Where to Live in Atlanta 2018 (Sandy Springs, North Druid Hills: fit in, lease, neighborhoods)

[TexasTiger2010]

I know this topic is asked quite a bit, but I’d appreciate some direction.

Single, Straight, White, Male, 26, moving to ATL in June.

I’ll have long days at the office based in Norcross. Also, I won’t be going out after work with coworkers so it will be entirely on me to make connections outside of business hours. Due to this, I’d like to live in a good area to socialize and meet people after work, and on the weekends. I’m not a bigot and welcome all, however if I could pick a crowd to initially be surrounded with they would be white, straight, and around the same age group/young professional.

Rent: $1700-2200 / month
Ideally 2 bed/2 bath - however i’ll take a 1/1 in “the place to be”
...Buying is also an option, but i may want to wait to find an area


If anyone could recommend some areas or buildings that would be great!

Thanks again

[ATLTJL]

Buckhead if you want to be around traditional successful types who like to booze up and chase women.

Midtown if you want the same with a more urban feel and a few younger college age kids mixed in for good measure.

O4W/Inman Park if you want the too cool for school hipsters who play in kickball leagues and go on bicycle pub crawls.

Virginia Highland if you want a more mellow crowd who want beer and burgers, mixed in with liberal 50-somethings and young families.

Sandy Springs if you're interested in a crowd who has avoided the city because of work, dislike of hipster douchebags, or fear, but still wants a semi-urban feel.

In none of these neighborhoods will your budget easily get you a quality 2 bedroom/2 bath, but you may be able to score it if you look hard enough. You should have no problem with the 1-bedroom.

This is all very simplified, but will give you a good place to start.

Don't buy. And actually, you may only want to sign a 6 month lease. You'll discover quickly where you fit in best, and will want to move there as soon as possible. For this reason, perhaps rent in a place that offers flexible lease terms.

[TexasTiger2010]

Thanks. I’ll look for something in Buckhead. Are there any parts of Buckhead I should try to be in? I know there’s the Buckhead Village and a few others.

[ATLTJL]

Personal preference.

The area close to Lenox/Phipps is a hotbed as well as down by the intersection of Pharr Road. South of that, you're in an area known as Peachtree Battle and the vibe changes.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Buckhead if you want to be around traditional successful types who like to booze up and chase women.

Midtown if you want the same with a more urban feel and a few younger college age kids mixed in for good measure.

O4W/Inman Park if you want the too cool for school hipsters who play in kickball leagues and go on bicycle pub crawls.

Virginia Highland if you want a more mellow crowd who want beer and burgers, mixed in with liberal 50-somethings and young families.

Sandy Springs if you're interested in a crowd who has avoided the city because of work, dislike of hipster douchebags, or fear, but still wants a semi-urban feel.

In none of these neighborhoods will your budget easily get you a quality 2 bedroom/2 bath, but you may be able to score it if you look hard enough. You should have no problem with the 1-bedroom.

This is all very simplified, but will give you a good place to start.

Don't buy. And actually, you may only want to sign a 6 month lease. You'll discover quickly where you fit in best, and will want to move there as soon as possible. For this reason, perhaps rent in a place that offers flexible lease terms.

This list manages to be funny and spot-on at the same time.
I was going to mention two more neighborhoods, Brookhaven and North Druid Hills, both of which have a surprising number of twentysomething professionals. The neighborhood gets a lot of spillover from Emory University and the CDC, two major employers in the area. They're also positioned to give you a manageable commute to Norcross and accessibility to Buckhead, Midtown and the Eastside neighborhoods. Your budget ought to afford you plenty of options there as well.

[bryantm3]

i'd recommend east cobb or downtown roswell. call it a hunch.

[TexasTiger2010]

Thank you all. The answers have painted a humorous yet informative picture of where to live. Any tips on the best ways to meet people in the above mentioned areas (Buckhead)? I’ve spent months in cities all over and am familiar with the “sitting alone in a bar to strike conversation” however I’ve heard that probably won’t work well in Atlanta.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by TexasTiger2010

Thank you all. The answers have painted a humorous yet informative picture of where to live. Any tips on the best ways to meet people in the above mentioned areas (Buckhead)? I’ve spent months in cities all over and am familiar with the “sitting alone in a bar to strike conversation” however I’ve heard that probably won’t work well in Atlanta.

At the risk of reinforcing a 'Southern Stereotype', do you attend church? There are some really strong and progressive ministries in that area for singles. Here's one:

Singles - Buckhead

[bigup]

Originally Posted by TexasTiger2010

Thank you all. The answers have painted a humorous yet informative picture of where to live. Any tips on the best ways to meet people in the above mentioned areas (Buckhead)? I’ve spent months in cities all over and am familiar with the “sitting alone in a bar to strike conversation” however I’ve heard that probably won’t work well in Atlanta.

What do you like to do? I've met fellow artists on Meetup. There must be hundreds of groups of all stripes on that site.

[Pemgin]

Not a bigot guys, but would def. prefer straight white people. Thnx!