Smyrna, Georgia

Smyrna is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. It is located northwest of Atlanta, and is in the inner ring of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. It is included in the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Alpharetta MSA, which is included in the Atlanta–Athens-Clarke–Sandy Springs CSA.

Smyrna, Georgia
City
Smyrna City Hall
Smyrna City Hall
Location in Cobb County and the state of Georgia
Location in Cobb County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 33°52′19″N 84°31′6″W
CountryUnited States
StateGeorgia
CountyCobb
Government
 • MayorDerek Norton
Area
[1]
 • Total15.61 sq mi (40.42 km2)
 • Land15.56 sq mi (40.31 km2)
 • Water0.04 sq mi (0.11 km2)
Elevation
1,060 ft (323 m)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total55,663
 • Density3,600/sq mi (1,400/km2)
DemonymSmynite
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
30080–30082, 30126[3]
Area code(s)770/678/470
FIPS code13-71492[4]
GNIS feature ID0356541[5]
Websitewww.smyrnaga.gov

From 2000 to 2012, Smyrna grew by 28%. Historically it is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, and one of the most densely populated cities in the metropolitan area.[6] In the 2020 Census, Smyrna's population was 55,663.[2]

Smyrna was ranked #44 in Money's 2018 survey of "The Best Places to Live in America" for balancing economic growth, affordability, and quality of life.[7]

History

Pioneers began settling the area in 1832. By the late 1830s, a religious encampment called Smyrna Camp Ground had become a popular travel destination and was well known throughout Georgia. It is a Greek name for the Biblical city of Smyrna, modern day Izmir in Turkey, the home of the Christian martyr Polycarp. After the completion of the Western and Atlantic Railroad in 1842, the area began to grow. It was known by several names until 1872—Varner's Station, Ruff's Siding, Neal Dow, and Ruff's Station. The city was incorporated with the name Smyrna in 1872.[8]

Two Civil War battles occurred in the area, the Battle of Smyrna Camp Ground and the Battle of Ruff's Mill, both on July 4, 1864.[9] The area's businesses, homes, and 1849 covered bridge (since rebuilt and still in use today) were burned by Sherman's troops.

The nearby Bell Bomber plant that produced B-29 bombers during World War II was reopened by Lockheed in 1951, and became a catalyst for growth. The city's population grew during the next two decades, from 2,005 in 1950 to almost 20,000 by 1970.

Geography

Smyrna is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area, located about 1 mile (1.6 km) northwest of the Atlanta city limits, and with Smyrna's downtown approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) from downtown Atlanta. Smyrna is located just west of the northern intersection of I-285 and I-75, which is the site of the edge city Cumberland and the Cobb Galleria.

Smyrna is bordered by Vinings to the east, Marietta to the north and west, and Mableton to the south and southwest. The city of Sandy Springs and the affluent Atlanta neighborhoods of Paces and Buckhead are approximately within 10 miles of Smyrna's center.

Further information on the neighborhood of: Smyrna Heights

The center of Smyrna is located at 33°52′19″N 84°31′06″W.[10]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.4 square miles (39.9 km2), of which 15.4 square miles (39.8 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.23%, is water.[11] The general terrain of the area is characteristic of the Piedmont region of Georgia, characterized by hills with broad ridges, sloping uplands, and relatively narrow valleys.

Flora

The city's official symbol is the jonquil (a flower). Known as the "Jonquil City", it derives this name from the thousands of jonquils that flourish in gardens and along the streets in early spring.

Climate
Climate data for Smyrna, GA
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 79
(26)		 80
(27)		 89
(32)		 93
(34)		 97
(36)		 102
(39)		 105
(41)		 104
(40)		 102
(39)		 95
(35)		 84
(29)		 79
(26)		 105
(41)
Average high °F (°C) 52
(11)		 57
(14)		 65
(18)		 73
(23)		 80
(27)		 86
(30)		 89
(32)		 88
(31)		 82
(28)		 73
(23)		 64
(18)		 54
(12)		 72
(22)
Average low °F (°C) 34
(1)		 38
(3)		 44
(7)		 52
(11)		 60
(16)		 68
(20)		 71
(22)		 71
(22)		 65
(18)		 54
(12)		 45
(7)		 37
(3)		 53
(12)
Record low °F (°C) −8
(−22)		 −9
(−23)		 10
(−12)		 25
(−4)		 37
(3)		 39
(4)		 53
(12)		 55
(13)		 36
(2)		 28
(−2)		 3
(−16)		 0
(−18)		 −9
(−23)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 4.20
(107)		 4.83
(123)		 4.81
(122)		 3.36
(85)		 3.67
(93)		 3.95
(100)		 5.27
(134)		 3.90
(99)		 4.47
(114)		 3.41
(87)		 4.10
(104)		 3.90
(99)		 49.87
(1,267)
Source: [12]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880259—
189041660.6%
1900238−42.8%
1910599151.7%
192079132.1%
19301,17848.9%
19401,44022.2%
19502,00539.2%
196010,157406.6%
197019,15788.6%
198020,3126.0%
199030,98152.5%
200040,99932.3%
201051,26525.0%
202055,6638.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[13] 2020[2]

2020 census
Smyrna racial composition[14]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 24,159 43.4%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 17,032 30.6%
Native American 103 0.19%
Asian 3,698 6.64%
Pacific Islander 21 0.04%
Other/Mixed 2,985 5.36%
Hispanic or Latino 7,665 13.77%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 55,663 people, 24,736 households, and 13,669 families residing in the city.

2018

At the 2018 census, there were 56,271 people, with 35% growth since 2000. There were 23,002 households. The population density was 3,300 per square mile (1,300/km2). The racial make-up of the city was 29.3% African American, 46% White, 0.4% Native American, 7.71% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander and 3.1% from two or more races. 14.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The population was distributed by age as follows: 22.6% under the age of 18, 18.8% from 18 to 29, 20% from 30 to 39, 14.9% from 40 to 49, 14.2% from 50–64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males.

52.6% of Smyrna residents lived in families with an average of 2.2 people per household.

In 2012, 52.2% of Smyrna residents had a college degree and 91.3% of residents had a high school diploma. This is one of the highest rates in the state of Georgia.[15]

Government

Municipal

The city is governed by a seven-member council, elected by wards, and a mayor elected at-large.[16] Max Bacon served as the mayor of Smyrna starting in 1985; in July 2019 he announced his retirement from city politics.[17] The current mayor is Derek Norton, who took office January 6, 2020. Norton previously served on the City Council since 2015.[18]

The city operates the Smyrna Public Library, the only library in the county which is not a part of the Cobb County Public Library System.

Economy

Personal income

The median household income in 2018 was $73,788. The per capita income was $44,823, a 24.7% increase from 2000.

In 2018, the place with the highest median household income in Smyrna was census tract 312.09, with a value of $143,443, followed by census tracts 311.12 and 311.17, with respective values of $108,229 and $89,769.

Industry

The Atlanta Bread Company has its headquarters in Smyrna.[19]

Companies with an office include Eaton Corporation and IBM. Smyrna was the site of the corporate offices of the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling.

Top employers

According to the City's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:[20]

# Employer Employees
1 United Distributors 800
2 Glock 638
3 UCB 499
4 Publix 384
5 City of Smyrna 381
6 RV Behavioral LLC 350
7 FedEx Freight 282
8 The Kroger Company 244
9 Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta 200
10 Delmar Gardens of Smyrna, LLC 183

On October 31, 2014, Emory Healthcare closed the Emory Adventist Hospital at Smyrna. They have since announced plans to renovate and reopen the hospital.[21]

Private projects
Market Village

In 1991, the city began a community redevelopment project known as "Market Village," in order to create a well-defined downtown. Included were a community center and 28,000-square-foot (2,600 m2) public library. A mixed retail and residential district was modeled after an early 1900s city village, including a square with a fountain. This, and other expansions have revitalized the downtown area. Further redevelopment has occurred throughout the city—including thousands of new homes – mostly cluster homes, townhouse and condo communities replacing older neighborhoods.[22][23] The population has risen as a result of redevelopment, a few annexations, and Smyrna's location as a residential suburb in the Northwest center of metro Atlanta.[24][25]

There are additional mixed retail/residential/office redevelopments near the city center, including Jonquil Plaza, Belmont Hills plaza, and The Crossings.

Public projects

In September 2019, the James M. Cox Foundation gave $6 million to the PATH Foundation, which will connect the Silver Comet Trail terminus in Smyrna to the Atlanta Beltline. It is expected to be completed by 2022. The combined length of the Silver Comet and the Beltline will make it the longest paved trail surface in the U.S., totaling approximately 300 miles (480 kilometers); one could travel from Atlanta to Anniston, Alabama via the trail alone.[26]

Media outlets

Smyrna and Vinings' community newspaper is The Bright Side. It is dedicated to publishing positive events that occur in Cobb County.[27]

Education

Public schools

Public schooling in Smyrna falls under the jurisdiction of the Cobb County School District. The city's students are served by 12 of the district's schools. The largest schools by enrollment are:[28]

Private schools

Several private schools are inside Smyrna's city limits, including St. Benedict's Episcopal School, Covenant Christian School, Whitefield Academy,[29] and a satellite campus of Buckhead Preparatory Academy.

Arts and culture
Jonquil Park

Market Village in the city center often has open-air concerts and festivals. There are also various small parks such as Cobb Park, public pools such as Aline Wolfe Center for the elderly and Tolleson park pool for all ages, tennis courts and playgrounds and a linear park with walking trail along Spring Road.

Transportation

Several major roadways, such as I-285, Cobb Parkway (U.S. Route 41), Atlanta Road (Old State Route 3), and South Cobb Drive (State Route 280), pass through the municipality.

Smyrna is served by CobbLinc and MARTA public buses.

Notable people

The restaurant scene in the film Joyful Noise was shot at Howard's Restaurant in Smyrna in 2011.[36]

References
  1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  2. "Smyrna city, Georgia". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  3. "Smyrna Zipcodes". Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. "City of Smyrna: Community Development". City of Smyrna. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
  7. Darnell, Tim (September 18, 2018). "Smyrna Makes Money's Best Places To Live 2018 List". Patch.com. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  8. Cauley, H.M. "Insider's guide to Smyrna". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  9. "Georgia Historical Society: Battle of Smyrna". Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  10. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  11. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Smyrna city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  12. "Monthly Averages for Smyrna, GA (30080)". Weather.com. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  13. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  14. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  15. "City of Smyrna : Community Profile". Smyrnacity.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  16. Bruce, Matt. "Key city elections to watch in Cobb County". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  17. Willis, Haisten (July 11, 2019). "Bacon bows out of reelection bid". Cobb County Courier. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  18. Dixon, Kristal. "Smyrna's new mayor to advocate for a 'refresh' of downtown". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  19. "Bread. The man, not the band". Atlanta Bread. Archived from the original on September 18, 2009. Retrieved September 16, 2009.
  20. "City of Smyrna ACFR". smyrnacity.com. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  21. "Emory Healthcare Will Renovate and Reopen Shuttered Emory-Adventist Hospital".
  22. "Smyrna Market Village". SmyrnaVinings.com. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  23. "Smyrna Real Estate & Smyrna Homes For Sale". Trulia.com. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  24. "Top 100 Neighborhoods in Metro Atlanta". newcomeratlanta.com. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  25. "Population in the U.S. – Google Public Data Explorer". Google.ca. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  26. Lutz, Meris; Journal-Constitution, The Atlanta. "Cox gives $6 million to connect Silver Comet to Atlanta". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  27. "The Bright Side Community Newspaper – Smyrna, GA". Bright Side Cobb. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  28. "School List". Great!Schools.org. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  29. Nouryeh-Clay, Elizabeth (September 7, 2021). "'Others ahead of self' Whitefield Academy students volunteer with more than 30 nonprofits for Great Day of Service". Northside Neighbor. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  30. "Bob Barr Biography". Biography.com. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  31. "Julia Robert". IMDb.com. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  32. "The Comebacks Kid: Ron Gant Has Already Won the Award Once, but a Year After Motorcycle Accident, Reds' All-Star Is Almost a Lock". Articles.latimes.com. July 9, 1995. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  33. "Benn Jordan (@bennjordan) – Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  34. Saxon, Wolfgang (July 21, 1993). "Eschel Rhoodie, a South African At Center of Scandal, Dies at 60". The New York Times. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
  35. Moon, Jacorey (August 4, 2020). "645AR: The Squeak Heard Around the World". Office. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  36. "Hollywood Food Fight Makes A "Joyful Noise At Howard's". Smyrna-vinings, Georgia Patch. March 7, 2011. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
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