Sandy Springs, Georgia

Sandy Springs is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia, United States, near the busy Atlanta metropolitan area.

Many big companies have their main offices in Sandy Springs. Some of these companies are UPS, Newell Brands, Inspire Brands, Focus Brands, Cox Enterprises, and Mercedes-Benz USA. People come to Sandy Springs to work, visit, or enjoy its many services and places to see.

History

People have lived in the Sandy Springs area since around 400 AD. Native American tribes used the area’s freshwater springs and trails. Later, in the 1800s, the Creek Muskogee tribe lived there until they had to leave after gold was discovered.

In 1821, land lotteries let people settle in what is now Sandy Springs. Important buildings like the Austin-Johnson House and Sandy Springs United Methodist Church were built in the mid-1800s. In the 1950s and 1960s, new highways brought growth to the area. Sandy Springs chose to stay separate from Atlanta, and after many years of trying, it officially became a city in 2005. Since then, it has grown into a busy city with many services and businesses.

Geography

Sandy Springs is in northern Fulton County, Georgia, just north of Atlanta. The city borders Atlanta to the south, Cobb County to the west and north, Roswell to the north, and Dunwoody and Brookhaven to the east. A small part of the city, called a panhandle, stretches between the Chattahoochee River and Dunwoody, reaching almost to Peachtree Corners in Gwinnett County.

Northside Tower, a downtown landmark located in City Springs at Sandy Springs Place and Roswell Road

Sandy Springs has a humid subtropical climate. In winter 2014, the area had big snow and ice storms that made travel hard and left many without power.

The city has several neighborhoods, including City Springs, its downtown area with offices, homes, shops, and green spaces. Riverside, near the river, is a quiet area with two public schools. Perimeter Center is a busy business area with tall buildings, hospitals, and shopping places. North Springs and South Springs are other parts of the city with their own schools and features.

Demographics

Map of racial distribution in Sandy Springs, 2020 U.S. census. Each dot is one person: ⬤ White ⬤ Black ⬤ Asian ⬤ Hispanic ⬤ Multiracial ⬤ Native American/Other

Sandy Springs was first listed as a special area in the 1980 U.S. census and became an official city before the 2010 U.S. census.

According to the 2020 United States census, there were 108,080 people living in the city. This is more than the 93,853 people in 2010 and the 85,781 people in 2000. In 1980, when it was first listed, the population was 46,877.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1980	46,877	—
1990	67,842	44.7%
2000	85,781	26.4%
2010	93,853	9.4%
2020	108,080	15.2%
2024 (est.)	105,505	−2.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850-1870 1870-1880 1890-1910 1920-1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Sandy Springs, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	62,657	55,066	58,130	73.04%	58.67%	53.78%
Black or African American alone (NH)	10,139	18,092	19,773	11.82%	19.28%	18.29%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	99	160	137	0.12%	0.17%	0.13%
Asian alone (NH)	2,793	4,660	10,160	3.26%	4.97%	9.40%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	40	33	56	0.05%	0.04%	0.05%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	327	671	806	0.38%	0.71%	0.75%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)	1,212	1,803	4,278	1.41%	1.92%	3.96%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	8,514	13,368	14,740	9.93%	14.24%	13.64%
Total	85,781	93,853	108,080	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

Economy

Sandy Springs has many big companies and hospitals that help the city grow. Important places include three hospitals: Northside Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. The city is also where the North-American headquarters for Mercedes-Benz is located at Glenridge Hall.

Top employers

The city has many big employers.

#	Employer	# of employees
1	United Parcel Service	2,081
2	OneTrust	2,043
3	IBM	1,935
4	David Green	1,300
5	Manheim Auctions	1,136
6	Intercontinental Exchange	994
7	VMware	960
8	Inspire Brands & subsidiaries	931
9	Cox Communications	908
10	Cox Enterprises	828

Arts and culture

The Heritage Sandy Springs Museum opened in 2010 and shares the story of Sandy Springs. The city has a museum about Anne Frank.

Sandy Springs has many fun events each year. The Sandy Springs Festival, started in 1984, is the biggest event. People come to enjoy music, art, and activities for kids. Other events include Sandy Springs Artsapalooza, a celebration of art, and a fireworks show on July 4. There is also a special event called the Chattahoochee River Summer Splash, where people float for 6 miles along the Chattahoochee River.

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System has a branch library in Sandy Springs near City Springs.

Parks and recreation

Sandy Springs has sixteen parks and green spaces covering more than 950 acres for people to enjoy.

Bull Sluice Lake, located in Morgan Falls Overlook Park

The city also has bike lanes and trails like the Abernathy Greenway and PATH400.

Government

Officials

Mayor: Rusty Paul

Services

Sandy Springs began by using private companies for many city services when it became a city in 2005. This helped save money, especially during a difficult economic time called the Great Recession. The city shared this idea with others. Some services, like police and fire, were still run by the city. In 2019, Sandy Springs changed this plan because it was costing too much and hired more city workers. Now, it uses both city workers and private companies. The city hopes to save money in the future with this change. A new city hall opened in 2018.

Controversy

In April 2025, Sandy Springs made a rule about how close people could get when sharing leaflets or protesting. This rule was drafted by the Anti-Defamation League but was criticized for limiting free speech. The city’s leaders decided to remove the rule a month later.

Education

Public schools in Sandy Springs are part of the Fulton County School System. Some elementary schools are Dunwoody Springs Charter Elementary School and Heards Ferry Elementary School. Middle schools include Sandy Springs Middle School and Ridgeview Charter Middle School. High schools include North Springs Charter School of Arts and Sciences and Riverwood High School.

North Springs Charter School of Arts and Sciences

Sandy Springs also has private schools, such as Brandon Hall School, Springmont, Atlanta Jewish Academy, and Holy Innocents' Episcopal School. These schools offer education from preschool to high school.

Media

Sandy Springs has its own newspaper called the Sandy Springs Reporter. It is also covered by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Some popular television shows and movies were filmed in the city. These include Auction Kings, Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta, The Real Housewives of Atlanta, The Righteous Gemstones, the CW’s Dynasty, The Vampire Diaries, and Driving Miss Daisy.

Infrastructure

Major roads and expressways

Sandy Springs has important highways like Georgia 400, I-285, U.S. 19, and Georgia 9. Local roads include Spalding Drive and Roswell Road. The city added traffic cameras to help manage traffic.

Mass transit

People in Sandy Springs mostly use MARTA to get around. MARTA has a heavy rail rapid transit line and many buses. The city has three train stations: Medical Center, Sandy Springs, and North Springs. There are also express buses from North Springs to other areas.

Police and fire

Sandy Springs has its own police department, which started in 2006. The police help keep the city safe. The fire department also began in 2006 and responds to emergencies. In April 2025, the city opened a new police headquarters and courthouse.