Dobbins is between Marietta, Georgia, and Smyrna, Georgia. Marietta has about 56,000 people, and Smyrna has a population of about 51,000. All three are in Cobb County, which has a population of about 697,000 people. Other nearby smaller communities include Kennesaw, Powder Springs, Austell, and Acworth.

It is about 5 miles from downtown Marietta to Dobbins, and about 5 miles from downtown Smyrna to Dobbins; this takes about 11 minutes to commute from either city, but the area can have thick and variable traffic and travel times can vary significantly. The average commute in Cobb County is about 29 minutes.

Major local employers include the Home Depot world headquarters, Kool Smiles dental service provider, UCB pharmaceuticals, IBM, United Distributors, local hospitals, Genuine Parts, the Publix chain, the Glock Inc. assembly plant, the YKK Group, and Columbian Chemicals.

Local Housing Rental Prices: The average apartment rent in Smyrna ranges from $630 to $860 per month, with an average of $740 per month. In Marietta rent ranges from $595 to $790, average $695.

Local Housing Purchase Prices: The average price for a house in Cobb County is about $210,000, compared to $160,000 for Georgia.

Short Description of the Area: Marietta and Smyrna are mid-sized cities in the rough center of Cobb County. Cobb County and its cities are an important part of the greater Atlanta metropolitan area, located in the northwest area of the metro area and state. Overall, the area is solidly middle-class, suburban, and southern.

Climate and Weather: The area around Dobbins has a warm to hot, humid climate, with winter temperatures ranging from the 50s to 30s and summer temperatures in the low 70s to high 80s, with high humidity. The area has long, hot summers with relatively steady rain periods throughout the season, although in the 2000s there was a period of drought, and later a heavy period of rain, leading to flooding. Winters short and mild, with steady rain periods and rare snow. Spring and summer have thunderstorms and occasional tornado warnings. Falls is relatively dry. Very rarely the area experiences thundersnow, and about once a century, a blizzard. Usually, though, the area is warm to hot and humid.

Transportation: Cobb County is served by Cobb Community Transit (CCT) bus system, part of the greater Atlanta transit system with full transfers onto MARTA, the main Atlanta transit system.