Chatsworth features growing businesses in the North Georgia mountain
Chatsworth is the retail hub of Murray County, a region of North Georgia crisscrossed by mountainous hiking paths and all-terrain vehicle trails. New businesses are opening, and subdivisions are being built in this city of about 5,000 people, but it’s only 5 miles to wooded summits roamed by black bears. Along with the scenic surroundings, the health care sector is driving people to Chatsworth. Locals may work at Hamilton Medical Center in nearby Dalton, AdventHealth Murray in Chatsworth or a new hospital AdventHealth plans to build in Murray County. “We’re seeing more doctors and medical workers moving here, especially with the hospital being built,” says Laura Young, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Kinard Realty who lives in Chatsworth.
Construction continues as the local housing market calms
Young says a hectic Chatsworth housing market has kept her busy in recent years, but the rate of buying and selling is decelerating to a more moderate pace. She jokes that homes now sell after a few months instead of a few hours. “It’s been crazy, but we’re returning to a normal market.” Homes vary from bungalows in walking distance of downtown shops and restaurants to Craftsman- and colonial-inspired houses being built alongside U.S. Route 411. There are a few secluded cabins in the mountains to the east and lakeside properties to the south. Smaller and older homes can cost between $165,000 and $270,000. New builds vary from $260,000 to $420,000, while log cabins and farmhouses on spacious lots can range from $465,000 to $875,000.
Homebuyers should be aware that creeks and streams around the community present some flood risk, especially Holly Creek east of downtown.
Children zoned to Murray County Schools
Students can go to Chatsworth Elementary School, followed by Gladden Middle and Murray County High. All three schools are in Chatsworth, and they all get B-minus grades from Niche. Murray County High’s Career, Technical and Agricultural Education program teaches specialized career pathways including Agriculture Leadership in Animal Production, Law Enforcement Services/Forensic Science and Therapeutic Services/Patient Care.
A vast wilderness at Fort Mountain State Park, smaller parks in town
East of town, people can explore rustic parks and trails in the Appalachian Mountains. One of the prime draws is Fort Mountain State Park, where 25 miles of trails take hikers past waterfalls and lead them to towering overlooks. It’s one of 18 parks statewide that earns the Muddy Spokes Club designation due to its mountain biking trails. Fort Mountain Lake is open to kayaking, canoeing and fishing, and swimmers head to the lakeside beach in the summer. People also flock to the lake on New Year’s Day to take the Black Bear Plunge. The experience of the January swim is as unpredictable as Georgia winters; some years, people must break up the frozen surface of the lake before wading in, and other times, the temperature reaches the 60s.
Within the city limits, the Murray County Recreation Department has a playground and splash pad, and it organizes kids’ leagues for football, softball and other sports, as well as a men’s basketball league. The grass, benches, and amphitheater of City Park cover a downtown block, where groups put on events such as free summertime concerts and a monthly car show.
Hot dog shop and golf simulator among new downtown spots
A few blocks of brick buildings make up Chatsworth’s downtown, where several businesses have opened in recent years. Since 2024, The Shakey Mutt has begun serving hot dogs and ice cream, Shooters Golf Lounge has opened a golf simulator bar and Crown Craft Market has welcomed dozens of local artisans and entrepreneurs to its booths and stalls. Other establishments, such as Murray County Feed & Seed and Village Cafeteria, have been around for more than 30 years. “You haven’t lived until you have the Village’s fried catfish served every Friday,” Young says. “People come from all over for that.” For homemade meals on the go, The Pantry has ready-made dishes. Several churches meet downtown, with congregations like First Baptist Church Chatsworth and Chatsworth First Methodist Church gathering for more than a century. More businesses line U.S. Routes 76 and 411, where locals can shop at Food City and Dollar Tree.
Black Bear Festival endures for nearly 20 years
Chatsworth and the surrounding area celebrate the fall season with the annual Black Bear Festival. The event has steadily grown since it debuted in 2006, with more than 100 food vendors and craft booths and around 8,000 people now gathering every October in Chatsworth.
Highways like Route 411, I-75 extend through Georgia and Tennessee
U.S. Route 411 is the primary highway through Chatsworth, while U.S. Route 76 leads to the city of Dalton, a common commute for Chatsworth locals. From Dalton, drivers can hop onto Interstate 75 and head to Chattanooga or Atlanta; the former is about 45 miles from Chatsworth, and the latter is nearly 90 miles away. Both cities have airports, but Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport offers far more nonstop flights.
Written By
Alex Soderstrom
