Sandy Springs is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia, in the heart of the Atlanta metropolitan area, sitting just north of the city of Atlanta along the Chattahoochee River. With a 2020 population of 108,080, it is the seventh-largest city in Georgia and the second-largest in the metro region, yet it is also one of the state's youngest cities. The community's roots are old, but its municipal identity is new. The area was settled in the early 1800s and long functioned as an unincorporated portion of north Fulton County. For four decades, residents campaigned for local self-government, an effort begun in the 1960s largely to prevent annexation by Atlanta. In June 2005, 94 percent of voters approved incorporation, making Sandy Springs the first new city in Georgia in nearly half a century, with Eva Galambos elected its first mayor. Sandy Springs is best known as a corporate powerhouse. Its Central Perimeter district is one of the Southeast's largest office markets, and the city hosts the headquarters of major companies including UPS, Inspire Brands, Newell Brands, Focus Brands, and Cox Enterprises, as well as the North American headquarters of Mercedes-Benz USA. Three hospitals — Northside Hospital, Emory Saint Joseph's, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta — anchor a substantial healthcare economy. The Chattahoochee River is the city's defining natural feature. Three units of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area — Island Ford, Powers Island, and East Palisades — lie within its borders, together with about 22 miles of river shoreline for hiking, fishing, and paddling. Transportation is another strength: Interstates 285 and Georgia 400 intersect in the city, and MARTA's Red Line runs through it with four stations, connecting residents to Atlanta and the airport. For residents, Sandy Springs offers a rare combination of corporate employment, transit access, strong Fulton County schools, and river recreation, all within a self-governing community that has embraced its role as one of metro Atlanta's premier addresses.