The Best Vietnamese Communities to Live in Atlanta, Georgia
Hi! I’m Tim Trevathan, your go-to Atlanta Realtor. Today I’m talking all about the Vietnamese community here in Atlanta. It is well known that Atlanta has one of the best Koreatowns in the country, but did you know there is also a large, thriving Vietnamese community here too? Stick around to the end to hear all about it!
The Vietnamese Community in Atlanta. In 2022, the Vietnamese population in the state of Georgia was estimated to be about 57,000, the majority of whom live in the Atlanta area.
Back in 1980, there were only an estimated 2,000 Vietnamese residents here. Starting in 1975, at the end of the Vietnamese War, immigration of Vietnamese refugees to America began in earnest.
The Vietnamese population here in Georgia continued to grow over the next several years, first as refugees being resettled here in Georgia and then as family members came to join them.
Fast forward to today, and there are two primary concentrations of Vietnamese residents in the Atlanta area. Initially, most lived south of Atlanta, in Clayton County. In more recent years, Gwinnett County, north of Atlanta, has taken over as the major Vietnamese community in the area.
Of the Asian community in Clayton County, 60% identified Vietnam as their country of origin in a survey done from 2015-2019. Rockdale and Henry counties are also south of Atlanta, and 35% and 21% respectively of their Asian populations identified as Vietnamese. Here in the north, in Gwinnett, the number was also about 21%
The Vietnamese community in Gwinnett county is the largest community in Atlanta, with about 22,000 residents. There are a wide variety of Vietnamese owned and Vietnamese speaking businesses, including doctors, lawyers, insurance agents, and mechanic shops. There is even a home health care company that focuses on caring for Vietnamese speaking senior citizens.
The rapid growth of this community has attracted young professionals and young families alike.
There are also several Vietnamese churches, including Holy Vietnamese Martyr’s Catholic Church on Beaver Ruin Road, North Atlanta Vietnamese Alliance Church, on Lawrenceville Highway, Vietnamese Gwinnett Church in Suwanee and Vietnamese Faith Baptist Church in Norcross. That is just a small number of the many Vietnamese speaking churches in Gwinnett County.
There are also several Buddhist temples and monasteries in the area.
Most cultural events take place through the churches and temples, and they act as the community and cultural hub for many Vietnamese residents. The Vietnamese American Community of Georgia also hosts a variety of community events such as health fairs and lunar new year celebrations.
One reason many families prefer Gwinnett County over the Vietnamese communities south of Atlanta is the school system. Gwinnett County schools have long had a reputation of academic excellence, and the schools have been a leading factor in many family’s decision to move to Gwinnett instead of neighboring counties.
In contrast, the Vietnamese community in Clayton county is smaller, with about 8,700 residents. It first started growing back in the late 1970’s when the first waves of refugees and those reuniting with already settled family members arrived in Georgia.
It has grown slowly but steadily. It does not experience the rapid growth of the community in Gwinnett, but has held its own. Most of the Vietnamese community here has lived in Clayton County, particularly in the Forest Park area, for decades. There are still young families here, but a significant portion of the Vietnamese population are senior citizens.
The schools don’t have as good of a reputation as those in Gwinnett, but local Vietnamese students are still thriving, with repeated valedictorians at the local Forest Park High School being of Vietnamese descent.
There is a Buddhist temple here and a few Vietnamese speaking churches as well, including Morrow Vietnamese Alliance Church and Our Lady of Vietnam Catholic Church.
As with Gwinnett County, the temple, churches, and a senior center are the hub of cultural events. The senior center is the hub of social life for many of the older residents, and was started about 8 years ago by a local Vietnamese businessman.
There is a 3rd Vietnamese community here in Metro Atlanta, centered on Buford Highway in Chamblee and Doraville.
As with Gwinnett and Clayton Counties, there are many Vietnamese businesses here including realtors, insurance companies, and more.
When it comes to grocery shopping, you’ll find a City Farmer’s Market in Doraville as well as several locations in Gwinnett County. There is a large Vietnamese selection, as well as items from other Asian countries and even a fairly large Hispanic section. They have a reputation for fresh produce and great prices!
In Clayton County, Lake City International Farmers Market is a popular place to shop and has a variety of Vietnamese as well as other Asian products.
So, if you think Atlanta might be a great place to call home and you are looking to make a move to the metro Atlanta area, feel free to call, text, or email me and I’d love to help you! No matter if you are a single young professional, just started your family, have school aged kids, or are done raising your family, Atlanta and the Metro area has something for you. I hope you liked this overview of the Vietnamese Communities in Atlanta and check out my other videos as well. Catch you on the next one!
