Norcross is only 20 miles from downtown Atlanta, but did you know that back in the day Atlantans would take a train to Norcross to relax and escape the heat of the city?

That sounds crazy now given that 20 miles by car seems like nothing nowadays, and most of us travel way farther than 20 miles if we head out of town for a weekend getaway, but back when travel was by horse or train, traveling 20 miles probably felt like a much bigger trip than it does now.

Over the years, Norcross has transformed from a resort town for well to-do Atlantans to a sleepy rural town, to a city trying to find itself amidst rapid suburban sprawl to a city that has embraced its history, crafted a vision for its future, and has become a city its residents are proud to call home.

Hi! I’m Tim Trevathan with Tim Trevathan Homes. If you are looking for a home in Norcross, or anywhere else in the North Atlanta Metro, I would love to hear your dreams for your new home and walk alongside you to turn your dream into a reality as I’ve helped clients from all across the country move here.

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Today we are talking about Norcross, Georgia and the pros and cons of living here. Let’s dive in!

Pro #1: Downtown Norcross. Over the years, Norcross has put a lot of effort into revitalizing and developing its downtown area and it has paid off. There are a variety of great restaurants and shops, and three city parks in the downtown area. One big pro about downtown Norcross is the uniqueness of its shops and restaurants. The vast majority are locally owned and are not chain establishments.

Norcross hosts a variety of city-sponsored events in Lillian Webb Park, its largest downtown park including First Friday concerts, movie screenings, car shows, art shows just to name a few of the events you’ll find on the Norcross events calendar. There is also a free splash pad offering lots of warm weather fun for Norcross’ youngest residents.

Downtown Norcross is always fun, but is even more fun if you live close enough to walk and don’t have to try to find a parking space, especially on the weekends or during community events. There are many nice homes within about a mile of downtown, and there is a townhome community bordering Lillian Webb Park if you want to be in the heart of the action.

Con #1: Economic disparity. Quite literally, Norcross is divided into two halves: one between Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Buford Highway, and one between Buford Highway and I-85. The more Southern half of Norcross especially has a high concentration of areas that struggle with poverty and most of the wealth in Norcross is concentrated in the area to the north of downtown.

The overall poverty level in Norcross is 15%, which is comparable to the state of Georgia’s 14% poverty rate. But, it is much higher than its close neighbors of Peachtree Corners and Duluth with poverty rates of 7.7% and 10% respectively.

Some parts of Norcross just feel a bit more rundown and unkempt compared to residential and commercial areas in nearby cities.

But, don’t let that deter you from moving to Norcross. Like I said earlier, there are many lovely homes here and if you haven’t noticed before, it is hard to know when you move from one city to the next here in Metro Atlanta and very few people here live their lives exclusively in one city.

Pro #2: Proximity to Atlanta + public transportation. If you want to live in the suburbs but commute into Atlanta for work or pleasure, Norcross is a great place to live given its close proximity to I-85.  You can jump on I-85 at the Jimmy Carter Blvd exit and spare yourself the traffic headache of having to take I-285 to reach I-85 and head into the city, which is what your friends over in Peachtree Corners will have to do on their commutes.

What makes the commute from Norcross to Atlanta even sweeter is the option to use the Marta Park-n-Ride lot at Indian Trail and I-85 to park your car and jump on a Marta bus for the rest of your commute. Sure, it is not as great as the public transportation you’d find in New York or DC, but it is more than many Metro Atlantans have available close to home, so I count it as a pro of living in Norcross.

Con #2: Public schools. The public schools here do have a lot going for them – they are part of the Gwinnett County School System, which is the largest in the state and one of the top ranked systems in the state, which is awesome! Norcross High School is ranked fairly high, but the elementary and middle schools that serve Norcross are among the lowest ranked in the county.

Now, that doesn’t mean they are bad schools. The Gwinnett County System is a great system and the schools that serve Norcross face challenges such as very high poverty rates among their students and many students who themselves are English language learners or whose parents or guardians do not speak English fluently. So, these schools don’t rank well on paper, but rankings are only part of the story and many of the schools serving Norcross had wonderful administrators and teachers who truly care about their students.

So, if you are considering moving to Norcross and enrolling your child in public school, as always do your research on the schools serving your prospective home and make sure they are a good fit for your family. One of the great things about Gwinnett County is that there are so many schools. If you decide a particular school isn’t a great fit for your family all you have to do is look down the road a few miles and you’ll find yourself districted for a different school.

Pro #3: Location. Thanks to how Norcross is situated among several major roads, there are lots of secondary roads to help you navigate around traffic. You can also easily drive into Peachtree Corners, Johns Creek, Duluth, Lilburn or Doraville for shopping or dining.

Pretty much all of the popular big box stores have a location either in or within a few miles of Norcross. If you are moving here from another region of the country, you’ll likely have to adjust to shopping at some different stores than you are used to, but if you are moving here from elsewhere in Georgia or in the Southeast, you’ll likely find yourself only a few minutes from all of your favorite big box stores.

If you have a favorite locally owned business in a neighboring town, chances are it won’t take you too long to get there from Norcross as long as you can avoid peak traffic times!

You also have several great healthcare options if you live in Norcross, with multiple hospitals within about a 30 minute drive, and some much closer.

Con #3: Traffic. Sometimes I feel like a broken record with this con, but traffic is a con of anywhere in the Metro Atlanta area, including Norcross.The basic rule of thumb for living in Metro Atlanta is expect it to take you a while to get to your destination if you are traveling during peak traffic times and have to take the main roads. It is just a fact of life when you live in a metro area.

But traffic in Norcross is no worse than anywhere else and if you are commuting from downtown Atlanta, you’ll be home before your coworkers who live in Duluth or other suburbs further from Atlanta.

Pro #4: Historic homes and buildings. There are certainly a myriad of beautiful historic homes and other buildings. Many of the Metro suburbs have few to zero historic homes remaining. Norcross is blessed to have several historic homes that have been beautifully renovated and offer a glimpse of history.

Homes aren’t the only history you’ll find in Norcross. An old cotton gin has been repurposed into a unique shopping area filled with local shops. A historic church rectory hosts the local non-profit theater company, and of course there is the train depot turned restaurant and the other historic buildings of downtown.

Before we end, let me leave you with some quick statistics on Norcross: Norcross is home to about 17,600 people. Norcross is also a majority minority city. About 46% of the population is Hispanic, about 19% is black, about 19% is white, and just over 11% is Asian.  Norcross is also a fairly young city, with about 40% of its residents under age 25 and only roughly 6% of its residents over age 65.

Like anywhere, there are pros and cons to living in Norcross. Many of the people who move here choose Norcross for its great downtown and proximity to Atlanta. Norcross does have its struggles, but city leaders are well aware of them and are working to make Norcross a great place to live for everyone.

If you’d like to check out Norcross in person and see it for yourself, my contact info is on the screen and I’d love to hear what you are looking for in your next home.

Norcross is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia.  With around 17,000 residents, Norcross Georgia offers a small-town feel but offers quick and easy access to big-city living.   Located about 20 miles northeast of Atlanta, Norcross is situated perfectly to allow for the quieter, slower-paced life with the best of everything just a short drive away.  Being a suburb, just outside of Atlanta,  Norcross offers a wide range of housing options. Explore the historic district and all the gorgeous neighborhoods throughout this wonderful area.

There are always a ton of events and festivals going on here in Norcross.  Feel free to check HERE for a list of upcoming events!

Fun Fact

The first car manufactured south of the Mason-Dixon Line was produced in Norcross

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