Snellville, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Snellville · Gwinnett County, Georgia
Population 21,203 (est. 2026: ~22,600)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 1.97% annual growth projection

Snellville, Georgia

Gwinnett County, Georgia · Population 20,573

Snellville sits in western Gwinnett County, about 25 miles east of downtown Atlanta, straddling the line between suburb and small city. It grew up along U.S. Highway 78 and SR 124, and its identity has always been shaped by that location — close enough to Atlanta to draw workers and amenities, far enough out to retain a neighborhood feel. The population skews older than most of Gwinnett, the homeownership rate is high, and the school infrastructure is substantial. For families who want proximity to Atlanta without living inside the perimeter, Snellville is a serious option.

People & Demographics

Snellville's population is 20,895 by ACS 2022 estimates, with a median age of 42.1 — noticeably older than Gwinnett County as a whole, which trends younger due to its large immigrant and young-family population. The racial composition is nearly even between White (8,230) and Black (8,383) residents, with Asian residents numbering 1,891 and Hispanic or Latino residents at 2,795. That balance is not accidental — Snellville sits at a demographic transition point between older, majority-white suburbs to the east and the more diverse inner Gwinnett corridor.

There are 6,792 households, of which 5,294 are family households. Average household size is 3.01. Children under 18 number 4,498, representing a meaningful share of the population and explaining the size and number of local schools.

Economy & Employment

Median household income in Snellville is $88,586 — well above Georgia's statewide median, which hovers around $65,000. Per capita income is $34,609. Of the 10,364 residents in the labor force, 421 are unemployed, an unemployment rate of roughly 4.1%. The poverty count stands at 1,327 individuals, a relatively modest figure for a city of this size.

Most workers commute out — Snellville is not a major employment center itself. The jobs are in Atlanta, Lawrenceville, and points along the I-285/I-85 corridor. Local employment is anchored in retail, healthcare, and services along the U.S. 78 and SR 124 corridors.

Housing

Total housing units: 7,343. Of those, 6,792 are occupied and 551 are vacant — a 7.5% vacancy rate. Owner-occupied units account for 5,407 homes; renters occupy 1,385. That owner-to-renter ratio of roughly 4:1 reflects Snellville's character as a homeowner community.

Median home value is $259,500. Median gross rent is $1,840 per month — high for a smaller Gwinnett city, reflecting both demand and the overall tightening of the Atlanta metro rental market. Buyers get more for the dollar here than in closer-in suburbs, though values have appreciated significantly over the past decade.

Schools

Snellville falls within Gwinnett County Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in Georgia. Schools serving the city and immediate surrounding area include:

High Schools - Brookwood High School — Grades 9–12, 3,878 students - South Gwinnett High School — Grades 9–12, 2,677 students - Shiloh High School — Grades 9–12, 2,203 students

Middle Schools - Shiloh Middle School — Grades 6–8, 1,738 students - Snellville Middle School — Grades 6–8, 882 students

Elementary Schools - Brookwood Elementary School — 1,461 students - Norton Elementary School — 952 students - Pharr Elementary School — 790 students - Partee Elementary School — 753 students - Shiloh Elementary School — 719 students - Annistown Elementary School — 709 students - Centerville Elementary School — 672 students - Anderson-Livsey Elementary School — 648 students - Britt Elementary School — 599 students

Brookwood High School at 3,878 students is one of the larger high schools in Georgia. The concentration of schools in and around Snellville reflects both the city's density and its role as an anchor for the western Gwinnett school network.

Getting Around

Of 9,623 total workers, 7,063 drive alone — 73.4%. Another 1,014 carpool. Only 106 use public transit, and 93 walk. Work-from-home accounts for 1,211 workers, a share that grew after 2020 and has held. Aggregate travel time for all commuters totals 320,355 minutes, implying an average one-way commute of roughly 33 minutes.

Snellville is a car-required community. There is no Snellville MARTA station, and bus service in this part of Gwinnett is limited. Residents heading into Atlanta typically take U.S. 78 or SR 124 to I-285 or Stone Mountain Freeway.

Healthcare

Snellville has direct access to Piedmont Eastside Medical Center, which serves the city. Additional hospitals within the broader area include Northside Hospital Gwinnett in Lawrenceville, Northside Hospital Duluth, Emory Johns Creek Hospital, and SummitRidge Center for psychiatric and addictive medicine services.

For individual providers — physicians, therapists, specialists — the CMS NPI Registry lists licensed providers active in Snellville.

Library

The Centerville Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library system serves Snellville residents. Phone: (770) 978-5154. Gwinnett County's library system is large and well-funded relative to comparable Georgia counties.

Parks & Recreation

Three National Park Service units are accessible from Snellville:

Stone Mountain Park, a major Georgia state park, is also close — it sits roughly 10 miles west of Snellville and is a primary local recreation destination for residents.

Natural Hazards

Gwinnett County, which includes Snellville, has a long FEMA declaration history. Hazards that have triggered federal action in the county:

Winter storms and flooding are the most recurring local risks. Residents with homes near creeks or low-lying areas should verify flood zone status through FEMA's flood map service.

Government & Municipal Code

Snellville's municipal code is published through Municode and accessible at library.municode.com/ga/snellville. The city does not have a separately published local building code on file with Municode — construction and building standards default to state and county frameworks.

Weather

Current forecast and conditions: NWS Forecast for Snellville

Active weather alerts: NWS Alerts

The nearest weather observation station is Snellville 1.8 SW, approximately 1.4 miles from the city center. Snellville's climate is humid subtropical — hot summers, mild winters with periodic ice storm risk, and rainfall distributed across the year. Late summer brings occasional tropical moisture from Gulf and Atlantic systems.

References

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