Forsyth County is conveniently located between Atlanta and the north Georgia mountains.
The county is consistently ranked as one of the fastest growing counties in the United States.

Forsyth County is a great place to call home and to do business. We have tax rates among
the lowest in the metro Atlanta area, an award-winning parks and recreation system, and
nationally recognized schools and teachers.

Incorporation Date of County:
December 3, 1832

Total Area of County (Square Miles)
247

2018 County Population Estimate
227,967

Historic County Population
1990: 44,083
2000: 98,407
2005: 140,393

COUNTY NAMESAKE

The county was named for the Honorable John Forsyth,
who had a long and distinguished public career as the
Attorney General of Georgia, United States senator, United
States representative, United States minister to Spain,
governor of Georgia and United States Secretary of State
under Presidents Jackson and Van Buren.

The county has one incorporated city-the city of Cumming,
which was created by an act of legislation on December 22,
1834.

COUNTY HISTORY

Forsyth County’s territories were once part of the Cherokee Nation
and remained Cherokee land until 1832, when Forsyth County was
created by the Georgia Legislature.

In its early days, Forsyth County was known for its agriculture economy.
The area received an influx of settlers following the discovery of gold
in north Georgia and the Georgia Land Lottery, also known as the Gold
Lottery of 1832, utilized to distribute land in Georgia. As the years
passed, the forestry industry combined with cotton and poultry continued
to attract new settlers as the county’s population increased.

LAKE LANIER

A milestone for the county was the completion of Lake Sidney Lanier
in 1957 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This event brought
recreation and revenue to the surrounding counties. More than 7.5
million people annually visit Lake Lanier, making it one of the most
visited and used Corps' lake in the country.

GA 400

Another event impacting the area’s growth was the
construction of GA 400, which opened in 1974. When this
road was completed, it made the county more accessible
to those wishing to escape urban living.

The 1980s and 1990s brought rapid growth and progress, yet
the county was able to maintain its low tax rates and high
educational standards through its school system.

From 1990 to 2000, 54,000 more people began calling Forsyth County home.
And that growth has continued, with the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population
estimate for 2016 at 221,009.