Best 15 Neighborhoods to Live in Atlanta

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As a Georgia resident for most of my adult life, I can tell you that there’s an ITP/OTP debate that happens here. That stands for “inside the perimeter” of Atlanta and “outside the perimeter.”

The people who live in the city tend to feel superior to the rest of us while the OTP suburbanites fiercely defend their position and the many benefits of living away from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta.

Even though I live happily an hour outside the city, I can certainly see the appeal. I loaded up my car with road trip snacks and both children and headed to the city to check out some of the best neighborhoods in the city of Atlanta. I’ll break down 15 of the best neighborhoods in the city, their benefits, and — just for fun — which ones I like the most.

The Best Neighborhoods to Live in Atlanta

Atlanta Olympic Torch – Photo by Crystal Jackson

To be perfectly honest, I’ve always come down on the OTP side of the Atlanta debate, but that was before I drove through Atlanta’s best neighborhoods. I have no objection at all to city life, but much of my exposure to Atlanta was the interstate (terrible traffic) and parking (difficult for events).

I visited the city to either pass through or attend events, but I had never taken the time to drive through the neighborhoods Atlanta residents call home.

1. North Buckhead

You can’t live in Atlanta and not hear about Buckhead. But here’s what you should know. There’s a town called Buckhead, which is an hour outside the city and close to where I live. It’s a tiny town you might not even notice on a map. Then, there’s the Atlanta neighborhood of Buckhead, which is known for being an affluent neighborhood and home to some of the city’s most notable celebrities.

But let’s talk about North Buckhead. This neighborhood is home to about 9,000 residents. It’s an upscale community with homes selling for nearly $600,000 according to Niche Neighborhood Data. The commute from North Buckhead to downtown Atlanta is negligible, but it must be stated that GA 400 runs through the area and tends to clog traffic.

Some of the benefits of the neighborhood include the elite shopping destination Phipps Plaza, the Blue Heron Nature Preserve, and a strong community feel with regular block parties. The school system in North Buckhead is strong, and the area is considered safe and family friendly.

It’s certainly not the most affordable neighborhood on the list, but if you can afford it, it’s considered one of the best neighborhoods around.

Average Housing Costs: 💰💰💰💰💰
Commute: 🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘
Cost of Living: 💰💰💰
Diversity: 🌈🌈🌈🌈
Entertainment and Nightlife: 🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸
Family Friendly: 💟💟💟💟
Nature and Outdoors: 🌳🌳🌳🌳
Safety Rating: 🦺🦺🦺🦺
School System: 🏫🏫🏫🏫🏫

Unfortunately, due to the aforementioned traffic, I didn’t have enough time to drive through North Buckhead on my visit, but I can assure you that it’s reputation proceeds it for good reason.

2. Virginia-Highland

Virginia-Highland Neighborhood — Photo by Crystal Jackson

The Virginia Highland District of Atlanta, formerly a streetcar suburb, is certainly one of the city’s best neighborhoods. According to Niche Neighborhood Data, the average house costs close to $650,000. Southern Living Magazine ranked it as the #4 best neighborhood in the South. It’s only a quarter mile from the Midtown/Atlanta Beltline, and the 1920s style bungalow houses make it one of the more charming neighborhoods.

I solemnly swear I didn’t move it higher on the list because of Virginia Highland Books, although I can’t imagine anything better for a neighborhood than being able to walk through the beautiful streets and into a pleasantly appointed and well-stocked bookstore.

In fact, I parked nearby, and we walked around the area to get a better idea of why Virginia Highlands has so much appeal for Atlanta residents. It wasn’t difficult to see why.

Virginia Highland Books — Photo by Crystal Jackson

According to Creative Loafing, some of the best features of this Atlanta neighborhood include hiking Morningside Nature Preserve, visiting the legendary blues club Blind Willies for live music, and Highland Tap’s impressive martinis. With an active nightlife, tree-lined streets, restaurants, shops, and even a neighborhood movie theater, there’s plenty to love about Virginia Highlands. It was easily one of our favorite places to explore along the journey.

Virginia-Highlands (neighborhood in Atlanta) bungalow-style houses — Virginia-Highlands bungalow-style houses — Photo by Crystal Jackson

Average Housing Costs: 💰💰💰💰💰
Commute: 🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘
Cost of Living: 💰💰💰
Diversity: 🌈🌈🌈🌈
Entertainment and Nightlife: 🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸
Family Friendly: 💟💟💟💟💟
Nature and Outdoors: 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
Safety Rating: 🦺🦺🦺🦺
School System: 🏫🏫🏫🏫🏫

3. Inman Park

Inman Park is another neighborhood that’s included in the best places to live in Atlanta. It’s known for tree-lined streets and Victorian homes, but my children will know it for excellent playgrounds — they’re sure to find one wherever we go.

Niche Neighborhood Data reports average housing costs of over $675,000, so it’s not exactly one of the most affordable neighborhoods. However, if you’ve got the means to live here, you’ll find many benefits.

This garden suburb has been around since 1912, and the Inman Park Festival is a favorite for visitors and residents alike. It’s a walkable neighborhood that’s also friendly to cyclists and has easy access to the Freedom Parkway PATH trail and the Eastside Trail of the Atlanta BeltLine. It has a MARTA station, so public transportation is also convenient.

This suburb is beautifully appointed, but it’s also convenient to shops, restaurants, and nightlife. With gardens and parks worked into the planning, driving through Inman Park is sure to impress even the most jaded visitor.

4. Grant Park

The neighborhood of Grant Park was built around this 131-acre park and greenspace. The houses in the neighborhood range in style from late Victorian, Queen Anne, English Vernacular Revival, Craftsman bungalows, and even shotgun and double shotgun homes. Eclectic in style, Grant Park offers walking paths, access to Zoo Atlanta and the Historic Oakland Cemetery, a popular seasonal farmer’s market, and many festivals throughout the year.

Grant Park has much to recommend it with plenty of shops, restaurants, and nightlife. According to Niche Neighborhood Data, the average house price is approximately $470,000. Because the neighborhood is situated around a park, it’s got plenty of greenspace for the community to enjoy.

Average Housing Costs: 💰💰💰💰
Commute: 🚘🚘🚘🚘
Cost of Living: 💰💰💰
Diversity: 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈
Entertainment and Nightlife: 🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸
Family Friendly: 💟💟💟💟💟
Nature and Outdoors: 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
Safety Rating: 🦺🦺🦺
School System: 🏫🏫🏫

5. Candler Park

Candler Park, Atlanta — Photo by Crystal Jackson

Candler Park makes the list of best Atlanta neighborhoods for many reasons. The park itself has 55 acres of greenspace for the neighborhood to enjoy. The neighborhood has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. Known for eclectic architecture and an eccentric community, Candler Park ranks high on the list for one of the best places to live in the city of Atlanta.

Niche Neighborhood Data estimates the average house cost at over $570,000. The neighborhood has a 9-hole golf course, access to Freedom Park, a public swimming pool, and public playgrounds. Walking trails and outdoor art all feature as benefits to the community.

It’s considered to be a progressive community that’s welcoming to all. It’s considered safe and family friendly, and it also offers plenty of entertainment and nightlife for residents with many nearby shops and restaurants.

Average Housing Costs: 💰💰💰💰💰
Commute: 🚘🚘🚘🚘
Cost of Living: 💰💰💰
Diversity: 🌈🌈🌈🌈
Entertainment and Nightlife: 🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸
Family Friendly: 💟💟💟💟💟
Nature and Outdoors: 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
Safety Rating: 🦺🦺🦺🦺
School System: 🏫🏫🏫🏫🏫

6. Midtown

Midtown Atlanta can be found about a mile from Centennial Olympic Park, home to the 1996 Summer Olympics.

It’s known as the “Heart of the Arts” and is home to the Ferst Center for the Arts, Fox Theatre, High Museum of Art, MODA, Center for Puppetry Arts, Alliance Theatre, Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD) FASH Museum of Fashion + Film, and the Margaret Mitchell House. Midtown encompasses both West Midtown as well as Atlantic Station. You’ll find plenty of shops, restaurants, galleries, and museums in the area.

Street in Midtown, Atlanta — Midtown Atlanta — Photo by Crystal Jackson

This urban neighborhood has an average home price tag of over $675,000 according to Niche Neighborhood Data. It’s certainly not one of the most affordable places to live in Atlanta, but there’s virtually no commute for city dwellers, and there’s plenty of walkability as well as public transportation. It gets an average safety rating, and the cost of living is also considered average for the area. However, it’s family friendly, has plenty of parks and greenspaces around the area, and has an excellent school system.

Average Housing Costs: 💰💰💰💰💰
Commute: 🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘
Cost of Living: 💰💰💰
Diversity: 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈
Entertainment and Nightlife: 🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸
Family Friendly: 💟💟💟💟💟
Nature and Outdoors: 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
Safety Rating: 🦺🦺🦺
School System: 🏫🏫🏫🏫🏫

7. Collier Hills North

Collier Hills North also ranks as one of Atlanta’s most appealing neighborhoods to live in. It offers convenient access to the Northside Trail, one of the most scenic parts of the Atlanta Beltline. It also offers residents the benefits of Tanyard Creek Park with 14.5 acres of green space.

Nestled between two parks, Collier Hills North is considered one of the most dog-friendly neighborhoods according to residents with convenient access to shops, restaurants, walking trails, and park space.

The neighborhood also offers the Bobby Jones Golf Course and Bitsy Grant Tennis Center. It features 1930–40s era cottages with a friendly neighborhood vibe.

Traffic can be congested, and it should be noted that because this is considered part of the greater Buckhead area, the average housing price might not reflect the recent real estate boom. Don’t be surprised to see some of these cottages with a price tag over one million dollars.

8. Morningside-Lenox Park

You’ll find Morningside-Lenox Park north of Virginia Highland, west of Druid Hills, and east of Ansley Park. Niche Neighborhood Data reports the average housing cost at nearly $850,000.

Let’s face it: Living inside the perimeter has a hefty price tag, but if you can afford it, this particular neighborhood is considered one of the best in Atlanta for nature and outdoors, schools, families, and entertainment. It offers the Morningside Nature Preserve, and the neighborhood association even offers a walking tour to help familiarize interested visitors and residents in the area.

With charming homes, award-winning schools, and an active, involved community, it’s not hard to see why Morningside-Lenox is considered one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Atlanta.

While it’s not one of the more affordable, it does offer the convenience of a short commute to downtown workers, a diverse community, and plenty of park space to enjoy the benefits of the outdoors while maintaining close access to shops, restaurants, and entertainment.

9. Peachtree Heights East

If you’ve ever driven through Atlanta, you’ll notice that there are far too many streets and neighborhoods that include “Peachtree.” We are, after all, the Peach State. Peachtree Heights East ranks as one of Atlanta’s best neighborhoods. It has a suburban feel in an urban environment with most of the 1,100+ residents owning their homes.

This family-oriented neighborhood contains Duck Pond Park, Oodazu playground, Brookwood Hills community playground, and Peachtree Hills Park. It’s considered one of the more walkable neighborhoods with convenient access to coffee shops, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. Niche Neighborhood Data reports average home values of around $765,000. While it ranks as average in diversity and cost of living, it’s considered safe and family-friendly with great access to parks, high-rated school systems, and entertainment.

Average Housing Costs: 💰💰💰💰💰
Commute: 🚘🚘🚘🚘
Cost of Living: 💰💰💰
Diversity: 🌈🌈🌈
Entertainment and Nightlife: 🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸
Family Friendly: 💟💟💟💟💟
Nature and Outdoors: 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
Safety Rating: 🦺🦺🦺🦺🦺
School System: 🏫🏫🏫🏫🏫

10. Lake Claire

Lake Claire Atlanta — Lake Claire — Photo by Crystal Jackson

If you’re looking for a lake near the Lake Claire neighborhood, you might be disappointed. The neighborhood is actually named for the intersecting streets of Lakeshore Drive and Claire Drive.

This neighborhood of over 1,200 homes was once Atlanta’s best-kept secret, but home prices have been on the rise as more people have discovered this progressive, eclectic neighborhood. Niche Neighborhood Data estimates housing costs around $640,000.

Two of the strongest features of this community are Lake Claire Park with its impressive playground and greenspace and the Lake Claire Community Land Trust, which has community gardens, playgrounds, drum circles, an ampitheater, a pond, and local festivals. This vibrant community gets a high safety rating, boasts excellent schools, and maintains bragging rights for being both family friendly as well as having access to an active nightlife.

11. Hills Park

Hills Park makes the list for one of Atlanta’s best neighborhoods for many reasons. Nearly half the area’s residents are renters, and home prices average around $380,000 according to data by Niche Neighborhood. While this area isn’t the most walkable, it does offer public transit and cycling as alternatives to car ownership, but owning a car is highly recommended for this neighborhood. Parks in the area include Center Hill Park, Beaverbrook Park, and Heman E. Perry Park.

Known as the “Upper Westside,” Hills Park about 800 residents, mostly single-family. Even though it’s a mere five miles from downtown, Hills Park is most known for being a relatively quiet community. It’s convenient to several other upscale and popular Atlanta neighborhoods without having the same steep price tag. Also, it’s eventually going to be a part of the Atlanta Beltline.

Average Housing Costs: 💰💰💰
Commute: 🚘🚘🚘🚘
Cost of Living: 💰💰💰
Diversity: 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈
Entertainment and Nightlife: 🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸
Family Friendly: 💟💟💟💟💟
Nature and Outdoors: 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
Safety Rating: 🦺🦺🦺🦺
School System: 🏫🏫🏫🏫🏫

12. Peachtree Park

Picture it: Thirteen quiet streets with 550 homes and the slogan “an island in the city.” Welcome to Peachtree Park, which is home to an active community of walkers, cyclists, dog-owners, and families. Residents can enjoy a thriving community garden and Pocket Park. The Peachtree Park Nature Trail is available, as is Bynum Bridge Park with its 223-foot-long pedestrian bridge connecting this neighborhood to the Lenox Mall area.

Niche Neighborhood Data reports average home values of over $700,000. This thriving community has an average safety rating and cost of living but scores high in commute, diversity, entertainment, nature, and schools. With plenty of community events and involvement, this could be the perfect neighborhood for city dwellers looking for a dash of small-town feel.

13. Peachtree Hills

Yes, there’s another Peachtree neighborhood on the list. Peachtree Hills is considered one of the best neighborhoods in the city of Atlanta. It’s a neighborhood within the Buckhead neighborhood, making it one of the more affluent places to live in the ATL. It was established in 1912 and mostly contains 1920s era bungalows mixed with newer construction. With well-groomed sidewalks, this neighborhood boasts gardens, playgrounds, a park, a gym, athletic fields, and more. It’s highly walkable, but the area is known for smaller homes with small outdoor spaces per property.

Niche Neighborhood Data reports average home values of over $550,000, but market prices for homes in the area are currently priced starting at $700,000 and going up to eye-wateringly expensive prices. The cost of living is average, but it ranks high in safety, commute, diversity, nightlife, and an overall family feel with good schools and plenty of park space.

14. Cabbagetown

I’ll be honest: Cabbagetown ranks as my family’s personal favorite from our exploration of the area. The first thing that struck us driving through the community is the strong presence of art everywhere you go.

Street art lined the walkways, and we passed many residents walking their dogs or jogging through the area. After noticing the art, my children spied the Esther Peachy Lefevre Park where we stopped for a little playtime before walking through the neighborhood.

Most of the homes are 1830s mill houses, and Niche Neighborhood reports an average home value of over $400,000. The neighborhood is also adjacent to Oakland Cemetery, home of the resting place of Margaret Mitchell of “Gone with the Wind” fame.

This cozy, vibrant neighborhood boasts a community center, community garden, public transportation, and well-kept park spaces. With plenty of community festivals and close access to shops and restaurants, Cabbagetown was easily our favorite stop of the day. Although the school and safety ratings rank around average, the area gets high scores for being family friendly, walkable, and having access to parks and outdoor greenspaces.

Cabbagetown neighboorhood, Esther Peachy Lefevre Park

Average Housing Costs: 💰💰💰💰
Commute: 🚘🚘🚘🚘
Cost of Living: 💰💰💰
Diversity: 🌈🌈🌈🌈
Entertainment and Nightlife: 🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸
Family Friendly: 💟💟💟💟💟
Nature and Outdoors: 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
Safety Rating: 🦺🦺🦺
School System: 🏫🏫🏫

15. Old Fourth Ward

One of the most historic neighborhoods in Atlanta is Old Fourth Ward (OFW), which also ranks as one of the best neighborhoods in the ATL to live in. It contains access to the Atlanta Beltline, Edgewood Avenue, and the Old Fourth Ward Skate Park. It’s biggest claim to fame is that it was the birthplace of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.

Residents of the OFW enjoy being home to the Sweet Auburn Historic District, MLK Jr.’s Ebeneezer Baptist Church, the MLK Jr. National Historic Site, Freedom Parkway, the Atlanta Beltline, and Historic Fourth Ward Park, which features playgrounds, a skate park, a splash pad, a lake, and more.

The nightlife is strong in the area, and you just might find a hidden speakeasy off Edgewood Avenue. Some of the area’s top restaurants can be found in the neighborhood of the Old Fourth Ward.

Niche Neighborhood reports average housing costs of around $350,000, but you’ll also find homes in the area priced in the millions. It’s walkable with plenty of access to public transportation as well. Although the safety rating ranks around average, you’ll find that the Old Fourth Ward gets high marks in education, commute, diversity, nightlife, and the overall vibe.

Average Housing Costs: 💰💰💰
Commute: 🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘
Cost of Living: 💰💰💰
Diversity: 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈
Entertainment and Nightlife: 🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸
Family Friendly: 💟💟💟💟💟
Nature and Outdoors: 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
Safety Rating: 🦺🦺🦺
School System: 🏫🏫🏫🏫🏫

About the Rankings

While the best neighborhoods in Atlanta may seem like they have arbitrary rankings, the ones with higher safety scores ranked higher than the ones that were rated as average. There are many wonderful, interesting neighborhoods in the area that didn’t make the list, but one reason may have been due to lower rankings in diversity, safety, and education.

To decode the ratings listed above, use the following key.

Average Housing Costs:

More of these💰money bags mean the homes are more expensive.

Commute:

More of these car emojis🚘mean a better commute ranking.

Cost of Living:

Less of these moneybags💰mean the neighborhood is more affordable.

Diversity:

As far as diversity goes, the more diverse the neighborhood, the more rainbows🌈you will see in the ratings.

Entertainment and Nightlife:

More nightlife is indicated by more of these martini glasses🍸.

Family Friendly:

A neighborhood is ranked as more family-friendly when you see more hearts in the rankings💟.

Nature and Outdoors:

If you see more trees🌳, it means the neighborhood has a lot of access to nature and the great outdoors.

Safety Rating:

The safer a neighborhood is, the more safety vests you’ll find here🦺.

School System:

If you want to know if a school system is considered highly rated, look for more of these schoolhouses 🏫. Less of these mean the rankings were lower.

Living in Atlanta

Those who want the convenience of city living with some of the benefits of a rural setting may want to consider these neighborhoods. Many have access to community gardens and large greenspaces.

Most, if not all, are dog-friendly, and while you likely can’t have a flock of chickens in your backyard, you might be able to find ways to create an urban garden space or figure out how to practice permaculture on even the smallest areas of land.

For those who are primarily interested in city living, you’ll find that these 15 neighborhoods are among the best in Atlanta.

You’ll find plenty of shops, restaurants of all kinds, galleries, museums, and nightlife. While my children would have rated these neighborhoods purely on the basis of playgrounds and entertainment alone, I hope I gave a broader perspective of each neighborhood.

Best 15 Neighborhoods to Live in Atlanta