In the late 1830s, a small religious encampment on the outskirts of Atlanta became known as Smyrna Camp Ground. The area was named after a Bible city mentioned in the book of Revelations due to the godly nature of the town’s origin.
Since its days as a small church community, this city has flourished into a comfortable and beautiful Atlanta suburb with a number of attractive features. With the addition of the Western and Atlantic Railroad, the area grew quickly until it was incorporated in 1872.
Are you thinking about moving to Smyrna? Even if it’s on your list of possibilities, take a look at this guide to learn about the eight top reasons why living in Smyrna is so great!
1. People of Smyrna
Recorded as one of the fastest growing cities in Georgia, this small town grew by more than 30,000 between the early 1990s and the year 2010. The current Smyrna population is 56,685, but it is still seeing steady growth every year.
Although the city hasn’t been home to many famous celebrities, it has been the birthplace of two very well-known names. You’ve probably heard of Julia Roberts, the Academy Award-winning actress with blockbuster hits like Pretty Woman, Erin Brockovich, and Steel Magnolias to her name. Another famous name many local baseball fans will recognize is Ron Gant, an Atlanta Braves player who was a two-time All-Star and one-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award.
2. A Town with Civil War History
Smyrna covers an area that experienced two battles that happened during the Civil War. In fact, both battles took place on the same day in different parts of town. On July 4, 1864, the Battle of Smyrna Camp Ground and the Battle of Ruff’s Mill took place right down the road from one another.
A small number of lives were lost on both sides and a plaque now stands near the Smyrna History Museum to remember those who were killed during the two battles.
3. Things to Do and Places to Eat in Smyrna
When you’re living in Smyrna and looking for fun activities, you can always find them outside. One such option is a trek down the Silver Comet Trail, a 61.5-mile walking or biking trail that starts in Smyrna and stretches all the way to the Alabama state border. While you don’t have to ride the entire length, casual bike rides or jogs along this path are frequent healthy activities by local residents.
One of the most popular landmarks you’ll find is the Concord Covered Bridge, which runs over the Nickajack Creek. It is an impressive structure and has stood the test of time since it was built in the mid-1800s.
Silver Comet Trail
View this post on Instagram
Silver Comet Trail, Smyrna, GA 30082
View this post on Instagram
Concord Covered Bridge, 254 Concord Rd SW, Smyrna, GA 30082
If you’re interested in grabbing a bite to eat, there are a number of great restaurants around town. One of the top spots is Muss & Turner’s, a self-proclaimed “snazzy bistro” serving uniquely named sandwiches and a spread of savory southern food. If you’re in the mood for some high-quality nachos, burritos, or quesadillas, Zama Mexican Cuisine is the perfect place to fill your craving.
And for any meat lovers out there, Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q is the best place for all types of ribs, pork, sausage, and more.
View this post on Instagram
Muss & Turner’s, 1675 Cumberland Pkwy SE Suite 309, Smyrna, GA 30080
View this post on Instagram
Zama Mexican Cuisine, 4600 W Village Pl #3007, Smyrna, GA 30080
View this post on Instagram
Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q, 4574 S Cobb Dr SE, Smyrna, GA 30082
4. Safe Neighborhoods Abound
As of last year, Smyrna was ranked among the top 50 safest cities in Georgia, taking the 22nd spot on the list. It is a comfortable and quiet town with plenty of good spots to lay down some roots. If you are looking at living in Smyrna, we know of a few places where you can start looking.
One of the top Smyrna neighborhoods is Vinings Estates, with its local swimming pool, tennis courts, and other social activities. Village Green is a small community that includes the local library, community center, and even city hall. Two other neighborhoods worth a look are Wetherbrooke on the southern edge of town and near the city’s center.
5. Cost of Living in Smyrna
This Atlanta suburb is considered one of the more affluent areas of Georgia. You’ll find a few factors in the cost of living in Smyrna reflect that notion from housing to transportation. The city of Atlanta is known for having fairly bad traffic issues, which is reflected in the local transport costs for all of its suburbs as well.
When it comes to living in Smyrna, housing is another expense you should expect to pay higher prices on. The average cost of a home in Smyrna is $288,600, an impressive increase of about 10% since this time last year. The city’s housing market is expected to continue warming up with another jump of 6.6% over the next 12 months.
Smyrna does have options for renters as well, with the average cost of rent between $1,193 and $2,975. These prices range from one bedroom apartments up to five bedroom houses.
6. Quality School District
Smyrna schools are part of the Cobb County School District and have multiple education options for each age range. Younger students can attend public schools like King Springs Elementary and Teasley Elementary or parents interested in private education can send their kids to Covenant Christian School. Public junior high schools for grades 6-8 include Campbell Middle School and Griffin Middle School.
Smyrna is also home to one main high school called Campbell High. Though private education is also available for grades 5-12 at the Center Academy of Smyrna.
Fortis College is the city’s only secondary school, specializing in technical degrees such as dental assisting, nursing, IT certificates, and more.
7. Big Name Employers
You may be surprised to hear that even though this city has a fairly small population, Smyrna jobs are led by some widely recognized brands. Toward the top of the list is IBM, which has a commercial location here and employs nearly 600 locals. Another large employer with an office in Smyrna is Union Chimique Belge (UCB), an international biopharmaceutical company.
Also dotting the main employer list are companies like United Distributors, Emory-Adventist Hospital, the Ridgeview Institute, and Glock Manufacturing.
8. Smyrna Weather
Weather in the south does tend to be a bit hot and muggy during the summertime. So if you’re moving to Smyrna from another part of the country, you’ll want to prepare for that. During the hottest months, you can expect high temperatures in the low 90s and low temps in the mid-70s.
When things cool down, you’ll have a few months of colder temperatures reaching the low 30s, along with the changing leaves of autumn. But you’ll likely never see snow hit the ground, even with the 53 inches of rain that comes to the area each year.
Moving to Smyrna?
Now that you have eight solid reasons to move to this great town, are you ready to pack your bags and head this way? From the job opportunities with major corporations to the family-friendly neighborhoods, this place has something to offer everyone.
Whether you’re moving to Smyrna or heading out of this area, we would love to help with your transition. Wirks Moving & Storage provides top-rated moving services to handle any type of relocation.
If you’d like to learn more about how our team can help, give us a call today at (404) 984-3166 with any questions. Or fill out the Request a Quote form on this page to get a free moving estimate from us!
