What Are the Best Atlanta Suburbs South of the Airport?
Almost every list of the best Atlanta suburbs points the same direction: Alpharetta, Milton, Woodstock, East Cobb. But there’s a whole other half of the metro south of the airport that almost never makes the list, and it comes with golf carts, a private lake and real small-town main streets.
Justin Landis on five south-side suburbs that rarely make the best-of lists, and the trade-off that comes with each one.
Justin Landis has been selling homes across metro Atlanta for more than 20 years, and his team works the south side as closely as the north. This week he walks through five communities south of the airport that buyers tend to skip, not because they don’t fit, but because nobody put them on the list.
Each one lives differently. One runs on golf carts. One is built around a working farm. One is a fast-growing county seat with a historic square. One is a private lake. And one is a small town with a main street people drive out just to walk.
Miles of paved multi-use paths in Peachtree City, shared by walkers, cyclists and golf carts
Share of land in Chattahoochee Hills developments that must stay open space
Population growth in Coweta County, home to Newnan and Senoia, since 2020
Sources: City of Peachtree City and Fayette County; City of Chattahoochee Hills land-use plan; U.S. Census Bureau population estimates, April 2020 to July 2025.
Stop 1 · Fayette County
Peachtree City: The Suburb That Runs on Golf Carts
Picture a golf cart parked outside a restaurant on a regular afternoon, and a trunk full of groceries that never needed a car. That’s a normal day in Peachtree City, the one south-side suburb most people have already heard of.
The city is a planned community built around villages, each with its own parks and shopping. They’re tied together by more than 100 miles of paved multi-use paths that Justin says work almost like a second transportation system. Plenty of local errands never touch a road.
Three lakes run through the area, and access depends on which one you’re near. Lake Peachtree is for Peachtree City residents and their guests. Lake Kedron and the 650-acre Lake McIntosh are Fayette County water-supply reservoirs open to electric motors, sailboats and paddlers. McIntosh, the newest, is the one Justin says most people don’t even know is there.
Justin puts most homes from the mid-$500,000s into the $700,000s, depending on the village, the lot and how close you are to the paths or the water. Expect a lot of ranch homes and two-story traditionals alongside newer builds and townhomes, much of it set in landscaping that’s had decades to grow in. He also notes homes here tend to sit a little longer than the metro average, which can leave more room to negotiate.
The trade-off. Peachtree City makes getting around town easy. Getting to Atlanta, the interstates or the airport still means getting in the car.
Stop 2 · South Fulton County
Serenbe and Chattahoochee Hills: Open Land on Purpose
You’ll hear two names here, and they mean different things. Chattahoochee Hills is a rural city in south Fulton County, mostly long roads, wooded acreage and open pasture. It was set up so that most of its land stays open, and development has to leave the majority of a site as forest, farmland or green space. That’s why it still looks the way it does.
Serenbe is a planned community inside Chattahoochee Hills, laid out as a series of hamlets with condos, townhomes and single-family homes set close together and wrapped in preserved meadow and forest. No two houses look alike. Farmhouses sit next to English-style cottages and modern glass-walled homes. Justin says he can’t think of anywhere else in this market quite like it.
At the center is a working organic farm, with a Saturday farmers market, a community-supported agriculture program and a handful of farm-to-table restaurants you can walk to. More than 20 miles of nature trails wind past creeks and waterfalls; Justin has run plenty of them himself.
Prices cover a wide range. Justin says some condos start around the $400,000s, custom estates reach into the millions, and there are “farmlets” on 5, 10 or 20 acres. You’re paying for a community built around preserved land and carefully designed homes.
The trade-off. That design comes at a premium, and much of daily life outside the hamlets still runs on country roads. If you want open space without feeling isolated, though, this one belongs on the list.
Moving to Atlanta? Our relocation guide walks through the metro area by area before you start touring.
Stop 3 · Coweta County
Newnan: More House, a Real Downtown and I-85
Twenty years ago, a lot of the land around Newnan was open country. Today it’s one of the fastest-growing stops on this list, with new subdivisions and new shopping filling in former pasture along I-85. One of the agents on Justin’s team grew up out there, and the change over the past couple of decades has been something else.
Newnan still has a real center. The city was founded in 1828 as the Coweta County seat, and the historic courthouse, finished in 1904, still rises over a downtown square lined with storefronts that each look a little different. Walk a block in any direction and you’ll find local shops and restaurants, some of them there for a long time.
Justin puts much of the market from the low $300,000s into the $400,000s, with newer and historic properties going higher. If you want more house for the money and a downtown you can walk, with the interstate close by, Newnan delivers a lot of that.
The trade-off. I-85 can back up at the wrong time of day. That’s true across the metro, so for buyers who care about highway access, Justin calls it a fair trade.
“One suburb can’t represent an entire half of the metro.”— Justin Landis, CEO & Realtor, The Justin Landis Group
Stop 4 · Clayton and Henry Counties
Lake Spivey: A Private Lake Near Jonesboro
Ask around Atlanta what city Lake Spivey is in and you’ll get a different answer every time. There’s no city called Lake Spivey. The name covers a private lake and the neighborhoods around it, spanning parts of Clayton and Henry counties near Jonesboro, just off I-75.
The lake itself is owned and managed by the Lake Spivey Civic Association, and the surrounding neighborhoods have their own associations. Lake access comes with membership, dues and rights tied to specific properties, so not every nearby home gets access. For the homes that do, boating is part of daily life.
Right next door, Clayton County International Park, originally built for the 1996 Olympic beach volleyball competition, adds a public side: the Spivey Splash water park, a 17-court tennis center, walking trails and a recreation center with an indoor pool and fitness area, so there’s plenty to do outside swimming season. There’s golf nearby too.
Because the lake spans many subdivisions, no single price range tells the whole story. Justin says the surrounding neighborhoods sit in the mid-market range for the area, while lakefront and larger estate properties can reach into the millions.
The trade-off. You have to look at each property individually, starting with whether it carries lake rights. If lake access and recreation at a south-side price point are what you’re after, it’s worth that closer look.
Stop 5 · Coweta County
Senoia: A Main Street Worth the Drive
Senoia is a main street you want to walk down on a Saturday: older homes with real character, a handful of new builds and a rural edge just past the last streetlight. It’s the smallest and most rural stop on this list, in southeastern Coweta County about 35 miles south of downtown.
The town has earned a reputation as a filming location over the years, which says something about how well it has kept its look intact. Justin’s team has clients who moved out here from closer in, and they’ve told him they love it.
Justin puts most homes in the $400,000s to $600,000s, depending on the property.
On the market now in Senoia. A renovated 1965 mid-century modern ranch on wooded grounds, about a mile from downtown, with a chef’s kitchen in custom green cabinetry and a wood-paneled office. Listed by The Justin Landis Group at $975,000.
The trade-off. This is the longest drive on the list by a good margin, roughly 40 to 60 minutes into the city depending on traffic. You’re trading time in the car for a small-town feel that’s harder to find closer to Atlanta.
The Five at a Glance
| Community | The draw | Justin’s price range | The trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peachtree City | 100+ miles of cart paths, lakes, villages | Mid-$500Ks to $700Ks | Car still needed for Atlanta and the airport |
| Serenbe / Chattahoochee Hills | Preserved land, farm, trails, walkable hamlets | $400Ks condos to multi-million estates | Premium pricing, rural roads |
| Newnan | Historic square, I-85, more house for the money | Low $300Ks to $400Ks for much of the market | I-85 traffic at peak times |
| Lake Spivey | Private lake, park and recreation next door | Mid-market; lakefront well above | Lake rights vary by property |
| Senoia | Small-town main street, character homes | $400Ks to $600Ks | Longest drive, 40–60 minutes |
Price ranges are Justin’s general figures from the video and describe areas as a whole, not any single home.
Before You Tour the South Side
These five don’t compete with each other so much as answer different questions. The right one depends on how you want to spend a Tuesday and a Saturday.
“The north side was never your only option.”— Justin Landis, CEO & Realtor, The Justin Landis Group
If you’re still deciding which side of Atlanta fits you, last week Justin covered the north-side suburbs buyers most often regret, and where he’d look instead.
See All Five in Person
Tell us what matters most, whether that’s the commute, the water, the land or a downtown you can walk, and we’ll build you a south-side comparison tour around it. No obligation.
- A tour route planned around your priorities, not a generic list
- Your real drive from each community to work and the airport
- The details listings skip: lake rights, HOA rules, what’s walkable
Or email hello@justinlandisgroup.com — or call or text 404-860-1816.
Common Questions
What are the best Atlanta suburbs south of the airport?
Justin Landis of The Justin Landis Group points buyers to five south-side options that most best-suburb lists skip: Peachtree City in Fayette County, Serenbe in the city of Chattahoochee Hills, Newnan in Coweta County, the Lake Spivey area near Jonesboro, and Senoia in Coweta County. Each offers a different way of living, from golf-cart paths to a private lake to a small-town main street.
How many miles of golf cart paths does Peachtree City have?
Peachtree City has more than 100 miles of paved multi-use paths shared by walkers, cyclists and golf carts. The paths connect the city’s villages, parks, shopping and lakes, so many everyday local trips can be made without a car.
Where is Serenbe and what is it like?
Serenbe is a planned community inside the city of Chattahoochee Hills in south Fulton County. Homes are clustered in walkable hamlets surrounded by preserved forest and meadow, with an organic farm, a seasonal farmers market and miles of nature trails. Chattahoochee Hills was set up so that most of its land stays open, which is why so much of the area still looks rural.
Can anyone use Lake Spivey?
No. Lake Spivey is a private lake in Clayton and Henry counties near Jonesboro, owned and managed by the Lake Spivey Civic Association. Lake rights are tied to specific neighborhoods and properties and come with membership and dues, and not every nearby home has them. Check the lake rights on any property you are considering. Clayton County International Park next door is open to the public.
How far is Senoia from Atlanta?
Senoia is in southeastern Coweta County, about 35 miles south of downtown Atlanta. Justin Landis puts the drive at roughly 40 to 60 minutes depending on traffic, the longest commute of the five suburbs in this episode, in exchange for a walkable historic main street and a true small-town pace.
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Price ranges are Justin Landis’s general figures from the video, are rounded and describe areas as a whole, not any single home. Path mileage and lake details are from the City of Peachtree City and Fayette County. Open-space figures are from Chattahoochee Hills’ land-use plan. Population growth is the U.S. Census Bureau’s estimate for Coweta County, April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025. Lake access and rules vary by property and association; confirm any specific home’s lake rights, dues and HOA rules before you buy. Drive times vary with traffic. Listing details and price are as of October 26, 2026 and subject to change. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. The Justin Landis Group is part of Bolst, Inc., a Certified B Corporation™ brokerage. The Justin Landis Group · Bolst, Inc. · 404-860-1816.