Local guidesNorth GwinnettBuford
Buford
Buford is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, with a small northern part in Hall County, and a population of 17,144 at the 2020 census.
Where is Buford, and what is it like?
Buford is a suburb within the Atlanta metropolitan area. Most of the city is in Gwinnett County, and a small northern portion reaches into Hall County. The Hall County part falls in the Gainesville metropolitan area.
The 2020 census counted 17,144 people, up from 12,225 in 2010. The city covers 18.22 square miles (47.18 km2), of which 18.13 square miles is land.
Buford has a humid subtropical climate. July is usually the warmest month, with an average high of about 87 degrees Fahrenheit. January is the coldest, with an average high of about 50 degrees. February has the most rain, averaging 5.3 inches (130 mm), and April the least, at 3.7 inches (94 mm). The record high is 107 degrees (1952) and the record low is minus 8 degrees (1985).
How did Buford begin?
The area was Cherokee territory until the 1830s. Non-Native settlement grew mainly in the 1860s. During railroad construction in 1865, stockholders Thomas Garner and Larkin Smith bought land along the right-of-way and began developing the town. The railway was completed in 1871.
Buford was incorporated as the Town of Buford on August 24, 1872, and renamed the City of Buford in 1896. It is named for Algernon Sidney Buford, president of the Atlanta and Richmond Air-Line Railway while it was being built.
Why was Buford called the Leather City?
R. H. Allen opened a harness shop and tannery in 1868. His brother Bona Allen founded the Bona Allen Company in 1873. Buford became known as The Leather City and made saddles, horse collars, bridles and shoes. Fires in 1903 and 1906 set the business back.
Bona Allen saddles were sold through the Sears mail-order catalog. A shoe factory built in 1919 on what became Tannery Row closed in 1942 and again in 1945. Tandy Corporation bought the tannery in 1968, and a fire in 1981 led Tandy to close it, ending the leather industry in Buford.
Tannery Row became home to the Tannery Row Artist Colony in 2003. The Bona Allen Shoe and Horse Collar Factory is on the National Register of Historic Places.
What is there to do in Buford?
Buford has a community center, an arena, Phillip Beard Stadium and Dexter Wood Field, tennis, and youth baseball, softball and basketball programs.
Buford Dam Park sits beside Lake Lanier. The southern end of Lake Sidney Lanier, and the Lake Lanier Islands, are also in Buford. The Mall of Georgia lies outside the city limits but uses a Buford mailing address.
Who provides services in Buford?
Buford runs its own electric, gas, water and sewer departments, along with sanitation, stormwater, street, inspection and planning and zoning departments.
The Buford-Sugar Hill branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library is in the city.
How do you get around Buford?
Interstate 85 (Exit 115) and Interstate 985 (Exit 4) both pass through Buford. Georgia State Route 20 and U.S. Route 23 also serve it. Ride Gwinnett provides local transit, and a GRTA Xpress Park and Ride serves commuters going to Atlanta.
Southern Railway passenger trains once stopped in town. The last northbound stop ended around 1968. Gwinnett County Airport in Lawrenceville is the nearest airport, 14 miles away. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is 48 miles away.
What schools serve Buford?
Buford has its own school system. The Buford City School District serves residents inside the city limits and runs Buford Middle School and Buford High School. Gwinnett County Public Schools and Hall County Public Schools serve residents outside them.
Residents outside the city limits are served by Gwinnett County Public Schools or Hall County Public Schools, depending on which county they live in.
Find a local business in Buford
Buford is covered by the North Gwinnett guide. Start with the businesses in Buford itself, or look across the whole guide by what they do.
Businesses in BufordQuestions about Buford
- What counties is Buford, Georgia in?
- Most of Buford is in Gwinnett County. A small northern part is in Hall County.
- What was the population of Buford in 2020?
- The 2020 census counted 17,144 people.
- Why was Buford called the Leather City?
- The Bona Allen Company, founded in 1873, made saddles, harnesses and shoes there until a fire led to its closing in 1981.
- Who is Buford named after?
- Algernon Sidney Buford, president of the Atlanta and Richmond Air-Line Railway during its construction.
- Does Buford have its own school district?
- Yes. The Buford City School District serves residents inside the city limits.
- Is there a local business directory for Buford?
- Yes. Buford is covered by the North Gwinnett guide from Local Business America. It lists local businesses in Buford and the towns around it, and it is free to read.
- How do I list my business in Buford?
- Open the North Gwinnett guide and choose Claim your listing. If your business is not there yet, choose List your business. Claiming is free, and a person checks each claim.
- What does a business listing in Buford cost?
- Every business has a free listing with opening hours, a map and a link to your website. Essentials is $19 a month and adds a photo gallery, an enquiry form and your Google reviews. Premium is $39 a month and adds a boost to the top of your category and a do-follow link to your website.