Is Sandy Springs Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Say “Yes” to Sandy Springs, Georgia, and you’ll be in a world of Hollywood and television glamour, outdoor activities for miles, and urban living right across the interstate.

This is where “Say Yes to the Dress, Atlanta” is filmed, and it’s also part of where the Oscar award-winning “Driving Miss Daisy” has some incredible scenes.

The city crosses over what’s known as the Perimeter in Atlanta.

That’s interstate 285, which forms a loop around the city.

The northwest span of the city rides along the Chattahoochee River with plenty of water-based activities to enjoy.

Sandy Springs is home to big employers like BMW, Cox Communications, and the home base of UPS.

This is a city of 108,000 people and while it’s mostly suburban, there is a growing live/work/play atmosphere.

The hotels are all located around I-285 and Highway 19, and many are referred to as the “Perimeter” location and not Sandy Springs.

Nearby Dunwoody has a bunch of hotels in that area as well.

This is a great central location to call home base while exploring the entire Atlanta area, or there’s plenty to do in just Sandy Springs and the surrounding cities outside the perimeter (OTP).

Warnings & Dangers in Sandy Springs

OVERALL RISK: LOW

There's a low overall risk. Crime rates are low and this is a middle to upper-class community.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

One of the benefits in Sandy Springs that many other OTP cities don't have is access to the Atlanta area MARTA system. Here you have rail and bus lines for MARTA. You can also call a cab or rideshare. There's a low risk with any of those options. Even waiting at the train/rail station is rather safe here.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

There were 10 pickpockets in 2020 reported. That's higher than many of the surrounding cities, but this is also one of the larger cities. There's still an exponentially low risk you'll be a victim, but it's not unheard of.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

You've got a medium risk here because of the severe weather that can hit Georgia any time of year. Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms are the biggest risks. There's also the risk of flash flooding on the roads and near the river.

MUGGING RISK: LOW

65% of the robberies here were in homes and only two robberies were reported in public. That's a low risk. The risk might get higher if you hop on MARTA and go deeper into the city, so be aware of the crime stats of the city where you're going as well.

TERRORISM RISK: HIGH

The entire Atlanta metro area is going to have a high risk because of the sheer population size. It's the biggest city in the South and a major transportation and distribution hub.

SCAMS RISK: LOW

There's the "pine straw scam" but it only impacts homeowners. There are no direct concerns about scamming tourists, but there were recently a couple of suspects who stole a credit card from a car and went on an $11,000 spending spree at Best Buy!

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Women are going to love the versatility of the community and the safety numbers. There's a low risk for all activities here.

TAP WATER RISK: LOW

The latest annual water quality report from Sandy Springs confirms the water is safe to drink and meets all requirements at the state and federal levels. There's a low risk when using it for drinking or bathing water.

Safest Places to Visit in Sandy Springs

The Chattahoochee River is a great place to start any adventure in Sandy Springs.

There’s the Nature Center that has nearly 130 acres of land where the river meets the forest and both meet the wetlands.

If you want to see the forest from above, hop on the Screaming Eagle zip line ride.

There’s also an option for a slower zip line tour that is more about the ecosystem than adrenaline.

A great place to just chill out is Morgan Falls Overlook Park.

There are porch swings set up right near the overlook so you can take in the beauty of the river while rocking to the sounds of nature.

History lessons abound at Heritage Sandy Springs.

There’s a museum in this historical center with fixed and rotating exhibits.

Heads up – this space is also used for weddings and business meetings, so call ahead to make sure it’s open to the public the day you want to visit.

Speaking of weddings, the “Say Yes To The Dress” location is 6021 Sandy Springs Circle.

There was a tour here of popular movie spots in the city, but the latest message on the website says it was shut down.

There are movie tours in Atlanta you can take, but you’ll have to go outside of Sandy Springs to do so.

The City Green is the best of both worlds, as the name suggests.

There’s free WiFi available while you chill on the grass and watch kids frolic on the splash pad.

There are art displays around this area too, so go for a stroll.

Places to Avoid in Sandy Springs

It’s hard to put “high crime area” and “Sandy Springs” in the same sentence.

This is a very safe community.

While the crime maps show the rates going up the closer you get to Roswell, that’s not really saying much in a place where violent crime is half the national average and less than half the state average.

If someone says they want to “Shoot the Hooch” with you – that doesn’t have anything to do with guns or shooting.

That means going tubing down the Chattahoochee River.

Still unclear?

It’s when you take an inflatable doughnut-shaped tube, get into the river, sit on it, and float down.

You are now “shooting the hooch.”

There is also a business called “Shoot the Hooch” that provides rental equipment for shooting the hooch.

Avoid the highways during rush hours unless you want to see some of the worst traffic of your lifetime.

Every city in Georgia I’ve researched claims the traffic is terrible.

Every time I drive through Atlanta, the traffic is terrible.

Traffic is just part of the Atlanta essence.

Just don’t think you’re going to find a way to “beat the traffic.”

Safety Tips for Traveling to Sandy Springs

So... How Safe Is Sandy Springs Really?

Sandy Springs has a nice balance of things to do, other places you can get to, with natural attractions – all mixed with a low crime rate.

Here are the risks of being a victim of a crime:

• Violent Crime: 1 in 659
• Robbery: 1 in 2349
• Theft: 1 in 188

73% of the violent crimes happened in homes and were domestic issues.

Just 15% were against strangers.

65% of robberies were also in homes.

Only two were in public places.

The theft numbers have some context to them that hopefully will resonate with you.

50% of all thefts happened from inside or outside a car.

You are much more likely to have a car broken into than your purse or wallet stolen.

This is a safe city with literally a freeway to anywhere in the Atlanta area you want to go.

How Does Sandy Springs Compare?

Useful Information

Visas

You can take care of the Visa approval at the airport. You won't need to go through processing between states or cities.

Currency

You can just use the U.S. Dollar here. Credit cards and mobile pay services are widely accepted, so there's not a need to carry cash.

Weather

You'll want layers in the winter because the temperatures can fluctuate throughout the day. A cold morning might need a light sweater, but by the afternoon you could be sweltering hot. Summers are going to be very muggy. Bring bug spray to keep mosquitos away.

Airports

Hartsfield Jackson International Airport in Atlanta is the best option. It's 27 miles away but straight through the portal of Atlanta traffic hell. Give yourself a lot of extra time to get there.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is a must when visiting a place with volatile weather and so many traffic troubles.

Sandy Springs Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Average High/Low Temperature

Georgia - Safety by City