Suwanee, Georgia

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Suwanee, Georgia
Suwanee Georgia City Hall.JPG
Suwanee City Hall
Flag of Suwanee, Georgia.png
Seal of Suwanee, Georgia.png
Logo of Suwanee, Georgia.svg
Motto: 
"Crossroads of Past & Future"
Suwanee, Georgia
Suwanee, Georgia
Suwanee, Georgia
Suwanee, Georgia
Coordinates: 34°03′03″N84°04′07″W / 34.05083°N 84.06861°W / 34.05083; -84.06861
Country Flag of the United States.svg United States
State Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg  Georgia
County Flag of Gwinnett County, Georgia.webp Gwinnett
Area
[1]
  Total
11.07 sq mi (28.66 km2)
  Land10.99 sq mi (28.46 km2)
  Water0.08 sq mi (0.20 km2)
Elevation
[2]
1,004 ft (306 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total
20,786
  Density1,891.53/sq mi (730.29/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
30024
Area code 770
FIPS code 13-74936 [3]
GNIS feature ID2405551 [2]
Website suwanee.com

Suwanee is a city in the northern section of Gwinnett County in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 15,355; [4] this had grown to an estimated 20,907 as of 2019. [5] In 2020, its population was 20,786.

Contents

Portions of Forsyth and Fulton counties also have Suwanee and its ZIP code (30024) as a mailing address. [6]

History

Early history

Suwanee, like many towns in Georgia, has its roots as a Native American village. It thrived along the Chattahoochee River, where various societies flourished. [7] The city was officially recognized by the U.S. government in 1837, following the establishment of a post office. With the construction of the Georgia Air Line Railroad in 1871, and the Rhodes House hotel in 1880 to accommodate railroad passengers, Suwanee saw in influx of people and a boost in trade and economic activity. [7] Although a devastating fire in 1881 spared only one building on Main Street, the town continued to persevere. From 1880 to 1920, the population remained relatively static, growing from 216 people to 241 over 40 years. [7] As of 2015, Suwanee's population had surged to over 18,000, reflecting its growth and development. [8]

Recent history

From 1933 to 1936, the now heavily traveled Buford Highway was constructed through Suwanee. [7] In 1960, Interstate 85 was extended just south of Suwanee, where it ended at the time. Over the past century, several primary education schools have opened in Suwanee, including North Gwinnett High School and Suwanee Elementary School. Suwanee High School dates back to 1880, when it was a one-room schoolhouse. [7] The first city hall was built in the early 1960s, with a second city hall constructed in 1997. In 2005, Town Center was built in 2005 and completed in 2009, at which time the city hall moved to its current location in Town Center. [7] In 2003, Suwanee was named a City of Excellence by the Georgia Municipal Association and Trend Magazine. [7] In 2017, Suwanee was recognized as a Green Community by the Atlanta Regional Commission, earning bronze-level certification for its commitment to environmental stewardship and leadership in sustainability practices.

Geography

Suwanee is situated in northern Gwinnett County and southeastern Forsyth County. It is bordered to the northeast by the city of Sugar Hill, to the southwest by the city of Duluth, and on the west by the Chattahoochee River, which marks the Fulton County border. Across the river lies the city of Johns Creek.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Suwanee has a total area of 11.0 square miles (28.4 km2), of which 10.9 square miles (28.2 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.70%, is water. [4]

There are several areas with Suwanee postal addresses that lie in unincorporated Gwinnett County and unincorporated Forsyth County. Those areas are not within the Suwanee corporate limits. [9]

Climate

Suwanee experiences a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa), characterized by mild winters and hot, humid summers.

Climate data for Suwanee, Georgia
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)49
(9)
54
(12)
62
(17)
70
(21)
77
(25)
84
(29)
87
(31)
86
(30)
80
(27)
71
(22)
61
(16)
51
(11)
69
(21)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)28
(−2)
32
(0)
38
(3)
46
(8)
55
(13)
64
(18)
68
(20)
67
(19)
60
(16)
48
(9)
38
(3)
31
(−1)
48
(9)
Average precipitation inches (mm)4.40
(112)
5.24
(133)
5.16
(131)
3.68
(93)
4.49
(114)
4.00
(102)
4.23
(107)
5.28
(134)
4.41
(112)
3.73
(95)
4.19
(106)
4.41
(112)
53.22
(1,351)
Source: [10]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1880 215
1890 166−22.8%
1900 24748.8%
1910 2501.2%
1920 246−1.6%
1930 214−13.0%
1940 179−16.4%
1950 35799.4%
1960 54151.5%
1970 61513.7%
1980 1,02666.8%
1990 2,412135.1%
2000 8,725261.7%
2010 15,35576.0%
2020 20,78635.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [11]
Building in Old Town Suwanee 629 Main Street, Suwanee GA, March 2019.jpg
Building in Old Town Suwanee
Suwanee racial composition as of 2020 [12]
RaceNum.Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)9,68345.58%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)2,95514.22%
Native American 380.18%
Asian 5,25025.26%
Pacific Islander 80.04%
Other/mixed 1,0204.91%
Hispanic or Latino 1,8329.81%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 20,786 people, 7,012 households, and 5,235 families residing in the city.

Arts and culture

Gwinnett County Public Library operates the Suwanee Branch in Suwanee. [13]

Sports

Suwanee was the practicing home of the Atlanta Falcons football team from 1979 to 2001.

Parks and recreation

Pedestrians and cycling

In 2016, Suwanee unveiled the first Bike Share program in Gwinnett County. [16] [17] [18]

The city of Suwanee has released a master plan of existing and proposed trails and sidewalks to connect the community neighborhoods, schools and businesses. [19] Major trails include:

Education

Suwanee is within the Gwinnett County Public Schools district, [21] and primarily served by Collins Hill High School, North Gwinnett High School, and Peachtree Ridge High School. The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine's Georgia campus is also located in Suwanee.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Major roads and expressways

Airport

The nearest commercial air service is provided by Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which is south of Atlanta. The nearest general aviation airport is Gwinnett County Airport.

Notable person

References

  1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  2. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Suwanee, Georgia
  3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Suwanee city, Georgia". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 30, 2016.[ dead link ]
  5. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates" . Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  6. "Gwinnett County".
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Suwanee's History" . Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  8. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  9. "Do I Live in the City of Suwanee?". City of Suwanee. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  10. "Monthly Averages for Suwanee, GA (30024)". Weather.com. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  11. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  12. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  13. "Hours & Locations Archived 2010-07-26 at the Wayback Machine ." Gwinnett County Public Library. Retrieved on February 24, 2010.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 City of Suwanee, Georgia, "Parks", retrieved from http://www.suwanee.com/cityservices.recreationparks.php
  15. Shirreffs, Allison (November 14, 2005). "Peachtree race director deflects praise to others". Atlanta Business Chronicle. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  16. Yeomans, Curt. "Suwanee unveils new bike sharing stations".
  17. "One Gwinnett city is getting the county's first bike share program".
  18. "Suwanee To Roll Out Bike-Sharing Program". October 18, 2016.
  19. "City of Suwanee, GA Open Space & Greenway Master Plan" (PDF).
  20. Croxton, Kate. "City of Suwanee opens Brushy Creek Greenway".
  21. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Gwinnett County, GA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved September 7, 2024. - Text list
  22. "Where Georgia U.S. House 7 candidates stand on the issues". ajc. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  23. "Where Georgia U.S. House 7 candidates stand on the issues". ajc. Retrieved June 23, 2025.