City of Kennesaw

What City of Kennesaw does

The City of Kennesaw is an incorporated municipal government in Northwest Cobb County, Georgia, approximately 25 miles north of Atlanta along the I-75 corridor, serving a population of 33,036 (2020 census) across more than 1,500 active businesses. The city delivers a full suite of municipal services through 15+ internal departments, including police, the joint Kennesaw Acworth 911 emergency communications center (answering 24,600+ emergency calls in FY25), public works, planning and zoning, building services, economic development, parks and recreation, and municipal court. Distinctive quality-of-life assets include the Smithsonian-affiliated Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History (34,620 visitors in 2024), the 17-acre Smith-Gilbert Gardens (13,894 visitors), the 42-acre Swift-Cantrell Park, the 42,000 sq ft Kennesaw Recreation Center, and the newly opened United Bankshares Amphitheater at Depot Park (June 2024).

The technology stack is conventional municipal enterprise software rather than a proprietary platform. Core systems include iWorq for building permit submissions, ArcGIS for city mapping and spatial data (publicly accessible at gis-cityofkennesaw.hub.arcgis.com), CivicClerk for meeting management, Constant Contact for e-newsletter distribution, and a City of Kennesaw mobile app for resident self-service. Public safety technology includes FUSUS for integrated security camera network access, What3Words geolocation for precise 911 dispatch, and Prepared 911 technology. No public APIs, AI/ML capabilities, or proprietary technology products are documented. The Kennesaw Acworth 911 center meets or exceeds the NENA standard of 90% of calls answered within 15 seconds, achieving 97-97.5% in recent reporting periods.

The city's revenue model is diversified across property taxes (primary general fund source), sales taxes including SPLOST for capital projects, business licenses and building permits, charges for services (recreation, museum admissions, pavilion rentals, special event tickets such as Harvest Gathering at $135/$160), and intergovernmental grants. The city holds a Moody's AA1 issuer rating (upgraded in 2025) and has earned the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for 24 consecutive years. Customer segments include primary residents and local businesses, with secondary visitation from tourists to cultural attractions, and inter-jurisdictional coordination with adjacent City of Acworth and Cobb County on emergency services. The city has no parent company, private shareholders, or funding rounds, operating as a public-sector entity under elected Mayor and Council governance.

Name

City of Kennesaw

Legal name

City of Kennesaw

Website

https://kennesaw-ga.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The City of Kennesaw is an incorporated municipal government in northwest Cobb County, Georgia, serving 33,000+ residents and 1,500+ businesses with public safety, 911 emergency dispatch, parks, recreation, and cultural attractions including a Smithsonian-affiliated museum.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Police Protection (922120), Fire Protection (922160), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public safety dispatch
• Parks and recreation
• Community development
• Cultural attractions

Headquarters

HQ city

Kennesaw

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Taxes: Primary revenue source for general fund operations and municipal services
2. Sales Taxes: General sales tax revenue including SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) for capital projects
3. Licenses and Permits: Business licenses, building permits, and various municipal permits and fees
4. Charges for Services: Recreation center fees, park pavilion rentals, museum admissions, and facility rentals
5. Intergovernmental Revenue: Grants and shared revenues from state and federal sources

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The City of Kennesaw is a municipal government that provides comprehensive public services including police and emergency 911 dispatch (jointly with Acworth), public works (sanitation, stormwater, infrastructure), parks and recreation facilities, cultural attractions (Smithsonian-affiliated Southern Museum and Smith-Gilbert Gardens), the United Bankshares Amphitheater, community development (planning, zoning, building permits), and economic development programs to its residents, businesses, and visitors.

Product overview

The City of Kennesaw is a municipal government providing comprehensive public services and community amenities. Core municipal services include public safety through the Kennesaw Police Department and Kennesaw Acworth 911 emergency communications center; public works covering sanitation, stormwater, and infrastructure; community development including planning, zoning, building services, and economic development; and general government operations. The city has made significant investments in quality-of-life amenities including cultural attractions (the Smithsonian-affiliated Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History and the 17-acre Smith-Gilbert Gardens botanical garden), an extensive parks system (Swift-Cantrell Park, Adams Park, Kennesaw Skatepark, trails, splash pads, dog parks), and entertainment venues (United Bankshares Amphitheater at Depot Park, Ben Robertson Community Center). Additional digital services include a city mobile app, online payment portal, building permit system, and digital annual reports for public transparency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 97.5% of 911 calls answered within 15 seconds, exceeding NENA standard of 90%
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Smith-Gilbert Gardens FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2026501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working in public-private partnership with the City of Kennesaw to maintain the Gardens' collections, support growth, and connect children to nature and art through horticultural and educational programming
• Williams Elleby Howard & EasterminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 July 2026Presenting sponsor of the 2026 Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival
• Ford of KennesawminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 July 2026Presenting sponsor of the 2026 Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival
• Atlanta Regional CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Selected as one of six communities to receive funding through the Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) grant, supporting a planning study to transform Cobb Parkway corridor into a more walkable, connected destination
• Kennesaw State University SBDCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with Kennesaw State University's Small Business Development Center to offer free quarterly business classes and monthly networking events supporting local entrepreneurs and economic development
• Smithsonian AffiliationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern Museum is a member of the Smithsonian Affiliations Project, connecting visitors to stories of railroads, innovation, and American history
• Kennesaw State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird largest university in Georgia with 35,000+ students; provides educational partnership opportunities and serves as major regional employer and cultural institution

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• City of Woodstock: Cherokee County suburb in the north Atlanta metro with comparable population (~35,000) and municipal service mix including parks, police, and downtown development. Closest demographic and operational peer to Kennesaw.
• Cobb County Government: County-level government that coordinates with the City of Kennesaw on emergency services, transit, and infrastructure. Provides the broader public-sector context within which Kennesaw operates its municipal functions.
• City of Peachtree Corners: Affluent Gwinnett County suburb with similar demographic profile, technology-forward municipal services, and a comparable mix of parks and community amenities. Direct competitor for residential and commercial growth.
• City of Acworth: Adjacent Cobb County municipality that co-operates the Kennesaw Acworth 911 center with the City of Kennesaw. Directly comparable in scale and service profile, and operates as a public-safety and municipal-services peer.
• City of Marietta: Cobb County seat located within the same metro, providing directly comparable municipal services including 911 dispatch coordination, parks, and cultural attractions. Functions as a same-county peer for service and competitive comparisons.

Regional players

• City of Smyrna: Cobb County municipality with comparable population and service mix including a downtown revitalization focus. Functions as a regional peer for service delivery benchmarking.
• City of Duluth: Gwinnett County suburb with comparable population and a similarly strong parks and events programming focus (e.g., Duluth Town Green). Functions as a regional peer for quality-of-life benchmarking.
• City of Canton: Cherokee County seat north of Kennesaw with similar growth profile and municipal service delivery. Comparable as a regional competitor for north-Metro residents and businesses.

Broad incumbents

• City of Roswell: Larger north Atlanta suburb (population ~95,000) with a comparable mix of parks, cultural attractions, and economic development programs. Operates as a broader incumbent in the same regional competitive set.
• City of Alpharetta: Larger and wealthier north Fulton suburb with extensive parks, amphitheater, and tech-sector business base. Comparable in amenities and quality-of-life positioning, but at a significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/cityofkennesawga
• Xx.com/cityofkennesaw
• Facebookfacebook.com/CityofKennesaw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-kennesaw

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Kennesaw