Social Circle is a friendly community with a small-town feel
Social Circle lives up to its name. “Anywhere you go in town, people speak to each other and they’re very friendly,” says Felisa Osment, a Realtor with Watkins Real Estate Associates, and a three-year resident of Social Circle. “It’s just that small, hometown feel you get when you’re there that you don’t get in Covington or other places nearby. It’s a different atmosphere from the larger cities.”
Founded in 1832, Victorian history perseveres in this Walton County city, with Greek Revival mansions from the early 1900s and local businesses operating out of beige one-story brick buildings downtown. Ten miles away in Covington, locals have access to plenty of nationally recognized chains and downtown Atlanta is 45 miles away.
Social Circle offers homes from every era
While there are plenty of vintage cottages and ranch homes to choose from, most houses in Social Circle came online after the early 2000s. Hilly, grassy neighborhoods with lush landscaping and well-maintained single-family homes are the norm here. Contemporary homes with two-car garages and basketball hoops sit behind sidewalks and underneath big, leafy trees shading them from the sun.
Home prices typically range from $300,000 to $600,000, but newer traditional-style homes on multiple acres can sell for more than $1 million. According to the CAP Index Crime Score, Social Circle has an overall crime score of 2 out of 10, which is significantly lower than the national average of 4.
Downtown Social Circle is the hub for dining
Walking around Social Circle’s downtown area is like being in a postcard of a small southern town in the late 19th- or early 20th century. One-story Victorian structures, built between 1890 and 1920, provide homes for boutiques and real estate offices. Locals eat wings and sip sweet tea on the front porch of downtown barbecue restaurant Grill’n Station. Bread and Butter bakes scones and brews lattes, and Social Circle Grocery makes fresh pizza. Locals love the smash burgers at Tin Plate and the fluffy pastries at Mamie’s Kitchen Biscuits. “Downtown is very busy on the weekends. There are tons of people walking around,” says Osment. “It’s all small hometown owners in the historic buildings running businesses, and the community likes to support small business owners there.”
Groceries can be purchased at Freshway Market on North Cherokee Road, and additional options like Publix and Walmart are about 10 miles away in Covington.
Friendship Park is the site of community events
Right downtown is Friendship Park, a community gathering space where locals browse the wildflower garden. Summer concerts and the Social Circle Christmas tree lighting happen here, as do events like the annual Friendship Festival in October, which has local food vendors, live musical performances and activities for kids. Children play at the playground at Burks Field Park on Vine Circle and toddlers have their own play area at Post Office Park, next to the post office on West Hightower Trail. About 6 miles west of town is the Lake Varner Reservoir, popular for waterside hikes through the woods.
Social Circle City Schools have the community’s support
Children living in Social Circle can attend Social Circle City Schools, a well-regarded school district with a B grade from Niche. The district consists of four schools – Social Circle Primary School for prekindergarten (rated B), Social Circle Elementary School (rated B-plus), Social Circle Middle School (rated B) and Social Circle High School (rated C-plus). About 2,000 students attend Social Circle public schools. “The schools are small, so the whole community is involved,” says Osment. “When they do bonfires or pep rallies, everybody goes.” Social Circle High School offers a wide variety of sports teams including air rifle, swimming and bass fishing.
Residents hop on Interstate 20 to get to Atlanta
Social Circle sits north of Interstate 20, which runs west to Atlanta and east to Augusta. “It’s a great location,” says Lorie Couch, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty, who’s been selling homes in the area for 10 years. “There’s easy access to Interstate 20 and that’s important for people commuting to work in Atlanta or other areas.”
By heading west on Interstate 20, Covington is a 10-mile drive. It’s home to Piedmont Newton, a 103-bed hospital. Downtown Atlanta is 45 miles away and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is a 52-mile trip along the same stretch of highway.
