Holly Springs, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Holly Springs · Cherokee County, Georgia
Population 17,693 (est. 2026: ~21,000)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 5.28% annual growth projection

Holly Springs, Georgia

Cherokee County, Georgia · Population 16,213

Holly Springs sits in the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, tucked into the southwestern corner of Cherokee County about 35 miles north of downtown Atlanta. It occupies the space between Canton to the northeast and Woodstock to the south — two larger Cherokee County anchors — and has grown from a quiet crossroads into a self-contained suburb with incomes, home values, and educational attainment that consistently run ahead of state averages. It is not a bedroom community trying to become a city; it is already one, with its own municipal structure, a population pushing 17,000, and the demographic profile of a place that attracts working families who want metro access without metro density.

People & Demographics

Holly Springs carries a total population of 16,675 with a median age of 39.1 — slightly older than what is typical for a fast-growing suburb, reflecting a community of established families rather than transient young professionals. The town holds 6,013 occupied households, 4,526 of which are family households, with an average household size of 2.77. Children under 18 number 4,433 — more than a quarter of the total population — which shapes everything from school enrollment to park demand.

Racially, the town is 13,599 White, 1,403 Black, and 451 Asian. The Hispanic and Latino population stands at 1,401. Cherokee County as a whole is larger at 266,620 residents, and Holly Springs represents a meaningful slice of that population.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Holly Springs is $108,332 — well above Georgia's statewide median and a figure that places the town firmly in upper-middle-income territory. Per capita income sits at $39,935. Of 9,216 people in the labor force, 284 are unemployed, producing a low unemployment rate consistent with the broader Cherokee County economy.

669 residents fall below the poverty line — a small share of the total population, though not zero, and worth noting for a town that can otherwise appear uniformly prosperous on paper.

Housing

Holly Springs is predominantly an ownership community. Of 6,345 total housing units, 6,013 are occupied and 332 sit vacant — a tight 5.2% vacancy rate. Owner-occupied units number 4,564; renters occupy 1,449 units.

The median home value is $377,600. Median rent runs $1,692 per month. Both figures reflect the upward pressure that proximity to Atlanta and strong school district reputation place on Cherokee County real estate. Buyers get more square footage here than closer-in suburbs, but the price gap between Holly Springs and Atlanta's northern suburbs has narrowed substantially over the past decade.

Schools

Holly Springs feeds into Cherokee County School District, one of the larger public systems in northern Georgia. High schools serving the county and its communities include:

Middle schools include E.T. Booth (1,654 students), Teasley (1,606), Creekland (1,511), Dean Rusk (1,473), Mill Creek (1,333), and Woodstock Middle (1,083).

Elementary campuses include Little River (1,272 students), Woodstock Elementary (1,145), and Avery Elementary (1,128).

These are large campuses by Georgia standards, reflecting the growth that Cherokee County has absorbed over the past two decades.

Educational attainment among Holly Springs adults (population 25 and older: 11,046) is high. 3,458 hold bachelor's degrees, 1,038 hold master's degrees, and 111 hold doctorates. 2,289 residents hold a high school diploma as their highest credential.

Getting Around

Holly Springs is a car-required town. Of 8,736 total workers, 6,487 drive alone and 377 carpool. Public transit use registers at zero — there is no meaningful transit infrastructure serving this part of Cherokee County. 28 residents walk to work. 1,789 work from home, a figure that reflects both the income profile of the community and the post-pandemic reshaping of knowledge-worker employment.

Aggregate commute time for the town totals 246,145 minutes, suggesting an average one-way commute in the 28–30 minute range for those commuting out. Most employment destinations lie along the GA-140 and GA-20 corridors, with Atlanta's northern job centers accessible via I-575.

Healthcare

Northside Hospital Cherokee serves as the primary hospital for this part of the county. For a full list of licensed healthcare providers practicing in Holly Springs, the CMS NPI Registry can be searched directly: NPI Provider Search — Holly Springs, GA.

Library

The nearest public library branch is Rose Creek Public Library, located 3.1 miles from Holly Springs. Contact: (770) 591-1491. Rose Creek is part of the Cherokee County public library system and provides access to the broader research, digital, and programming resources of that network.

Parks & Recreation

Three National Park Service units sit within reasonable distance of Holly Springs:

The Etowah River and its tributaries run through Cherokee County, and the surrounding hill country supports fishing, hiking, and paddling within short drives.

Natural Hazards

Cherokee County has accumulated 15 FEMA disaster declarations since 1995, a record that reflects genuine exposure to a range of hazards:

The pattern is clear: inland Georgia is not immune to tropical remnants, and the county's creek and river corridors flood. Winter ice events — particularly the 2014 storm that paralyzed metro Atlanta — have recurred. Residents in flood-prone areas should verify FEMA flood map status before purchasing.

Government & Municipal Code

Holly Springs operates under a city charter with its municipal code published through Municode: Holly Springs Municipal Code

No local building code is listed in the current municipal code data. Applicable construction standards likely default to state-level Georgia codes.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for the Holly Springs area are available through the National Weather Service: NWS Forecast — Holly Springs, GA Active Weather Alerts

The nearest weather observation station is Canton 4.9 SSW, located approximately 1.6 miles from the town center.

References

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)