TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2026 · Issue No. 40 · 4 min read
Milton is Georgia's No. 2, and Johns Creek is No. 1
Plus: the Crabapple townhomes get a final review tonight, and that new signal slips to Aug 12
Top of Mind
Milton is the second best place to live in Georgia. That is according to HomeSnacks, a list-making publication that ranks cities nationwide using federal data, primarily from the Census Bureau and the FBI. Milton scored a 9 out of 10 and climbed two spots from last year.
The numbers underneath it are the interesting part. Median household income here is $171,295, which HomeSnacks calls the highest in the state. Median home value is $941,274, roughly triple the Georgia figure. Unemployment sits at 2.8% against a state rate of 5.1%, and crime runs about 70% below the national average.
Then the twist, and it is a good one for anyone who has driven up 141 lately: first place went to Johns Creek. That is worth sitting with, because Milton's median household income is about $11,000 higher than Johns Creek's and its median home value is roughly a third above it. Johns Creek scored 9.5 to Milton's 9.
The city's own announcement made a joke of not landing at No. 1. The honest answer is the composite score, and per the city, the single category Milton graded lowest on was commute times. Which will surprise no one who leaves for work before seven.
North Fulton ran the table either way. Johns Creek first, Milton second, Roswell fifth, Alpharetta seventh.
Source: Best Places To Live In Georgia, HomeSnacks
One tap, no form
Milton came second. What would actually make it first?
Shorter commutesMore places to eatMore trails and green spaceNothing. Do not tell anyone.Results in Thursday’s issue.
Crabapple Corner
Fifteen townhomes off Broadwell get their final review tonight
The Design Review Board meets at City Hall at 6 PM, and it has one real item: the final architectural and building review of the Urbandale Townhomes proposal at 12475 and 12505 Broadwell Road. About seven acres near the Alpharetta line, backing onto Crabapple Crossing.
What is proposed: detached single-family homes fronting Broadwell, with three townhome structures behind them, 15 units in all, kept off the main road. The parcels are zoned T-4 and T-2 inside the Crabapple Form-Based Code area, which is the code written specifically to govern how this part of Milton looks as it fills in.
The board has seen this before. It gave the same proposal a courtesy review on June 9 and sent it back with recommendations. Tonight is the applicant returning with the architecture: gable brackets, board and batten shutters, decorative railings, contrasting earth tone materials, and an entry-side driveway and walking path for each row. The board's seven appointed members recommend to the city's Community Development Director, and they also hold the vote on demolition requests.
If you live in Crabapple Crossing or drive Broadwell daily, this is the meeting that decides what the back of that property looks like. You can attend in Council Chambers or watch online. We will report what the board decided in Thursday's issue.
Source: Design Review Board agenda, August 4
The Drive
It is day two of the school year, and Freemanville Road is still the problem. The bridge replacement means real delays right in the morning window. Birmingham Highway and Bethany Bend are the obvious detours, which is exactly why they will also be busy. Leave early or pick your moment.
An update on something we told you was coming: the new signal at Crabapple Road and Green Road did not switch on July 30. We flagged that date twice, so here is the correction. The city says unexpected problems with traffic detection held it up, and GDOT now plans to activate it on August 12.
When it does go live, the change is bigger than it sounds. Green Road has had a stop sign, leaving drivers to judge a gap in Crabapple Road traffic on their own. Once the signal is running, Crabapple Road drivers can get a red light there for the first time. If you drive that intersection daily, that is the part to expect.
Source: City of Milton
This Week in Milton
Friday, August 7 · 5:30 to 10 PM. The All-Nashville Roadshow returns to Market District Crabapple, 12655 Birmingham Highway, and this one doubles as the launch of the new green space. Three rising Americana acts out of Nashville, plus Nashville brews and bites, hosted by Travis Stevenson. Ticketed. allnashvilleroadshow.com/milton-ga
Saturday, August 8 · 8 to 10 PM. The Betsy Franck Band plays Matilda’s Music Under the Pines, 850 Hickory Flat Road. Franck is an Americana and blues songwriter with five studio albums and national and international touring behind her, playing here with Carlton Owens and Stephen Spivey. Matilda’s is outdoors and BYO: bring a cooler, bring a picnic, tables are first come first served. Enter off Hickory Flat Road at 7 Acres. matildasmusicvenue.com/music
Monday, August 10. Last day to vote in Best of Milton 2026. Winners are revealed Sunday, August 16. If you have not voted yet, this is the week. readroundabout.com/best-of-milton
