Is Kennesaw Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Kennesaw, Georgia is armed and loaded with things to do for everyone in the family and has one of the most unique laws in the United States.

30 miles northwest of Atlanta, you can find Kennesaw along I-75.

It’s hard to miss as there’s a mountain, a national battlefield, and a university named after it.

This is a community of 33,000 people and the head of each household is legally required to have a gun and ammunition, based on a law from the mid-1900s.

Now there are a lot of caveats around that law and nobody enforces it anyway, but it’s definitely an attention-getter.

Most of the hotels are going to be grouped along I-75 and not in the neighborhood areas of Kennesaw, but you will have plenty of hotel options to choose from between Kennesaw State and Town Center.

There are good restaurants in that section of town too.

Several big stories of the Civil War happened here.

Whether you want to walk through a museum or explore the actual battlegrounds, you have several options across Kennesaw.

Kennesaw is definitely a town with a rich, celebrated history but also a lot of great options for the modern-day tourist.

Warnings & Dangers in Kennesaw

OVERALL RISK: LOW

There's a low overall risk here. This is a city with a traditionally low crime rate and a lot of family-friendly activities to do. Kennesaw is very much the picture-perfect suburban area.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

Several routes of the Cobb Linc bus service go through Kennesaw, and you can also call a taxi or rideshare. Having a car is necessary if you want to explore the city fully as it's not a walkable city by any means. There's a low route risk whichever wheels you choose.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

There's low risk with no pickpockets or purse snatching reported for the past several years. Even more impressive considering all the busy shopping areas in Kennesaw.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

This part of the South is always going to have a medium risk due to severe thunderstorms or tornadoes potential. The height of tornado season is in the spring. You should have a reliable weather app handy and keep your phone charged so you can get notifications when visiting Kennesaw.

MUGGING RISK: LOW

With just seven robberies in a year and half of them in homes, there's a low chance you're going to get mugged. Violent crime is also very low in Kennesaw, making it an even better choice for the whole family.

TERRORISM RISK: LOW

Kennesaw itself isn't a hard target, but the whole Atlanta metro area is generally considered a medium risk. I'm going to say this is one of the lower-risk cities in the area since it's so far to the northwest.

SCAMS RISK: LOW

It seems in every town I research there's a scammer claiming to be with the police and threatening to arrest a local if they don't pay money. That's the case here in Kennesaw and there's a low risk a tourist is going to face a scam.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Women and even women traveling with children should feel comfortable that they are at low risk in Kennesaw. There are a lot of safe activities, indoor and outdoor.

TAP WATER RISK: LOW

Cobb County has state-of-the-art water filtering technology and the latest water report shows it meets or exceeds all standards and expectations of safe water.

Safest Places to Visit in Kennesaw

One of the most popular and unique spots in Kennesaw is the Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History.

You’ll walk in and meet “The General.”

I don’t want to spoil too much of the General’s story, but it’s worth the time and watching the movie to learn the full story.

Plenty of other Civil War artifacts and locomotive logistics are on display.

Town Center Mall is the typical American Mall with dozens of stores inside, restaurants inside and out, along with nearby Adventure Air Sports.

That’s a great place to take the kids on a rainy day while burning some energy.

There are also sporting goods stores in that same area if you need to stock up for a wilderness adventure.

A visit to Kennesaw Mountain will take you to the highest point in the Atlanta area, which is nearly 2000 feet above sea level.

This park has the typical trails and a visitor center, but this was also a battlefield where four thousand Americans lost their lives.

You’ll see educational and memorial information and artifacts along the way.

You are only about six miles to Lake Acworth from the center of Kennesaw.

That’s a great place to get on a kayak, raft, boat, or float on your back if you’d like.

There are fishing spots here and plenty of hiking and biking trails, too.

The only thing you can’t bring is a motorized boat.

Row boats and electric boats are allowed.

Places to Avoid in Kennesaw

You’ll find the highest crime rates along I-75, but you won’t notice the area is any different.

The exit areas from interstates traditionally do have higher incidents of crime.

In Kennesaw, the mall and other busy areas are right off the interstate, while the farther away you go from the interstate, the safer the city is.

That doesn’t mean you should avoid those areas.

It’s still one of the safest-rated cities in Georgia, making the Top 10 in 2020.

I would tell you to avoid traffic, but that’s about impossible in this area.

The typical rush hour times are going to get the highways and main roads all clogged up with cars.

You should avoid causing road rage or making certain gestures at other drivers.

There’s just a lot of frustration with traffic in this entire Atlanta metro area.

Try to think of all the benefits that come with the traffic, not just that you haven’t turned left through six cycles of the stoplight in front of you.

Safety Tips for Traveling to Kennesaw

So... How Safe Is Kennesaw Really?

It’s so safe the National Council for Home Safety and Security said it’s the sixth safest in Georgia.

Kennesaw has also gotten accolades for being an affordable city that might benefit residents the most – but tourists looking for a good deal should know that too.

There have only been two homicides in Kennesaw dating back to at least 2010.

Robberies rarely reach over single-digit numbers and 2020 saw seven robberies.

Thefts are going to happen in any city, no matter how safe.

No matter how safe anyone tells you a city is, please don’t leave your car unlocked or the windows rolled down.

Repeatedly law enforcement in dozens of states tells me the single biggest crime that takes up time in the day is reports of cars “broken into” that were unlocked or had the windows rolled down.

Even here, 47% of the thefts were from vehicles.

You really can feel safe if you choose Kennesaw as a vacation location.

Are you still a little far from Atlanta?

Yeah, but there are also natural amenities close by too.

How Does Kennesaw Compare?

Useful Information

Visas

Your Visa gets approved at the airport and then you can put it away. You will need a passport for things like checking in to the hotel or renting a car.

Currency

You use only the U.S. Dollar here. There are few, if any, cash-only businesses here, so don't feel like you need to visit the ATM. A credit card will do just fine for all purchases.

Weather

For winter, bring layers because the temperatures fluctuate throughout the day and from one day to the next. Spring and fall can be perfect jeans and t-shirt weather. You could also get a severe thunderstorm so pack at least a rain parka. Summers are humid and muggy so bring whatever clothing you'll feel comfortable in when the sweat starts to pour.

Airports

Hartfield-Jackson International Airport is less than 40 miles away and plan for at least an hour to get there. Plan 90 minutes to be safe as you've got a large traffic corridor to go through to get to ATL.

Travel Insurance

You can feel protected with travel insurance during your trip to Kennesaw, whether it's a missed flight or a missed step on the stairs needing medical treatment.

Kennesaw Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Average High/Low Temperature

Georgia - Safety by City