Pros and Cons of Living in Hoschton, Georgia
Hoschton, Georgia is a Metro Atlanta suburb located off of I-85 in Jackson County, right next to northeastern Gwinnett County. A few years ago, Hoschton was the type of place you moved to if you wanted to live in a small town and enjoy a slower paced, rural setting. Today, Hoschton’s rural charm is slowing giving way to the creep of suburbia as Metro Atlanta expands steadily outward.
Hi, I’m Tim Trevathan of Tim Trevathan Homes and Keller Williams Realty. My contact information is on the screen and I would love to hear from you! If you are interested in Hoschton or if you are interested in moving elsewhere in Atlanta, I would love to hear your dreams and help you find a great home for your family.
Hoschton is small. Very small. As of the 2020 census, just over 2,000 people live inside the city limits, and the city itself is only 4.88 square miles. It is located in Jackson County, which borders Gwinnett. Jackson County was the 10th fastest growing county in the entire United States between 2020 and 2021 per US News and World report, growing 5.77% and gaining almost 5,000 residents in that time.
As Metro Atlanta continues to grow, that growth has pushed steadily outward from the traditionally popular counties and cities into counties that were considered fairly rural until recently. Also, that growth has meant that the closer to Atlanta, the more expensive housing generally is. Hoschton and other communities that are now on the edge of Metro Atlanta have become increasingly popular both because they are within a reasonable drive from Atlanta but also have more affordable housing compared to communities that are closer to Atlanta.
So, what are the pros and cons of living in Hoschton? We’re going to start with a con, because it is an important one.
Con 1: In 4 Counties. I just told you that Hoschton is in Jackson County, and the city of Hoschton is in Jackson County. But, the Hoschton zip code actually covers 4 counties: Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, and Jackson Counties. That can make moving here a little bit confusing until you figure out if you are inside or outside of the city limits, and then which county you are in.
If you are outside of the city limits, your county will determine which schools you are zoned for and whether or not you have to have a vehicle emissions inspection each year before you renew your registration. You will in Gwinnett and will not in Barrow, Hall, or Jackson Counties.
Pro 1: Small Town Feel. If you are in the city of Hoschton, or the Barrow or Jackson County portions of the Hoschton zip code, you’ll notice a friendly, small town feel to your local government services that you don’t usually see in larger counties like Gwinnett. You’ll also have the added benefit of just being a short drive from your city hall or county courthouse should you need any government services.
If you are in the Hall County sliver, you’ll unfortunately have a longer drive up to Cumming if you have to visit any county offices in person, and the same with the Gwinnett portion and the drive down to Lawrenceville. Thankfully, almost everything you’ll need to do when you move can be done online these days.
Con 2: Distance from Atlanta. Downtown Atlanta is only 35 miles from Hoschton, but that can easily translate to an hour or longer commute. A lot of people do make that commute and spend upwards of 2 hours some days in the car driving to and from work. There also is only one main route to take to downtown, on I-85, which can be frustrating when a traffic accident or road work is backing up traffic. You can find an alternate route, but those are usually not any faster due to added distance, traffic, or both.
Pro 3: Green space. As I said earlier, Hoschton was rural until recently. That means you’ll still pass pastures, horses, and cows as you drive around the area. There has been a lot of development, both in terms of new neighborhoods and new retail areas, but there is still a good bit of fields and forested land in the area. In Hoschton you get the conveniences of living in suburbia but, at the moment, get some of the peace and quiet that comes with country life. Though, that may change with time as the area continues to grow.
Con 3: Small downtown. Downtown Hoschton is small. Blink and you’ll miss it. There are not many shopping or dining options in downtown Hoschton at all, but the ones that are there are worth a visit. Only one dining establishment is open past 6pm. Sliced is a popular pizza restaurant, but if you want anything else for dinner you’ll have to go elsewhere.
Hoschton also does not host nearly as many city-sponsored events as some nearby cities do. There is an annual fall festival, and the city has hosted other events in the past, but they don’t have a full calendar of events like you would find down the road in Lawrenceville or Duluth.
Pro 3: Variety of home options. In Hoschton, you have lots of options when it comes to types of homes available. There are large, brand new or fairly new homes in swim and tennis neighborhoods, there are older ranches on a few acres of land, and pretty much everything in between. Hoschton is far from a cookie cutter community when it comes to housing options.
Con 4: Affordability. In Hoschton, the median home sold price in November 2022 was $507.5. Compared to its immediate neighbors of Braselton and Dacula, homes in Hoschton tend to be more expensive. The median sales price in Braselton was only $490,000 and in Dacula it was only $338,000.
Don’t let that median sold price scare you off though if it is out of your price range. That number doesn’t tell the full picture. There are plenty home homes on the market priced $600,000 and up, but I pulled up the current inventory and also saw plenty of homes for sale under $500,000, including in the low to mid-$300,000’s.
But looking at the median prices, Hoschton is more expensive than nearby Buford, which has a reputation of being a pricey place to buy a home.
Pro 4: Schools. The City of The City of Hoschton is in the Jackson County School System and is zoned for Jackson County High School a short drive away in Jefferson, Georgia. The high school is ranked the 97th best high school in Georgia, out of over 400 public high schools. Per US News and World Report, it is the 90th best school in terms of college readiness and the 76th best on the state proficiency test. Those are pretty good rankings!
The Gwinnett portion of Hoschton is zoned for Mill Creek High School, which is ranked an impressive 36th out of all the public high schools in the state.
Con 5: Schools. While portions of Hoschton are zoned for great schools, portions are zoned for schools that struggle. The Barrow County portion is zoned for Winder-Barrow High School, which is only ranked 242 out of just over 400 schools in the state and thus in the lower 50% of schools. Cherokee Bluffs High School, which serves the Hall County portion is ranked a little better at 146.
That does not mean these schools are a bad fit for everyone, but they don’t score as well as other schools in the area. So, as I always say, if you plan to use or even potentially use the public school system, do your research and make sure your future home is zoned for a school that will be a good fit for your family.
Pro 5: Hoschton Recreation Park. Sometimes, small towns don’t have great parks. The Jackson County Parks and Recreation has done a good job and Hoschton benefits from the Hoschton Recreation Park, which is pretty centrally located in town. It hosts youth sports throughout the year and if you have a child playing rec sports through Jackson County, there is a good chance you’ll be spending a lot of time here. There is also a fun playground for young kids as well as walking track. It is located directly across the street from a neighborhood and has great community feel.
If you are still deciding which part of North Metro Atlanta you’d like to call home, take a look at my video play list and check out some of my other videos; I’ve done several on nearby counties and cities. Happy watching!
