. k-8
• Hembree Springs Elementary School in Roswell
• Lake Windward Elementary School
• Manning Oaks Elementary School
• Mimosa Elementary School in Roswell
• New Prospect Elementary School
• Ocee Elementary School in Johns Creek
• Summit Hill Elementary School in Milton

Middle schools (Grades 6-8)

• Autrey Mill Middle School in Johns Creek
• Elkins Pointe Middle School in Roswell
• Haynes Bridge Middle School
• Holcomb Bridge Middle School
• Hopewell Middle School in Milton
• Northwestern Middle School in Milton
• Taylor Road Middle School in Johns Creek
• Webb Bridge Middle School
• Amana Academy, a public charter school in Alpharetta for students in Kindergarten to 8th grade
• Fulton Science Academy (FSA), a private school in Roswell for students in 6th to 8th grade

High schools (Grades 9-12)

• Alpharetta High School serves most of Alpharetta
• Cambridge High School in Milton
• Centennial High School in Roswell
• Chattahoochee High School in Johns Creek
• Johns Creek High School in Johns Creek
• Milton High School in Milton
• Northview High School
• Roswell High School in Roswell
• Independence High School, an alternative school located on the old Milton High School campus.
• Fulton Science Academy High School (formerly T. E. A. C. H.), a public charter school in Alpharetta for students in 9th to 12th grade.

Private schools

• The Lionheart School
• St. Francis Schools
• Mount Pisgah Christian School

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta operates Holy Redeemer Catholic School (K-8) in Johns Creek; the school's address is often stated as being in "Alpharetta, GA".

Higher education

Georgia State University, Gwinnett Technical College and Reinhardt University have campuses located in Alpharetta.

Music Education

Public libraries

Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System operates the Alpharetta Branch.

Transportation

Major highways

• State Route 9
• State Route 120
• State Route 140
• State Route 372
• State Route 400
• U.S. Route 19

Pedestrians and cycling

• There are plans for the creation of the Alpha Loop. The multi-use path will serve to connect residents of Alpharetta to activity centers, parks, and jobs by a network of multi-use trails providing safe alternatives to driving and offering recreational benefit.
• The Big Creek Greenway is a concrete multi-use trail that runs from Windward Parkway to Mansell Road. The concrete trail is approximately 8 miles and meanders along Big Creek parallel to North Point Parkway, from Windward Parkway at Marconi Drive on the north end to Mansell Road on the south end. A soft mulch trail encircles a large wetland between Haynes Bridge Road and Mansell Road. Wildlife such as blue heron, deer, ducks and Canada geese can be observed in this preserved water setting. Future plans are to connect the trail to Cumming.

Mass transit

Alpharetta is not directly served by MARTA trains, but is by multiple bus routes. Currently, there have only been plans to connect Alpharetta to the rest of Metro Atlanta via heavy rail.

Notable people

• Auzoyah Alufohai, football player, Kennesaw State University (2014–2018), University of West Georgia (2019), and current NFL free agent

• Devontae Cacok, basketball player, University of North Carolina Wilmington (2015–2019) and San Antonio Spurs (2021–present)

• Josh Dobbs (Professional football player, born Jan. 26, 1995) Quarterback for the University of Tennessee and Pittsburgh Steelers

• Anthony Fisher (born 1986), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League

• Jaycee Horn, Professional Football player for the Carolina Panthers

• Ariana Savalas, performer

• Lisa Wu, actress and former cast member of The Real Housewives of Atlanta

See also

In Spanish: Alpharetta para niños