What are the best neigborhoods in Atlanta?

As I can see, most of these posts are old. I'm not looking to move to GA til late 2011, or early 2012. I have only heard about Decatur, Atlanta, Marietta and Buckhead. Does anyone know about Savannah, Macon, Kennesaw, Gainesville, Peachtree City, Sugar Hill, and Redan?? I would like to know more about Atlanta, and its surrounding burroughs but I've heard that the traffic is horrendous, and that the gay community has taken over, which is fine by me, I'm not homophobic, but I've heard such conflicting stories. I have a job that allows me to transfer anywhere in the US. But I'm not sure where to tell them to send me. I will be traveling to Georgia late summer 2010, and would like to start looking at communities to live in. Anyone, with info other than this chick from Decatur, please help!!

Hey...it's the chick from Decatur. If you don't like traffic, don't move to Kennesaw, Gainesville, Peachtree City, Sugar Hill..unless you work in one of those cities.

I know a lot about the entire area..not just Decatur. Redan is not a city...it's a street in Stn. Mtn. Savannah is wonderful and old. Macon seems kinda yucky to me, but I have only passed thru (a zillion times) and would not want to live there. Kennesaw is a nice area but far away from the city.

Welcoming you with warm southern hospitality
signed...this chick from Decatur.

Thanx Chick.... What are the closest OTP cities worth living in?? I work in downtown Washington DC, so traffic for me is inevitable wherever I go. I'm already used to MEAN traffic. I want to get as close to the city as possible without having to pay city prices. And even though I have a car, if I were ever to be without one, I want to live in a place where I can still get to work using Mass Transit.I currently live about 11 miles outside of of the city in DC, and pay a pretty good price, but still expensive enough for the Metropolitian area. Is Atlanta the most "city" you will get out of the state?? Meaning, I know someone who lives in Savannah, which I know is about a 3-4 hour drive from ATL. But I never hear anything about it.

hey there..I am not a fan of being OTP..and ok, for fear of being too PRO-Decatur...just move to Decatur! lol

Seriously...I know people who love Norcross, Dunwoody, Snellville, Stn Mtn, Clarkston, Avondale Estates and Avondale, etc..the last 3 being very close to Decatur w/out the taxes and still inside the perimeter.

It's all opinion...my brother built a dream mini-mansion in Blairsville 2 hrs. north of Atlanta...loves it. It's amazing...he actually loved it so much he built land and houses (wanna by a great lake house? ;~) I love it there too..but would I want to live there?
nope!

Hi ladies I have recived your message and I want to help you out about moving to ATL I just moved their 7month ago and I moved back were I lived not because any bad reason I moved back because one thing I did learn when I was in ATL is that you do need a car everthing is kind space out and if you are not on the marta route you will be paying taxi cabs out of your ass I had to pay taxi cabs to get around and it was not cheap with out a car it is very hard to get around but the little experience that I did get out of AtL it was straight they have a lot of things tgoing on but it depends on you and what you like to do if you like to go out they have a lot of that if you just want go to a show they have that Atl is and alright place to live I lived in Dekalb county in Lithonia

Host said: Where is the good life? For families? Singles?

I've been paying HOA dues in the Summerchase subdivision of Woodstock, GA for 20 years. The only time I've ever been given a pool key was when I bought the house. They continually look for any bogus excuse for denying me access to the pool & are constantly harassing me with petty annoyances and placing liens on my house and threatening to sell my home. They are a bunch of hateful bigots who must have little or no fulfillment in their own lives. The first clue is that they spend so much time trying to trouble mine. If you're looking for a home - do NOT buy in Summerchase subdivision of Woodstock, GA.

Are they any good Bussiness type males preferred, that are looking to rent a couch or room. Im a flight att so Im not looking to move in just need a place to stay when im in Atlanta. Prefer close to Atlanta Intl. Please email me.

Hi Jay. I am a 40 min Marta train ride...about $2 or so...from the airport in downtown Decatur. I'm a short walk to the Marta station. I am a female and would prefer a female renter as well, however, for short term stays, i would consider a male. Feel free to email back with your contact information if interested.

I have a question? Where do you work? Are they hiring?

I am a yoga teacher.

Do you live in Georgia now?

frances rodney in Yonkers, New York said: I AM GETTING SUCH CONFLICTING REPORTS ABOUT ATLANTA. WHAT IS THE REAL TRUTH, IS IT OR ISN'T IT A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE? I AM CONFUSED
WHAT ABOUT THE STONE MOUNTAIN AREA?

just depends on what you can afford and where you want to live..i lived there for 10 years in buckhead but i also lived in peachtree city.....i was young in my 20s so i wanted the city life ....ifi had children or was married i would say marietta,dunwoody,sandy springs or alphraetta ... the main thing is what can you afford?

angela james in Wyoming, Michigan said: families, single mother of three kids ages 11, 9, and 5

just depends on what you can afford..

Shenike in Baltimore, Maryland said: Do you live in Georgia now?

is this question for me?no i dont live in atlanta right now ...im trying to go back though.

Yes that question was for you. Oh ok then. Did you like it when you went to visit?

I was considering relocating to Georgia my voucher.We are planning on moving from Baltimore A.S.A.P. Looking for somewhere in Georgia I can relax and have a peace of mind and still be involved with the inner city with a little distance in between the city and me. I am a single mom too my daughter is 11 soon to be 12 and she loves to be active. She loves Gymnastics. Anyone know of any Gymnastic schools in Georgia?

Well I just turn 30 yesterday and I love the family setting.What do you know of Dekalb county? (Decatur) That's where I considering. What about Lithonia?

Shenike in Baltimore, Maryland said: Yes that question was for you. Oh ok then. Did you like it when you went to visit?

i didnt visit.... i lived there for 10 years 97-2007 yes atlanta is cool ...if you dont make at least 35-40k a year you will struggle...decatur is ok ..i liked the part i worked at ...at it was like 10 minutes to the middle of the city yet has its own little community vibe...

Shenike in Baltimore, Maryland said: Well I just turn 30 yesterday and I love the family setting.What do you know of Dekalb county? (Decatur) That's where I considering. What about Lithonia?

personally i dont like lihonia only because its too far from the middle .....i dont like spending 30 minutes in the car when there is no traffic to get to the action ....where are you going to work?when i moved to atlanta i had never been there ..i just moved ...takes time to learn all the differnt areas...

HI IM A 35YR OLD BLK MALE RELOCATING TO ATLANTA,GA THIS SUMMER FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA IM LOOKING INTO THE ATLANTA SURBURBS MAYBE ROSWELL OR DECATUR I HERE ALOT OF GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE SURBURBS I DON'T MIND LIVING IN ATLANTA IM JUST SO USE TO THE CITY LIFE I NEED A CHAGE OF PACE ANY OPPORTUNITY THATS WILLING TO REACH MY CAREER GOAL PLEASE GIVE ME ADVICE THANKS

Decatur is not really such a suburb...it is a city w/in Atlanta...it is a 12 minute ($2) ride on the Marta train from downtown Decatur to downtown Atlanta.

Well I am a 30 yr sigle mom moving from Baltimore, MD. I have done alot of researching in Georgia and I've heard alot about Decatur too. I am also looking to move there some time in August. I have an 11 year lod little girl who can't wait.

I bought my house when I was nearly 28, my son was nearly 4. Moving to downtown Decatur and enrolling my son in the Decatur City School system was the best gift I could have ever given him. He's currently an honor student in the top 5% of his class at UGA's business school...and he's a great kid with a great group of kids with whom he's been friends since prekindergarten.

I am 36 yrs old I have two teenage daughters and two sons 1&10. I am also married and about to be a grandma(first one). I am looking to relocate , to college park oe decatur, would love some advice on which area would be nice enough to finish raising my kids and to start planning for my grandchild's future. If you can help me, please us. Thank you, God Bless

moving to Decatur was one of THE BEST decisions I EVER made regarding providing a strong community for my son. All due respect to College Park, I wouldn't live there if I was paid. ;~) Decatur was JUST named the BEST overall neighborhood in all of the metro ATL area. The schools are superior, it is low in crime and safe. My friends w/ kids who moved to cheaper areas to save $$, have paid dearly with having kids in trouble with drugs and/or getting lousy educations. My kid is at one of the nation's top business schools as a junior in the top 5% of his class. All that money I spent on high property taxes was worth EVERY penny.

Hello, my name is Shenike I am 30 years young and a single mother,when I saw your ad and I kinda smiled because I was seriously thinking of relocating from Baltimore, Md to Decatur,Georgia with my 11 year old daughter. My lease is up in July and I have a section 8 voucher to assist with my move so I want to take this advantage of the opportunity. I am in the healthcare field but looking for something new.. is the job market OK there.. I know the pay I am use to getting will not apply there but it's Ok. If you have anymore information for me please feel free to let me in on it.

hi Shenike. I am not really an expert in the job market here. I teach yoga and there are plenty of opportunities for me here. I also have had an online business for years and still plug away at it. Decatur is also the county seat for DeKalb County, so there are tons of city and county government jobs, plus healthcare jobs as well. It IS expensive to own a home here due to high taxes..and worth every penny in the quality education our kids get!

My brother lives in Midtown Atlanta, which is really nice. In fact, it's more alive than downtown Atlanta. My other brother and I were there in October of 2008, and he drove us around the city. It's more like the University City section of Philadelphia. High-rise condos, shops, restaurants, and so forth.

Marietta, where my sister lives, is very spread out, but it's also a very nice community, and it has a lot of shopping centers.

lroutledge in Los Angeles, California said: Wow...sounds like YOU need a change of scene...

RITE...CAUSE IF THEY HAVE A HIGH RISK OF HIV MAKES ME THINK YOU GOT IT.......AND U STILL LIVE IN ATLANTA....WHAT EVER.......IM TRANSFERING MY SECTION 8 TO DEKALB COUNTY.....PEOPLE THAT WANT TO MOVE TO ATLANTA DO NOT LISTEN TO PEOPLE WITH BAD ANSWERS......ATLANTA HAS THE BEST SCHOOLS AROUND......WE ALREADY KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE GAY......WE DO WATCH T.V

Hello I am from Georgia but I live 4 hours away frm atlanta. I am now looking for a place their in the Decatur area? Does anyone have any suggestion? I am 22 yrs old and will start Georgia Perimeter College in Jan 2012. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks Much

I LOVE downtown Decatur where I live. College students can find good deals around here through the Emory and CDC lists...you can google Emory univ and find links to network to find a place.

Going to be going to CSU in Morrow, GA been looking for places to stay and JonesBoro, Ga is standing out to me on this specific side of Atlanta. Can someone please give me more information please and thank you!!

Im looking to relocate to Atlanta early of 2012 and i havent heard much about Gwinnett county. I've heard good things about it but in which areas are the best schools I have a 9 year old child.

ATL FA in Marietta, Georgia said: The commute from acworth to downtown atlanta during rush hour can be 3 hrs. Do you really want to spend 6 hrs a day in traffic? I live in marietta and work at the airport (just south of downtown) but I typically leave for work around 2 pm and arrive back home at midnight so I miss the traffic. If you plan on working more traditional hours your commute will be awful. This is one reason why homes further north like kennesaw, acworth, canton etc are cheaper. Rush hr lasts from approx 6 am to 9:30 am - imagine 6 lanes all moving at 10 mph.

I commute from Kennesaw to downtown every day. It takes no more than 45 minutes each day. Occasionally it will be as low as 35 minutes or so, and this is departing 7:15-7:30am from Kennesaw.

I am a 19yr old single mom with a 1yr old son. I am originally from arkansas but now i live in chicago. I attend the institute of art in chicago, but I'm looking to move soon to ATL. I was wondering what would be a good location. I am looking for a slow pace with nice people but also a place that offers great nightlife and recreational activities.What would you suggest?

lisaconehead in Decatur, Georgia said: Hi Jay. I am a 40 min Marta train ride...about $2 or so...from the airport in downtown Decatur. I'm a short walk to the Marta station. I am a female and would prefer a female renter as well, however, for short term stays, i would consider a male. Feel free to email back with your contact information if interested.

Hello im going to move in Feb but im debating on what side
i want to live my fam is against it but im tiref of Fort Worth and ready for change....

Tyson Maltby in Huntsville, Alabama said: I have two daughters that went through Middle & HS in Gwinnett County; not that it makes me an authority but my now Ex-wife is still a teacher there and she was always praising (some times complaining)how much the County expected from the teachers... even with that said... she was and is teaching in one of the best funded and most advanced districts in all of Atlanta and Georgia from our point of view. Duluth is a superior environment to raise your child. I am extremely proud of both my girls for having been accepted to the Univ. of Ga. on the Hope Scholarship. My Older Daughter went on to get her Masters in Guidance Counseling at Valdosta State which is known for being one of the best and toughest in her field and now lives in Tampa, Fl. working for the school system there; her sister is a Senior at UGA (Loves it and followed her sister's footsteps)this year and going into Sports Medicine. We moved to Atlanta from Daytona in the mid 90's specifically to get them in a better place for educational reasons. Even if the marriage didn't work out we are both very proud parents and very glad we made that decision for them.

I'm glad to hear good things about duluth, because that's where i'm targeting to live. I've done good research on schools and found a couple that I think would be perfect for my daughter to attend. I would also like to know how is the berkly lake area or pleasent hill rd area in duluth?

Can anyone please be specific?

I just got a job near the airport and will have about $500 for rent. Does anybody have experience with a specific apartment complex within 5 or 6 miles in a reasonable part of East Point, College Hill or Forest Park, etc.?

Did you ever end up moving?

Hi all,

I am a 32 year old female who will be divorcing, and I want to relocate to atlanta,ga in the summer (2012), and wanted to know where are the best places to live while raising kids-I have a 9 yr old daughter. I don't have any job lined up as of yet, but I do have a B.S. in Political science with a minor in Psych. I am looking to g into human resources or human services. It has been hard to get a reply back from employers, as I am currently living in Germany (Air force spouse), however, I'll be in the states sometime in june. I'm looking for somewhere I can find nice housing, community, and schools, without breaking the bank. So if anyone could give me some Feedback, I'll appreciate it!
QMaine

Good neighborhoods are Smyrna, Duluth, Snellville, Peachtree City, buckhead.

I was wondering if someone can give information about Smyrna? I am looking for a place near/in Atlanta and wondering if Smyrna is safe?

shawnmc in Knoxville, Tennessee said: I was wondering if someone can give information about Smyrna? I am looking for a place near/in Atlanta and wondering if Smyrna is safe?

Very safe, especially the houses on atlanta road, and ridge road.

squirrelonfire in Atlanta, Georgia said: Very safe, especially the houses on atlanta road, and ridge road.

Thank you. I'm looking at places right now in Smyrna area. Could you give any other suggestions that are safer? I know there are some info on this forum, but they were posted at least couple years ago. I will be working in downtown ATL.

decatur city is the best place to raise a kid. crime is up EVERYWHERE in general...i've been in my home 20 yrs; the next door neighbors 50..my neighbors fell for a scam a few months ago and their jewelry was stolen. otherwise, nothing in 50 yrs and a few car break ins every so often here and there. choosing to move here for the safety, community and superior public school system (Decatur City schools...you want to be in zip 30030...right near Decatur Square..NOT in some areas that have Decatur addresses but are not in the city proper.) was THE single BEST decision I ever made as a single parent in raising my son, who is now 22. No comparison to other areas..it is NOT cheap, but it's been worth EVERY penny..with dividends..

downtown decatur is $500,000 houses. And Decatur on exit 24 is $1000,000 houses.

But in Smyrna, with $300,000 you can get a 5 bedroom house with massive yard, great neighborhood.

Hurt road, all the houses along side old concord road after u pass the spring road / hurt road junction. You do not want to stay on sprint road between hurt road and Southcobb parkway.

All the houses around Vinning, very old neighborhood, very rich. They finished constructing that super high condo right on Paces Ferry Road (around Vinning). Houses' value there probably just went up again. Besides living near Vinning, houses there are right next to 75, and 285. Also they are near the Lovette High School, publix, home depot, Cumerberland Mall.

downtown decatur is $500,000 houses. And Decatur on exit 24 is $1000,000 houses.

But in Smyrna, with $300,000 you can get a 5 bedroom house with massive yard, great neighborhood.

Hurt road, all the houses along side old concord road after u pass the spring road / hurt road junction. You do not want to stay on sprint road between hurt road and Southcobb parkway.

All the houses around Vinning, very old neighborhood, very rich. They finished constructing that super high condo right on Paces Ferry Road (around Vinning). Houses' value there probably just went up again. Besides living near Vinning, houses there are right next to 75, and 285. Also they are near the Lovette High School, publix, home depot, Cumerberland Mall.

We are interested in moving to Decatur in the next 6-8 months. Looking at homes for sale, however, I notice them being extremely inexpensive. Like, a really great looking 5 bed/4 bath for less than $100,000. Some 4 bedrooms look really nice and are $50,000 or even less. Why is this?

I wonder what happened to the people that were thinking about moving here if they did and if so what happened???