Berkeley Lake, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Berkeley Lake · Gwinnett County, Georgia
Population 2,615 (est. 2026: ~2,600)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -0.69% annual growth projection

Berkeley Lake, Georgia

Gwinnett County, Georgia · Population 2,054

Berkeley Lake is a small, affluent residential enclave tucked into the southwestern corner of Gwinnett County, roughly 25 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta. Built around a private lake of the same name, it is one of the wealthiest small cities in Georgia — a quiet, tree-lined community where nearly every household owns its home and the median income runs more than three times the state average. With just over 900 households and a median age north of 55, Berkeley Lake functions less like a typical suburb and more like an established lakeside neighborhood that happened to incorporate. The surrounding region is Gwinnett County proper, one of the most populous and diverse counties in the Southeast, which makes Berkeley Lake's demographic and economic profile stand out sharply from its surroundings.

People & Demographics

The ACS 2022 estimates put Berkeley Lake's total population at 2,527, with 902 households and an average household size of 2.80. The median age of 55.4 is considerably older than Gwinnett County's broader population — this is a community of established households, not young families in starter homes. Of the 902 households, 768 are family households. There are 440 children under 18 in the city.

Racially, the city is predominantly white (2,150), with Asian residents (193) and Hispanic or Latino residents (143) representing the next largest groups. The Black population is 56. Only 47 residents fall below the poverty line — a poverty rate that is among the lowest of any Georgia municipality.

Economy & Employment

Berkeley Lake's median household income of $152,908 and per capita income of $70,537 place it in a different economic tier than virtually anywhere else in Gwinnett County or the state. Georgia's statewide median household income runs well below six figures, making Berkeley Lake an outlier by a wide margin.

Of 1,315 residents in the labor force, only 32 are unemployed. Remote work has a notable footprint here: 353 of 1,154 total workers — roughly 30% — worked from home. That's not unusual for a high-income, professional community of this age and profile.

Housing

Berkeley Lake's housing market is tight by design. There are only 915 total units, 902 of which are occupied, leaving just 13 vacant. Of occupied units, 879 are owner-occupied and only 23 are renter-occupied — an ownership rate of roughly 97%, which is exceptional even by Georgia suburb standards.

The median home value is $644,100. The median rent, for the thin slice of rental units that exist, is $2,175. This is not a market with an affordable entry point. Prospective residents should expect a community where nearly everyone is a long-term homeowner, turnover is low, and prices reflect the lakefront setting and established character of the neighborhood.

Schools

Berkeley Lake falls within Gwinnett County Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in the country. The high schools serving the broader area are large institutions:

Georgia Connections Academy, a statewide virtual school, serves grades K–12 with 6,373 students and is an option for families seeking online instruction.

Education attainment in Berkeley Lake itself is high. Among residents 25 and older (1,824 total), 649 hold a bachelor's degree, 301 hold a master's degree, and 52 hold a doctorate. Only 143 report a high school diploma as their highest credential.

Getting Around

Berkeley Lake is a car-dependent community. Of 1,154 workers, 689 drove alone and 96 carpooled. Only 2 used public transit, and 11 walked. The aggregate travel time for all workers combined was 23,620 minutes, suggesting typical suburban Atlanta commute distances. The 353 work-from-home residents reduce overall traffic demand noticeably for a community this size. There is no meaningful transit infrastructure serving Berkeley Lake directly.

Healthcare

Several hospital systems operate within the regional area:

For individual provider lookup, the NPI Registry lists licensed healthcare providers based in Berkeley Lake.

Library

The nearest public library branch is the Duluth Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library, approximately 4.0 miles away. Phone: (770) 978-5154.

Parks & Recreation

The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is the closest National Park Service unit, with the Island Ford Visitor Center roughly 13.5 miles away. The Chattahoochee corridor offers trails, paddling, and fishing along one of metro Atlanta's primary natural amenities.

Further out, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (visitor center ~27.5 miles) and Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta (visitor center ~26.3 miles) are accessible day trips.

Natural Hazards

Gwinnett County has accumulated fourteen FEMA disaster declarations since 1977. The full list includes:

The pattern is consistent with metro Atlanta's hazard profile: winter storms that paralyze the region when ice accumulates, tropical systems that lose wind intensity inland but dump damaging rainfall, and periodic flooding events. Berkeley Lake's lakefront geography makes localized flooding a relevant consideration for property owners.

Government & Municipal Code

Berkeley Lake's municipal code is published through Municode and accessible at library.municode.com/ga/berkeley_lake. No separate local building code is on file — construction and development standards default to state and county requirements.

Weather

Current forecasts and alerts are available through the National Weather Service:

The nearest weather observation station is Lawrenceville 4.7 WNW, approximately 2.2 miles away.

References

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