Dunwoody, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Dunwoody · DeKalb County, Georgia
Population 51,563 (est. 2026: ~52,200)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 0.38% annual growth projection

Dunwoody, Georgia

DeKalb County, Georgia · Population 51,683

Dunwoody sits in the northern wedge of DeKalb County, pressed against the Fulton County line and the Chattahoochee River, about 15 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta. It incorporated as a city only in 2008, carving itself out of unincorporated DeKalb after decades as one of metro Atlanta's most prosperous suburban communities. The city proper feels like a well-capitalized edge city — dense with corporate offices along Perimeter Center, ringed by established single-family neighborhoods, and bisected by Ashford Dunwoody Road's corridor of retail and restaurants. Georgetown, Dunwoody Village, and the Perimeter business district each have a distinct feel, but the through-line is the same: a high-income, highly educated population that commutes into Atlanta (or used to, before remote work shifted the math) and expects well-maintained public infrastructure in return.

People & Demographics

The population of 51,683 makes Dunwoody a mid-sized city by Georgia standards, but it punches above that weight economically. The median age of 36.9 reflects a community with a strong working-age core. There are 12,735 children under 18 across 21,496 households, and family households make up 12,426 of those — a clear signal that this is not a transient young-professional city but a place where people plant themselves for school systems and stability.

The racial composition breaks down as 31,600 white residents, 8,773 Asian, 6,355 Black, and 4,702 Hispanic or Latino. That Asian population — roughly 17% of residents — is notably higher than DeKalb County overall and reflects the concentration of technology and healthcare sector workers drawn to Perimeter Center employment.

Economy & Employment

The median household income of $106,710 sits well above both the DeKalb County median and Georgia's statewide median, which hovers around $65,000. Per capita income reaches $66,443 — a figure shaped by a workforce that skews heavily toward professional and managerial roles. Of the 26,905 workers counted, 490 were unemployed at the time of the survey, an unemployment rate under 2%.

The poverty count of 3,215 residents — roughly 6% of the population — is real and worth noting even in a wealthy community. Dunwoody's proximity to Perimeter Center, one of metro Atlanta's largest office concentrations, means that employers in finance, healthcare administration, technology, and telecommunications are within a short drive or MARTA ride for most residents.

Housing

The median home value of $545,200 puts Dunwoody firmly at the upper end of DeKalb County's housing market. Of 23,443 total housing units, 21,496 are occupied — leaving 1,947 vacant, a relatively tight 8.3% vacancy rate. The ownership split leans slightly toward owners: 11,973 owner-occupied units versus 9,523 renter-occupied. That 44% renter share is higher than many suburban communities of similar income, a reflection of the apartment density near Perimeter Center.

Median rent of $1,721 per month is consistent with the city's income levels but represents a real burden for workers in lower-wage sectors. The average household size of 2.39 suggests a mix of family units and smaller households, both of which find options in Dunwoody's varied housing stock — from postwar ranch homes to newer townhomes and high-rise apartments near the mall corridor.

Schools

Dunwoody falls within DeKalb County Schools. The secondary anchor is Dunwoody High School, serving grades 9–12 with an enrollment of 2,040 students — large enough to offer a wide range of programs and competitive athletics. Five elementary schools serve the younger population:

The educational attainment of the adult population reinforces the community's emphasis on schooling: among residents 25 and older (35,431 people), 14,152 hold a bachelor's degree, 8,062 a master's degree, and 906 a doctorate. Only 2,761 report a high school diploma as their highest credential.

The Atlanta School of Massage (phone: 678-805-0132) operates within the area for post-secondary vocational training.

Getting Around

Dunwoody is fundamentally a car city. Of 26,905 workers, 16,292 drove alone and 2,055 carpooled. Public transit claims 843 commuters — not negligible, given that MARTA's red and gold lines serve Dunwoody and Medical Center stations — but still a small fraction. Another 6,973 worked from home, the second-largest mode, which reflects both the professional workforce and post-pandemic flexibility. Only 300 walked to work.

The aggregate commute time across all workers totals 498,365 minutes, working out to roughly 18–19 minutes average per worker — a reasonable figure by Atlanta-metro standards, though the I-285/GA-400 interchange nearby is among the region's most congested points during peak hours.

Healthcare

The nearest listed hospital facility is Peachford Behavioral Health System of Atlanta, located in Atlanta. For the full range of acute, surgical, and primary care, residents are close to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite (Brookhaven corridor) and Northside Hospital in Sandy Springs, both within a few miles of Dunwoody's northern and western edges. Local healthcare providers registered with CMS can be searched through the NPI Registry for Dunwoody, GA.

Library

The Dunwoody Branch of the DeKalb County Public Library system serves the city. Phone: 770-512-4640.

Parks & Recreation

The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is Dunwoody's backyard — the Island Ford unit's visitor center sits 3.1 miles from the city center. This NPS corridor follows the Chattahoochee through the northern Atlanta suburbs, offering hiking, fishing, paddling, and access to some of the only undeveloped river corridor in metro Atlanta. The park draws heavily from Dunwoody and Sandy Springs residents.

Further afield, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (visitor center 15.6 miles) and the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta (visitor center 13.5 miles) represent the region's broader NPS network.

Natural Hazards

DeKalb County's FEMA declaration history is extensive and spans multiple hazard types. The county has been included in federal disaster and emergency declarations for:

The Chattahoochee River corridor adjacent to Dunwoody has specific flood risk zones. Residents should consult FEMA's flood map service for parcel-level detail.

Government & Municipal Code

Dunwoody's municipal code is published by Municode and accessible at library.municode.com/ga/dunwoody. No separate local building code is listed in the code library — construction permitting and building standards are governed by state and county-level codes.

Weather

Current conditions and forecasts are available from the National Weather Service: NWS Forecast for Dunwoody. Active weather alerts can be monitored at alerts.weather.gov. The nearest weather observation station is DUNWOODY 1.1 NW, approximately 0.4 miles from the city center.

References

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