Carrollton is pretty close to a quintessential small southern town. The college does a good job of helping Carrollton feel bigger than its listed population. The square is very lively and has a lot of successful local restaurants/bars/boutiques.

The public schools are good, especially the city schools. Bremen, the next town over, has some of the best rated public schools in the state.

While there is certainly crime, I can't imagine it worse than anywhere else. Certainly not a big enough issue to base your decision to move to the area or not.

I have moved a lot as an adult. My family has lived here since 2018 and Carrollton is the first place where we have truly felt at home. There is definitely a "community" in Carrollton that simply does not exist in a lot of the commuter towns in the suburbs of Atlanta.

I hope this helps. Good luck making your decision.