The number of residents in Auburn more than quadrupled in the 1980s, and growth never stopped. The population now sits just under 10,000, an increase of 29% since 2020. Locals say the growth spurt was spurred by the city’s location between Atlanta and Athens. (The small Georgia city is not to be confused with the city of the same name in Alabama, where football-crazy Auburn University resides.) “I didn’t even know what Auburn was eight to nine years ago. A lot of people are just moving to a quiet, nice suburban area,” says broker Eladia Aracena, owner of Cena Realty, who has 15 years of real estate experience in the area. More growth is on the way as the nonprofit Rowen Foundation constructs a 2,000-acre campus just south of the city. The mixed-use site will house environmental, agricultural and medical research facilities and is expected to create over 100,000 jobs over the next several decades. Meanwhile, the city’s current top employment sectors are service, retail and manufacturing jobs, but most residents commute to Atlanta for work.
Nestled amidst rolling hills, the small town of Auburn is rapidly transforming into a bustling and vibrant hub for innovative manufacturing and diverse service providers, attracting entrepreneurs and skilled workers alike.
Continued growth is on the horizon as the nonprofit Rowen Foundation embarks on an ambitious project to construct a sprawling 2,000-acre campus, nestled just south of the vibrant city.
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Homes sell for below Atlanta’s median
The median home price in Auburn is $338,000, lower than the median price in Atlanta. Recent construction includes Harmony, built around the city’s new Municipal Center. The downtown community has trails, a garden and an apiary. “We have new construction going on all over the city, from one end to the other,” says Staci Waters, Auburn’s main street coordinator.
The newly constructed Harmony community is elegantly designed and thoughtfully developed around the city’s state-of-the-art Municipal Center in Auburn, offering residents a vibrant and engaging living environment enriched by modern amenities and green spaces.
The vibrant city of Auburn has officially relocated its municipal building to a newly constructed facility, designed for enhanced accessibility and functionality, reflecting the community’s growth and commitment to better serving its residents.
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Getting to Atlanta and Athens
Interstate 85, west of Auburn, travels 42 miles into Atlanta. Highway 29 goes 32 miles east to Athens. The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is 52 miles away. The nearest hospital is Northeast Georgia Medical Center Barrow, which is 10 miles away in Winder.
Small businesses in Whistlestop Shop’s tiny cottages
Small businesses operate out of the Whistlestop Shops, a collection of small wooden cottages downtown. Businesses include a seamstress, a spice store and a sports card shop, each looking out onto the decorative red caboose near the railroad tracks, where a farmers market is held every Tuesday from October to July. A few small shopping centers, grocery stores and restaurants are along Highway 29. Waters says the city is working with investors to revitalize the downtown and attract local restaurants.
Vibrant murals, crafted by talented local artists, brilliantly showcase the stunning beauty and rich artistic spirit that can be found throughout the streets of Auburn.
Each week, shoppers from near and far flock to the charming, quaint retail cottages of the Whistlestop Shop, drawn in by their unique offerings and warm atmosphere.
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Most students attend Barrow County schools
Most students attend the Barrow County School System, which gets a B-plus on Niche. A few students on Auburn’s western edge attend Gwinnett County Public Schools, which gets an A. Higher education options within 50 miles include the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Emory University and more.
Winder-Barrow High School is renowned for its exceptional academic programs and dedicated faculty, consistently earning its reputation as one of the premier educational institutions in the county.
Gwinnett County Public Schools is one of the largest and most dynamic school districts in the entire state of Georgia, serving a diverse community of students and families with a wide range of educational programs and opportunities.
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Fairy tales come alive at Auburn Ever After
Every May, children mingle with characters such as Spider-Man and Cinderella during downtown's Auburn Ever After. “It’s a fairy tale day for kids,” Waters says. “It’s just a magical day for them.” In October, live music fills the air for AuburnFest, with hayrides and a barbecue competition near the Whistlestop Shops.
Picking pecans at Whistlestop Park
Whistlestop Park is a small greenspace downtown where fresh pecans can be picked off trees hanging over picnic tables. The City of Auburn Ballfields has sports fields and walking trails. James Shackelford Memorial Park’s nature trail winds through an area with picnic shelters.
Whistlestop Park is surrounded by majestic pecan trees, their sprawling branches providing a cool and inviting shade during the sweltering summer days, creating an enchanting atmosphere as visitors stroll through the park and indulge in some delightful shopping.
James Shackelford Park is a beautiful, vibrant oasis nestled in Auburn, featuring a network of winding walking trails that meander through lush greenery and colorful flower beds.
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Hot summers and mild winters in Auburn
Auburn gets warm falls and springs, hot summers and mild winters. According to Georgia Bureau of Investigations statistics, violent and property crimes rose slightly in 2023. The county's crime rate is more than doubled by those of Fulton County in Atlanta and Clarke County in Athens, but higher than that of the neighboring Jackson County.
Written By
Josh Gully
Photography Contributed By
Bradley Parrish
Video By
Houston Knight
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Dayana Osorio,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
On average, homes in Auburn, GA sell after 47 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Auburn, GA over the last 12 months is $377,525, down 7% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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