Dunwoody is in Dekalb county. Suwanee is in Gwinette. If I had young kids in public school I’d think twice about the Dekald County School system. Although the public schools in Dunwoody are probably the best that Dekalb has to offer.

Suwanee is much more of a suburban environment. More spread out, more sprawl, more space. The shops are newer, the homes are newer, the area is just much newer than Dunwoody which has been established for a long time. Of course that age means bigger lots, older homes, more established neighborhoods, more mature trees and a sense that everything belongs. It wasn’t all just built in the last 15 years like most of Suwanee. The Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody is probably the nicest mall in the area. Phipps is more upscale and Lenox is more popular but Perimater is the best suburban mall in all of Atlanta and it’s right in Dunwoody.

It’s a lifestyle choice and if you visit both and spend some time in both areas you’ll see the differences. Both offer all the amenities that an upper middle class family is looking for. I hate to use this term but in this case I think it fits. Dunwoody is more “old” money and Suwanee is mostly “new” money.

I think both areas attract pretty much the same kind of people: families who want good housing, ample shopping and restaurants, good schools, etc.