Johns Creek residents spend an average of 30.1 minutes getting to work each way, tying for the second-longest commute among nine North Atlanta cities.
Only Sugar Hill's average is longer, at 33.2 minutes, according to a North Atlanta Star analysis of U.S. Census Bureau five-year estimates covering 2020 through 2024. Peachtree Corners has the shortest average at 25.9 minutes. Johns Creek and Suwanee share the identical 30.1-minute figure, with Duluth trailing by just 12 seconds.
The analysis noted that the numbers counter a common assumption: that living farther from Atlanta means a longer drive. Cumming, the northernmost city in the comparison, averages 28.4 minutes, nearly two minutes less than Johns Creek.
Alpharetta and Peachtree Corners are the only two cities below 26.5 minutes. The analysis suggested that both contain large employment centers of their own, and that many North Atlanta workers commute to Perimeter Center, North Fulton or Gwinnett rather than downtown.
The Census figures measure workers 16 and older who did not work from home. They reflect the time workers usually needed to reach their jobs, including waits for transit or carpools. Because the estimates blend five years of survey responses, including the unusual patterns of 2020, they do not capture current conditions.
The numbers are also means, not medians. A small group of residents with very long trips can pull a city's average up.
Telework reshaping the region
A separate Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) survey, released Feb. 11, offers broader context. Based on nearly 6,000 responses across the 20-county metro region, the 2025 Regional Commuter Survey found that average commute times regionwide dropped about five minutes compared to 2019. Full-time telework tripled from 6% to 20%, and 60% of workers reported teleworking at least occasionally, up from 43% in 2019.
"As commuters return to the office, they face numerous barriers to using alternative commute options," Casey Sloan, ARC's mobility services data analysis administrator, said when the survey was released in February. "Chief among these is not wanting a longer commute time and not having transit available near their home."
Road projects ahead
Two major infrastructure efforts could shift commute patterns for Johns Creek drivers. The McGinnis Ferry Road interchange with Georgia 400 recently opened, connecting Forsyth and Fulton counties. The wider road project is expected to be completed by summer 2028, according to WSB-TV.
The $4.6 billion Ga. 400 Express Lanes project began heavy construction in July. The project will add tolled lanes in each direction between the North Springs MARTA station and McFarland Parkway in southern Forsyth County, Appen Media reported. Completion is expected in 2031.
Johns Creek is also participating in the North Fulton Comprehensive Transportation Plan, a joint effort with Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell and Sandy Springs to develop a long-term regional transportation vision. The city posted details about the planning process on its official Facebook page, and public input is ongoing.
