Is Kennesaw Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Updated On May 1, 2022
Kennesaw, United States
Safety Index:
84
* Based on Research & Crime Data

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  1. You’ll need a Georgia fishing license if you want to go to the lake and catch some fresh fish. The license you have from your home state or country won’t suffice. You can get the license online or wait until you get to a vendor in Kennesaw.
  2. When you’re visiting the battlefield, don’t play on the artifacts. It IS tempting to climb on the cannons, but those are the same ones that sat on the field during the Civil War. It’s not a toy, it’s a weapon. It’s also fragile after all these years.
  3. You cannot use a metal detector at the battleground either. If you think you found a new artifact, you are obligated to report it to the visitors center and not take it. I doubt anyone is going to be patrolling for that, but on the honor system – don’t steal.
  4. One thing about lakes in this area – most are lowered during the winter months for cleanups and flooding precautions. The Lake Acworth you see in February isn’t the same one you’d see in July. They are two different vibes.
  5. Communities like Kennesaw stay safe because people help report any criminal activity they notice or suspect. You can do the same by calling the Crime Stoppers tipline while you’re visiting at the following number: (404)577-TIPS.
  6. If you’re bringing children, here’s a great way to keep them entertained on the plane or road trip. The Kennesaw Police have a program called “BlueLine Story Time,” where police officers read children’s books that also give information about historic or popular sites in the city. What a great way to get the children comfortable with the police and their tourist destination.
  7. Kennesaw is known for its “mandatory” gun policy that really isn’t as much of a law as it was a statement of the times when it was put on the books. I’m sure people in Kennesaw are sick of talking about the law and people always have very strong opinions on guns. Avoid bringing that up in conversation or making a joke about it.
  8. The city has an app you can download from your favorite app store that has all the details of the website wrapped up into a nice mobile package. This will also update any new attractions or road construction updates. Be sure to check out what events are happening closer to your time of visit.
  9. You can also view the community crime map on the police department’s website to make sure those events are happening in safe places. The map updates daily and you can search for crime types or locations within whatever date range you choose.
  10. Wear bug spray, especially around sunset, because the mosquitos here can be very intense. If it’s humid outside, there are likely to be a lot of ‘skeeters waiting for you to come out unprepared. You might have dealt with mosquitos before, but if you haven’t dealt with mosquitos in the South – it’s a whole different world.

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?

CitySafety Index
Kennesaw84
New Orleans57
Baltimore56
Boston67
Washington DC56
New York City67
Detroit56
Niagara Falls (Canada)87
Calgary (Canada)82
Buenos Aires (Argentina)60
Vancouver (Canada)82
Cordoba (Argentina)61
Toronto (Canada)81

Useful Information

Visas

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

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

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

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

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.

Click here to get an offer for travel insurance

Kennesaw Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Jan 6° C
Feb 8° C
Mar 13° C
Apr 17° C
May 22° C
Jun 25° C
Jul 27° C
Aug 27° C
Sep 23° C
Oct 18° C
Nov 12° C
Dec 8° C
Choose Temperature Unit

Average High/Low Temperature

Temperature / MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High
°C
111318232730313128231712
Low
°C
1371116202222181263
High
°F
525564738186888882736354
Low
°F
343745526168727264544337

Georgia - Safety by City

CitySafety Index
Acworth86
Alpharetta86
Athens58
Atlanta58
Augusta86
Brookhaven71
Brunswick51
Cartersville78
Chamblee71
Dalton91
Dunwoody74
East Columbus87
East Point54
Johns Creek91
Kennesaw84
Lawrenceville85
Mableton76
Macon61
Marietta78
McDonough72
Milton87
Newnan75
Peachtree City89
Peachtree Corners72
Perry86
Pooler86
Roswell73
Sandy Springs82
Savannah70
Smyrna74
Snellville51
South Fulton48
Statesboro88
Stockbridge78
Stonecrest53
Suwanee86
Tucker74
Tybee Island82
Valdosta74
Warner Robins68
Woodstock88

Where to Next?

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