Hall and Gwinnett counties · The county line
About Rest Haven
Rest Haven is an unincorporated crossroads on the Hall and Gwinnett county line, strung along the roads that run between Buford, Oakwood, and the Lanier shore.
There is no city hall, no downtown, and no traffic light to speak of. The community is the crossroads store, the church, and the country lanes, with Lake Lanier and the I-985 corridor minutes away.
Where it is
The Hall and Gwinnett line
Rest Haven sits where Gwinnett and Hall counties meet, about 45 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta, minutes from both the Lake Lanier shoreline and the Oakwood interchange on I-985. Buford, Oakwood, and Flowery Branch are the nearby cities of the guide.
Because it is unincorporated, county government provides the services: Gwinnett County on the Gwinnett side, Hall County on the Hall side.
Schools and governance
Which side of the line decides
There is no city government; services and schools follow the county line. Gwinnett County Public Schools serves the Gwinnett side and Hall County School District the Hall side, so the first check for any Rest Haven address is the county line on the plat.
Coming and going
Ten minutes to the lake, five to the interstate
The local two-lanes run to the Oakwood interchange in about five minutes and the Lanier shore in about ten; Buford and its retail are a short drive down the county roads.
Straight answers
The questions people ask
Is Rest Haven a city?
No. It is an unincorporated community on the Hall and Gwinnett county line, so county government provides services and there is no city hall.
Which county and schools apply?
It depends on which side of the line the lot sits on: Gwinnett County Public Schools on the Gwinnett side and Hall County School District on the Hall side. Verify by address with the correct district.
How close is the lake?
Genuinely ten minutes, which is the community's best selling point: country-road quiet with Lanier at the end of a short drive.
An editorial guide, not a listings site. Updated September 13, 2026. Real-estate guidance on this page is provided by Rob Dietrich, REALTOR® with eXp Realty, LLC.