Cumming, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Cumming · Forsyth County, Georgia
Population 7,869 (est. 2026: ~10,100)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 7.62% annual growth projection

Cumming, Georgia

Forsyth County, Georgia · Population 7,318

Cumming sits at the center of one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. It serves as the county seat of Forsyth County, roughly 40 miles north of Atlanta along the GA-400 corridor. Despite its small incorporated population of 7,318, Cumming functions as the civic and commercial hub for a county of 251,283 people — meaning the city's footprint in daily life far exceeds what the municipal headcount suggests. Lake Sidney Lanier's southern shore touches the county's western edge, and the Chattahoochee River forms the county's southern boundary. The city itself is compact, with a traditional courthouse square and a surrounding commercial strip that serves the broader county population.

People & Demographics

Cumming's ACS 2022 count puts the city at 7,371 residents with a median age of 40.9. The population skews toward established adults rather than retirees or college-aged residents. There are 1,126 children under 18 across 2,708 households, with an average household size of 2.50.

Racially, the city is majority white (5,494), with Black residents numbering 598, Asian residents 597, and a Hispanic or Latino population of 981. The county as a whole has grown substantially more diverse over the past two decades, and the city reflects that shift, particularly in its Asian and Hispanic communities.

Family households make up 1,691 of the 2,708 total — about 62 percent — which is consistent with a community built around homeownership and school-age children rather than transient or single-adult populations.

Economy & Employment

Median household income in Cumming is $71,855, with a per capita income of $36,478. Georgia's statewide median household income runs closer to $61,000, so Cumming and Forsyth County run meaningfully above the state average — reflecting the county's status as one of the wealthiest in Georgia.

Of 3,676 residents in the labor force, 177 are unemployed — an unemployment rate of roughly 4.8 percent. Work-from-home has become a notable share of the workforce: 518 workers, or about 14.8 percent of total workers, work remotely. That figure reflects both the professional composition of the workforce and the county's proximity to Atlanta's tech and corporate sectors.

Poverty affects 1,251 residents — a meaningful number against a city this size, and a reminder that Forsyth's aggregate wealth does not reach everyone within the city limits.

Housing

The city has 2,844 total housing units, of which 2,708 are occupied and 136 are vacant — a vacancy rate of about 4.8 percent, indicating a tight market. Renter-occupied units (1,459) outnumber owner-occupied units (1,249), which is somewhat unusual for a Forsyth County community and likely reflects Cumming's role as a commercial and employment center with apartment stock serving county workers.

Median home value is $331,900. Median gross rent is $1,192 per month. Both figures sit above many surrounding North Georgia communities, consistent with demand pressure along the GA-400 growth corridor. For buyers, the $331,900 median represents a significant premium over the Georgia statewide median, though it remains below the Atlanta in-town market.

Schools

Cumming is served by Forsyth County Schools, a large district with enrollment numbers that reflect the county's explosive growth. Elementary schools in the area include Sawnee Elementary (1,720 students), George W. Whitlow Elementary (1,181), Vickery Creek Elementary (1,144), Shiloh Point Elementary (1,140), Silver City Elementary (1,128), Matt Elementary (1,116), and Daves Creek Elementary (1,112). These enrollment figures — several exceeding 1,100 — are large by any measure for elementary schools.

Middle school options include Lakeside Middle (1,477 students), South Forsyth Middle (1,411), Hendricks Middle (1,346), and North Forsyth Middle (1,191).

At the high school level, the county operates four large campuses: South Forsyth High (2,443 students), West Forsyth High (2,405), Forsyth Central High (2,372), and North Forsyth High (2,065). All four are substantial schools by Georgia standards. Assignment depends on residential location within the county.

For post-secondary vocational training, MAK Beauty Institute operates locally and can be reached at (770) 292-9669.

Getting Around

Cumming is a car-dependent city. Of 3,496 total workers, 2,599 drive alone and 306 carpool. Only 17 use public transit and 12 walk to work. With 518 working from home, the remote-work share is the second-largest single category after solo driving.

Aggregate travel time across all workers is 79,960 minutes, which works out to roughly 23 minutes per worker per trip — moderate by Atlanta suburban standards, though GA-400 congestion toward Atlanta is a known daily reality for county commuters. Transit options are minimal; a personal vehicle is effectively required for daily life.

Healthcare

Northside Hospital Forsyth serves the county and is located in Cumming. Northside is part of the larger Northside Hospital system based in Atlanta and offers the primary acute care option for Forsyth County residents without requiring a trip south toward the city.

A full directory of local healthcare providers — physicians, specialists, therapists, and other licensed practitioners in Cumming — is searchable through the CMS NPI Registry.

Library

The Sharon Forks Library serves the Cumming area as part of the Forsyth County Public Library system. Contact: (770) 781-9840.

Parks & Recreation

The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area runs along the county's southern boundary and is the closest National Park Service unit to Cumming. The Island Ford Visitor Center is 18 miles away and serves as an access point to the river corridor.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is 28.8 miles southwest — a significant Civil War site with extensive trails and historical interpretation. Its visitor center is the access point for the battlefield.

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta is 33.6 miles south.

For camping, Bald Ridge Creek campground is the local option, situated on Lake Sidney Lanier and operated by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Natural Hazards

Forsyth County has a substantial FEMA declaration history. Severe winter storms appear repeatedly — 1993, 2000, 2014, 2015, and 2026 — reflecting the vulnerability of this part of North Georgia to ice and snow events that can shut down roads and infrastructure. Tropical systems have also reached the county: Hurricane Opal (1995), Hurricane Ivan (2004), Hurricane Irma (2017, two declarations), Tropical Storm Zeta (2021), and Hurricane Helene (2024). The county also participated in Hurricane Katrina evacuation declarations in 2005 and received COVID-19 emergency declarations in 2020. Severe storms and flooding have caused federally declared disasters as recently as 1998.

The pattern is clear: this is not a low-hazard county. Winter ice storms and remnant tropical systems are the primary recurring threats.

Current weather conditions and forecasts: NWS Forecast for Cumming · Active Weather Alerts

Nearest weather observation station: CUMMING 4.0 NE (0.6 miles).

Government & Municipal Code

Cumming's municipal code is published through Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/cumming. The code does not include a locally adopted building code — residents and contractors should confirm which state or county building standards apply to any construction project.

References

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