Economic Development

As Gwinnett County's largest city, Peachtree Corners is a regional technology hub about 30 minutes north of Atlanta. The city is vibrant and growing, with leadership focused on comprehensive, well-conceived planning and meaningful development. One unique aspect of conducting business in Peachtree Corners is the low cost. There is a zero millage rate in Peachtree Corners which means no municipal property taxes - either for commercial or residential property. No other city in the metro Atlanta area can make this claim.

Easy access to Interstate 85 and a short drive to the world's busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, make Peachtree Corners especially attractive to international companies, corporations and small businesses. Many occupy Technology Park/Atlanta, a campus of low-rise office buildings nestled in a wooded, 500-acre parcel between two major thoroughfares.

In addition to the more than 40,000 people who call Peachtree Corners home, the city is the headquarters of numerous technology and life sciences companies including IT services company 5Q Partners, and the transdermal research and development company, 4P Therapeutics. It is also the regional headquarters of large, national and international companies including Comcast, Crawford and Co., and Hapag-Lloyd.

A 20-acre Town Center was completed in 2019, creating a place for the community to gather. The Town Center, with its 2-acre Town Green, is at the heart of the city's Entertainment District. An outdoor amphitheater, children's play area, and well-known eateries routinely draw thousands of people. While the Town Center is bustling, the waters of the Chattahoochee River provide a place to unwind and rejuvenate the soul. Fishermen enjoy trout fishing in the river for much of the year. Other recreational activity include a multiuse trail system which starts in Tech Park and will ultimately loop 12 miles around the city.

Demographics

• Population: 42,243
• Median Age: 36

Race

• White: 47.4%
• Black: 23.2%
• Asian: 9.4%
• Hispanic or Latino: 18.1%
• All Others: 1.9%
• Families with children: 33.5%

(U.S. Census 2020 population estimate)

1. No Millage Rate

In surrounding metro cities, a commercial property (business) assessed at $1,000,000 pays annually city property taxes of:

• $10,230 in City of Atlanta (10.230 mills)
• $5,749 in Norcross (5.749 mills)
• $6,551 in Duluth (6.551 mills)
• $0 in Peachtree Corners

2. Great Schools

• Simpson Elementary students outscored county and state averages for Milestone testing by at least 20 percentage points in every grade and subject
• At Wesleyan, 100% of students graduate and are accepted to a 4-year university
• Both Duluth and Norcross high schools are AP Merit Schools, with roughly 27% of students taking AP courses

3. Excellent Amenities

• Access to the Chattahoochee River at three parks
• A 20-acre Town Center with a community green space, entertainment, and dining
• 112 Restaurants, 12 hotels

4. Robust Home Values

• The median home value in Peachtree Corners is $308,200, about 66% higher than Gwinnett County ($185,200) and 94% higher than Georgia ($158,400)

5. Affluent Community

• Mean income is $102,564 which is 11% higher than Gwinnett County ($92,241)
• More than 20% of households earns $100,000 or more

6. Educated Workforce

• More than 52% of people age 25 and over have a college degree, as compared to 35% in Gwinnett County and 30% in Georgia
• Nearly 28% of the workforce is employed in professional or financial fields

7. Committed Leadership

• Completion of 20-acre Town Center
• Completion of Curiosity Lab, an autonomous vehicle testing environment in Tech Park

8. A City in Great Financial Shape

• Recipient of various awards

9. A Record of Success

• The Town Center opened in 2019
• Coding school launched in collaboration with Georgia Tech
• Certified City of Ethics, Certified Green Community, and Tree City USA
• Large international companies - Crawford and Hapag Lloyd

10. A High Energy, Focused Vision for the Future

• Holcomb Bridge Road Corridor Redevelopment
• Multiuse Trail system

Public Schools

Duluth High School

Duluth High School was acknowledged by the Georgia Department of Education as a 2017 Advanced Placement (AP) Honor School in five categories - AP Merit, STEM, AP STEM Achievement, AP Access and Support, and AP Humanities.

Enrollment is approximately 2,741 students, with roughly 29% enrolled in one or more AP courses; of students in AP classes, about 85% take the exam with about 72% scoring a 3 or higher. More than 25% of students graduate with honors, and about 80% plan to pursue a post-secondary education at a 4-year university.

In 2017, U.S. News and World Report ranked Duluth High School in the top 35 public high schools in Georgia, with students exceeding the state and national averages for SAT and ACT scores. The school boasts a 94.5% graduation rate for 2019.

Norcross High School

As the top International Baccalaureate school in the state of Georgia, Norcross High School provides a world class education to students, balancing rigorous academics with excellence in athletics and fine arts. Norcross High School began offering the prestigious International Baccalaureate program in 1999 and this highly rigorous curriculum now serves over one-third of the student population.

In February 2019, the Georgia Department of Education named all Gwinnett high schools as AP Honor Schools. They were among 272 schools from across the state to make the list. Norcross High School made the list in four of six categories. According to Gwinnett County Public Schools, 14,588 students took 28,638 AP exams in 2019 with more than 62% scoring a 3.0 or higher to earn college credit or advanced placement.

The 440,000-square-foot building opened in 2001 and now has a student population of 3,800 students who live in the attendance area bordered by Peachtree Corners on the west and Beaver Ruin and Interstate 85 on the east.

Peachtree Elementary School

Peachtree Elementary enrolls approximately 1,000 students in grades kindergarten through 5th. The school has received numerous awards at the national, state, and local levels. In addition to being selected as a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School, Peachtree Elementary is a 2-time winner of both the Georgia School of Excellence and Georgia Pay for Performance Awards. Peachtree has received the Distinguished Title 1 School award for eight consecutive years and is an International Baccalaureate School.

Pinckneyville Middle School

Pinckneyville Middle enrolls 1,286 students and has been named a Georgia School of Excellence and a National Blue Ribbon School. For six years Pinckneyville has earned the State Department of Education Pay for Performance Grant. Pinckneyville students continually earn top honors in academic and fine arts competitions and the school has one of the highest gifted student populations in Gwinnett County. In order to provide a rigorous academic curriculum and to take advantage of the rich mixture of cultures, Pinckneyville implemented the International Baccalaureate Program in 2004. Pinckneyville students have the unique opportunity to take three years of a foreign language in middle school.

Simpson Elementary School

Simpson Elementary enrolls 1,000 students and has consistently held high scores on local, state and standardized tests. In 2005, Simpson was one of three elementary schools in Gwinnett County to receive the State of Georgia's highest award - the Platinum Award for Excellence in achievement on the state assessment. Since then, the school has received the Platinum Award six years in a row. In 2010 and 2016, Simpson was named a Georgia School of Excellence. In 2018, Simpson was named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, for the second time. 63% of the staff holds a master's degree or higher.

Private Schools

Wesleyan School

The Wesleyan School, located on an 85-acre campus, is a kindergarten through 12th grade Christian college preparatory school with 1,182 students. Of the 146 faculty members, 68% have advanced degrees. The high school has 498 students, and is a member of the Georgia High School Association, competing in the AA classification. Student-teacher ratios are between 7:1 and 9:1.

Cornerstone Christian School

The Cornerstone Christian School was founded in 2001 and serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Cornerstone firmly believes that the total learning experience must be rooted not just in a rigorous math and science curriculum, but also in the development of writing skills and analytical thinking. The school was voted the best private middle school by Inside Gwinnett Magazine.

Multi-Use Trail System

The city is in the construction phase of a multi-use trail system that will ultimately encircle the city and run directly through Technology Park. By linking Technology Park to residential and retail areas through the use of a multi-use trail, there are increased opportunities for walking or bicycling to work.

The first phase will enable alternative travel between Peachtree Parkway and Medlock Bridge Road. By adding a multi-use trail, the city will build a healthier, more livable community and spur greater diversity in housing, while increasing connectivity to bus stops and businesses. In the long term, a continuous trail loop through the city will be similar to the Atlanta Beltline and will further enhance commuting options. The city is working with Colonial Pipeline on this project.

In November 2015, the city adopted a Trails and Open Space Preservation Ordinance providing an incentive for private land owners to donate property to the multiuse trail system. Under the ordinance, density credits are traded for trail land donations.

Gwinnett County Parks

One of the many benefits to living or working in Peachtree Corners is the award-winning park system. There are four Gwinnett County Parks in the city; Simpsonwood, Jones Bridge, Pinkneyville, and Holcomb Bridge Road. There are miles of walking trails along the Chattahoochee River, boat launches, athletic fields, as well as outdoor space for special events. The Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation Department offers a variety of recreational classes, adult and youth athletic programs, summer day camps, art classes, and senior recreational programs.

According to a 2012 survey conducted by the A.L. Burruss Institute of Public Service and Research, the vast majority of Gwinnett County adults utilize the park system. Most respondents indicated they were satisfied with park services, and respondents of all ages indicated their favorite activity was walking.

Chattahoochee River

Peachtree Corners has the longest stretch of the Chattahoochee River at its border of any city in Gwinnett County. Three units of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, part of the National Park Service system, are located in Peachtree Corners; the Medlock Bridge National Recreation area, Holcomb Bridge Park, and Jones Bridge Park. Popular with anglers, the Chattahoochee River is stocked with both rainbow and brown trout.

Town Center

The Peachtree Corners Town Center opened in April 2019 after citizens overwhelming expressed a desire for a city center during a community survey. The city subsequently purchased 20 acres, then selected a general contractor to assist in making the citizens' dream a reality.

Adjacent to the Forum shopping center, the mixed-use development offers a wide variety of dining and retail experiences, ranging from casual to fine dining, with more than 20 dining options. Restaurants include Lazy Dog, Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, Marlow's Tavern, First Watch, and Farmburger, among others.

Beyond the retail shops and CineBistro movie theater is the Town Green, where live entertainment and other activities take place throughout the year. It is complete with a children's play area, stage, veteran's monument, outdoor fitness park, large TV screen, and seating areas.

Some of the shops and restaurants include:

• CMX CineBistro
• Beard Papa's Cream Puffs
• Tiff's Treats
• Farm Burger
• First Watch
• Marlow's Tavern
• Pokeworks
• Taqueria Tsunami
• Tipsy Salonbar
• Hollywood Feed

Pedestrian Bridge

The city constructed a pedestrian bridge that links the Town Center to the Forum shopping center and creates the hub of the city's central business district. The bridge spans Peachtree Parkway, a busy thoroughfare which carries 44,240 cars each day.

The bridge itself is a destination, with striking views and an elegant yet enduring appearance. It also serves as a key link in the city's multi-use trail plan by providing a safe crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Hotels

• Atlanta Peachtree Corners Residence Inn, 5500 Triangle Drive
• Comfort Inn and Suites, 5200 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard
• Courtyard by Marriott, 3209 Holcomb Bridge Road
• Extended Stay America, 7065 Jimmy Carter Boulevard
• Garden Plaza Inn, 6050 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard
• Hampton Inn, 440 Technology Parkway
• Holiday Inn Express, 7035 Jimmy Carter Boulevard
• Homewood Suites Hotel, 450 Technology Parkway
• Hyatt Place, 5600 Peachtree Parkway
• Marriott Atlanta Peachtree Corners, 475 Technology Parkway
• Norcross Inn and Suites, 6650 Bay Circle
• Northeast Atlanta Hilton, 5993 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard
• Towne Place Suites, 6640 Bay Circle

Entertainment

• Bowling Alley: 2
• Movie Theater: 1
• Fitness: 13
• Go Carts: 1

Restaurants

• Fast Food: 30
• Fast Casual: 30
• Cafe/Bistro: 12
• Casual Dining: 30
• Fine Dining: 5
• Pub: 5

The City of Peachtree Corners is experiencing a remarkable renaissance in its growth and development. As a regional employment center with as many jobs as residents, Peachtree Corners has positioned itself to lead Gwinnett's economic resurgence. According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, several of "Atlanta's Best Places to Work" are in Peachtree Corners, including Insight Sourcing Group, BECA, Relus Technologies, NanoLumens Inc., and I.B.I.S., among others. The city is also home to one of Atlanta's top 25 engineering firms, Pond and Co., and top commercial contractors Fortune-Johnson Inc. and Hogan Construction Group LLC.

Of course, one of the biggest incentives that Peachtree Corners offers is no municipal property taxes. No other area communities can make such a claim. The city recognizes that certain "targeted businesses" in fields such as technology and life sciences are particularly beneficial. As a result, the City Manager is authorized to offer incentives to targeted businesses, such as a reduction in development or building permit fees and an acceleration of the plan review and permitting processes.

City Incentives

The City Manager is authorized to offer incentives to Targeted Businesses meeting threshold requirements and those inducements may include:

• Reduction of development permit fees
• Reduction of application fees for public hearings
• Reduction of any current or future impact fees
• Reduction of building permit fees
• Reduction of business occupation taxes
• Acceleration of the plan review process

These incentives may be offered to Targeted Businesses which meet the following thresholds:

1. Tier 1: Targeted Business adds at least 25 new jobs and the jobs pay an average salary of at least 1.25 times the county average for that industry.
2. Tier 2: Targeted Business adds at least 100 new jobs and the jobs pay an average annual salary of at least 1.25 times of the county average for that industry or $60,000 plus health benefits, whichever is greater. (City Ordinance 2013-02-07)

State Incentives

Job Tax Credit (JTC) for businesses or headquarters engaged in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution processing, telecommunications, broadcasting, tourism or research and development industries. Businesses creating 25 new jobs are eligible for a tax credit of $750 per new job under Tier 4 guidelines.

Small business credit initiative (SSBCI), a program designed to help increase credit availability to small businesses, provides access to capital in underserved markets and to women-and-minority-owned small businesses.

Local revolving funds (RLF) are potential sources of funding for new or expanding businesses in select areas. The goal is the creation of job opportunities for low-and moderate-income persons. Funds are capitalized with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Employment Incentive Program (EIP) grants.

Entrepreneur and small business support through the Georgia Department of Economic Development that includes one-on-one interaction, connections and incentives, as well as research, resources, mentorship programs and other tools.

Small Business Administration (SBA) loans and loan guarantees are available to businesses which cannot borrow on reasonable terms from conventional lenders. Loans may be used for land and building acquisition, machinery and equipment, building renovation, working capital, among other uses.

More than 30% of households in Peachtree Corners have an income of more than $100,000, making Peachtree Corners one of the most affluent areas of Gwinnett County. Over 26% of residents in the workforce are in the "Professional Pride" group, well-educated career professionals who maintain upscale, suburban lifestyles. Families are mostly married couples and more than half of this segment have children. The median household income for this segment is $138,000 (Esri Tapestry).

Approximately 32% of the Peachtree Corners workforce consists of a tapestry segment known as the "Young and Restless" or well-educated young workers in professional/technical occupations, as well as sales and administrative support roles (Esri Tapestry). They are typically renters in single-family households with a median annual income of $40,500.

The "Enterprising Professionals" group comprises more than 15% of the city's workforce. They are well-educated and climbing the ladder in science, technology, engineering and mathematics occupations. They have a median household income of $86,600 (Esri Tapestry).

Education

• Bachelor's degree: 31.2%
• Graduate degree or higher: 19.0%

(U.S. Census 2017)

Income

• Median Household Income: $66,905
• Mean Household Income: $102,564

(U.S. Census 2017)

Professions

• Professional, scientific, management, administrative: 20%
• Wholesale trade: 11.5%
• Finance, insurance, and real estate: 8.8%
• Retail trade: 7.3%
• Manufacturing: 6.9%
• Arts, entertainment, recreation, food services: 6.2%
• Information: 4.1%
• Construction: 3.8%
• Educational Services: 2.7%

(U.S. Census 2015)

The Forum

The Forum in Peachtree Corners was designed to resemble a European village and was originally called Hamburg Village Shops. Today, this regional shopping center offers an elite collection of shops and restaurants in a beautiful, outdoor setting.

A few of the stores at the Forum are:

• Atlanta Bread Company Bakery Cafe
• Chico's
• Barnes and Noble
• Chipotle
• Dress Up
• DSW Shoes
• LOFT
• Pottery Barn
• Williams-Sonoma
• Soft Surroundings
• HomeGoods
• Bath and Body Works
• Jos. A. Bank Clothiers
• Banana Republic
• PANDORA

Tucked away in Technology Park is the city's greatest investment to date: Curiosity Lab, a real-world living laboratory and testbed featuring a 1.5-mile autonomous vehicle test track. The Lab offers companies the opportunity to transition unique, innovative technologies from controlled environments into an active community.

Curiosity Lab was featured at the Smart City Expo Atlanta in 2019, when the city presented the 5G-enabled autonomous vehicle and living laboratory on the first day of the conference. The city partnered with Sprint, Georgia Power, Georgia Tech, and The Ray in the endeavor, among others. Autonomous Vehicle Olli and robots from Cloudminds entertained guests.

The autonomous vehicle project has fueled the city's startup incubator, Prototype Prime, which is located inside the living laboratory and houses an intelligent mobility accelerator program and coding school. Prototype Prime has been recruiting software and hardware technology startup companies since 2016 and has expanded, attracting intelligent mobility companies that want to be among the first to test their applications in the 5G living laboratory.

More than 60 employees from 20 companies call Prototype Prime home, and in tandem with the push for AV technology, Peachtree Corners is anticipating continued economic growth from businesses and technology initiatives in the coming years.

View Commercial Properties available in Peachtree Corners.

New and existing businesses are encouraged to review the Business Startup Guide for information about obtaining a business license and getting a space ready for occupancy.