Alpharetta is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia, United States, and part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, Alpharetta had a population of 65,818.
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History
In the 1830s, the Cherokee people in Georgia and elsewhere in the South were forcibly relocated to the Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) under the Indian Removal Act. Pioneers and farmers later settled on the newly vacated land, situated along a former Cherokee trail stretching from the North Georgia mountains to the Chattahoochee River.
One of the area's first permanent landmarks was the New Prospect Camp Ground (also known as the Methodist Camp Ground), beside a natural spring near what is now downtown Alpharetta. It later served as a trading post for the exchanging of goods among settlers.
Known as the town of Milton through July 1858, the city of Alpharetta was chartered on December 11, 1858, with boundaries extending in a 0.5-mile (0.8 km) radius from the city courthouse. It served as the county seat of Milton County until 1931, when Milton County merged with Fulton County to avoid bankruptcy during the Great Depression.
The city's name may be a variation of a fictional Indian girl, Alfarata, in the 19th-century song "The Blue Juniata"; it may also be derived from alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet. but according to information shown in the Alpharetta Milton museum the meaning of retta is unknown.
The Simeon and Jane Rucker Log House, built in 1833, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
The inhabitants of the area, primarily Methodists and Baptists, engaged in various occupations such as farming, blacksmithing, milling, merchandising, carpentry, and ditching. A number of them possessed a small number of slaves. Throughout the American Civil War (1861–1865), local men participated in combat or served in the home guard; however, Union forces did not advance north of Roswell, which is situated roughly six miles to the southwest.
Geography
Alpharetta is in northern Fulton County and is bordered to the southeast by Johns Creek, to the south and west by Roswell, to the north by Milton, and to the northeast by unincorporated land in Forsyth County. Downtown Alpharetta is 26 miles (42 km) north of downtown Atlanta.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Alpharetta has an area of 27.3 square miles (70.7 km2), of which 26.9 square miles (69.7 km2) is land and 0.39 square miles (1.0 km2), or 1.37%, is water.
Climate
Alpharetta has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfa) and is part of USDA hardiness zone 7b.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Alpharetta had a population of 65,818, 24,727 households, and 18,167 families. The median age was 39.7 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 11.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.9 males age 18 and over.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
Among households, 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 58.1% were married-couple households, 14.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.2% of households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 26,089 housing units, of which 5.2% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.1%.
Economy
Top employers
According to the city's Economic Development Department, the city's top private sector employers as of February 2026 were:
Retail and mixed-use complexes
Complexes in the area include:
North Point Mall, a traditional mall set for redevelopment.
An 86-acre (35 ha) mixed-use development, Avalon, opened in 2014.
Alpharetta City Center, a mixed-use destination in Downtown Alpharetta that includes 74,000 square feet of retail and restaurants, 36,000 square feet of office, 168 luxury apartments, greenspaces, Alpharetta City Hall, and a branch of Fulton County Library.
The Halcyon mixed residential-retail-entertainment-dining complex opened in 2019 in nearby Forsyth County has an Alpharetta postal address, but is not within the city limits or in the same county.
The Maxwell, a 37,000-square-foot retail space in Downtown Alpharetta with a variety of entertainment, restaurants, and health and wellness companies. Downtown Alpharetta also consists of over 600 businesses including The Hamilton Alpharetta hotel, specialty boutiques, restaurants, fitness studios, and coffee shops.
Data centers
Alpharetta invested in optical fiber since the 1980s and hosts multiple data centers. In 2019, the fintech industry in the Atlanta area was a driver of data center expansion in Alpharetta.
While supported by tax breaks from Fulton County authorities, data center expansion run into limitations from state regulations and local zoning authorities in 2024, as capacity in Atlanta tripled from 200 MW to over 700 MW in 2023.
Tech North Atlanta
Tech North Atlanta (formerly known as Tech Alpharetta and the Alpharetta Technology Commission or simply ATC) is an advisory organization established by the City of Alpharetta in 2012. The organization is an independent, 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization that aims to help Alpharetta lead in technology innovation. Tech North Atlanta runs an advisory board of technology companies based in the city, holds monthly technology events for technology executives, and operates the Tech Alpharetta Innovation Center, a technology startup incubator. As of early 2020 about ten companies have "graduated" from Tech Alpharetta's incubator and were hiring employees in the North Fulton County region.
Major companies
Cynergy Data is headquartered in Alpharetta, as was NetBank when it existed.
Attractions and events
The Alpharetta Arboretum at Wills Park was established in September 2008 and includes 26 trees. A brochure about the arboretum guides readers through a walking tour of the trees and is available at the Downtown Alpharetta Welcome Center.
The Alpharetta Arboretum at Cogburn Road Park was established in December 2008 and showcases seven trees.
The Alpharetta Farmers Market is a weekly farmers' market in the downtown area from April to October. The market was named "Best Saturday Morning Excursion" in 2007 by Atlanta magazine. csc
The Mansell House and Gardens is a 1912 Queen Anne style home that serves as a special event facility in Alpharetta. It is home to the Alpharetta Historical Society.
The Alpharetta Brew Moon Fest is held the first Saturday in October in downtown Alpharetta.
Ameris Bank Amphitheatre is a 12,000-capacity outdoor venue that serves as the summer home of the Grammy Award-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and hosts acts like the Dave Matthews Band, Rod Stewart, Phish, Steve Miller Band and the Eagles.
The Alpharetta Big Creek Greenway is a 12-mile-long (19 km), 12-foot-wide (3.7 m) concrete path that meanders through the woods along Big Creek, offering a place to walk, jog, inline skate and bike. The path includes additional mountain bike trails.
The Alpha Loop is a multi-use paved trail that connects neighborhoods, offices, dining, and entertainment. First begun in 2020, the Alpha Loop is now over 6 miles long and has new connections currently under construction.
The Taste of Alpharetta is an annual food festival featuring food from local restaurants, live music, and art exhibits during May.
Education
Primary and secondary schools
The city is served by Fulton County Schools.
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Private schools
The Lionheart School
St. Francis Schools
Mount Pisgah Christian School
Fulton Science Academy Private School
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta operates Holy Redeemer Catholic School (K-8). Although it is in Johns Creek, the school's location is often stated to be in Alpharetta.
Higher education
Perimeter College at Georgia State University, Gwinnett Technical College and Reinhardt University have campuses in Alpharetta.
Musical education
Alpharetta Symphony Youth orchestra (ASYO)
Public libraries
Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System operates the Alpharetta Branch.
Government
Alpharetta is governed by a city council composed of six members and a mayor. The mayor and council members serve staggered four-year terms:
Mayor
Jim Gilvin, 2018–present
Transportation
Major highways
State Route 9
State Route 120
State Route 140
State Route 372
State Route 400
U.S. Route 19
Pedestrians and cycling
There are plans for the creation of the Alpha Loop. The multi-use path will serve to connect residents of Alpharetta to activity centers, parks, and jobs by a network of multi-use trails providing safe alternatives to driving and offering recreational benefit.
The Big Creek Greenway is a concrete multi-use trail that runs from Windward Parkway to Mansell Road. The concrete trail is approximately 8 miles (13 km) long and meanders along Big Creek parallel to North Point Parkway, from Windward Parkway at Marconi Drive on the north end to Mansell Road on the south end. A soft mulch trail encircles a large wetland between Haynes Bridge Road and Mansell Road. Wildlife such as blue heron, deer, ducks and Canada geese can be observed in this preserved water setting. Future plans are to connect the trail to Cumming.
Mass transit
Alpharetta is not directly served by MARTA trains, but is connected by multiple bus routes. Connecting Alpharetta to the rest of Metro Atlanta via heavy rail has been studied.