Cumming is the county seat of Forsyth County and sits at the northern edge of metro Atlanta along GA-400. Much of the surrounding area's residential growth accelerated in the late 1990s and early 2000s, producing a large stock of master-planned subdivisions with swim-and-tennis amenities. Neighborhoods like James Creek, Highlands at Sawnee Mountain, and communities along the Vickery Creek corridor are filled with homes that are now 20 to 25 years old. At that age, original HVAC equipment is approaching or past its expected service life, and deferred maintenance becomes a real cost driver. Cumming also sits at an elevation of roughly 1,200 feet, which means winter temperatures here drop lower and hold longer than in lower-elevation Gwinnett County communities to the south.