Berkeley Lake is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. It is an affluent northern suburb of Atlanta. From its 1956 origins as a summer retreat, Berkeley Lake has grown into a thriving community centered on its namesake lake. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 1,574. It has been named a Tree City USA for 18 years. Berkeley Lake residents are mostly a mix of entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and other professionals. There is also a large number of artists and writers. With a median household income of $131,944, Berkeley Lake is the most affluent town in the state of Georgia.
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,574 people, 472 households, and 474 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,312 people per square mile. There were 606 housing units at an average density of 505 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 75.5% White, 5.7% African American, 0.1% Native American, 14.3% Asian, 1.3% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.6% of the population. There were 572 households, out of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.7% were married couplesliving together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.1% were non-families. 13.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.04. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 3.9% from 18 to 24, 18.7% from 25 to 44, 40.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males. According to the 2015 American Community Survey, the median income for a household in the city was $118,571, and the median income for a family was $130,100. Males had a median income of $104,643 versus $65,417 for females. The per capita income for the city was $51,773. About 3.3% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Roads and expressways
A number of collector roads distribute traffic around both incorporated and unincorporated areas of the city.
The majority of lands in the city limits was developed by Frank Coggins in the late 1940s. The dam, constructed in 1948, is one of the largest earthen dams in the state. The city's namesake, Lake Berkeley, was named after Mr. Coggins' Berkeley Blue Granite Quarries in Elberton. In 1950 the Berkeley Lake "subdivision," which included five reserved Free Pass and Repass tracts and the residential and fishing lots around the lake, was laid out. In 1952, Calvin and Kate Parsons, along with John and Dorothy Bagwell, purchased the Berkeley Realty & Investment Company and its property. For many years, Berkeley Lake was primarily a summer retreat, with an assortment of fishing cottages mingling with a slowly growing number of permanent homes. The health of the lake was guarded by a small, but tenacious, core of residents, each lending their expertise and time. In 1953, some 25 property owners met and formed the Lake Berkeley Civic Association. Besides zoning and developmental control, there were important needs such as electricity, telephones, and "an all year road" around the lake. This need for benefits that an incorporated city could help secure brought about the creation of its charter, which was approved by the General Assembly of Georgia on March 6, 1956. A new municipality to be known as the City of Berkeley Lake was created in Gwinnett County. Over the years since the city's incorporation, a number of ordinances have been passed to protect the character and tranquility of the community. In addition, a comprehensive master plan for future land use and growth was developed and adopted. Since 1994, five new subdivisions have been added to nearly complete the development of all the land within the city limits. Only two tracts of over remain. In November 1996, residents supported a referendum for the issuance of a bond to be used to purchase one of these tracts, approximately of undeveloped forest land. This property, which provides both buffer and greenspace, was acquired by the city in December 1996. In 2009, the city received record-breaking rainfall and the Lake Berkeley Dam was damaged. The lake was subsequently drained and, with the help of FEMA, repaired. The Lake Berkeley Dam repairs were completed in 2013, and the lake returned to full pool in 2014.
