Dunwoody vs Alpharetta (Avalon: real estate, credit, homes)

[k374]

Can someone contrast these areas in the following terms:

Nightlife
Traffic
Cost of Real Estate and type/style of homes
Schools

[lastminutemom]

Nightlife -- the same, virtually non existent.
Traffic, the same though it depends on where you are going,
cost of real estate , for what you get Alpharetta is less $ and generally newer. New costs much more in Dunwoody (generally) for the same product.
Schools, Dunwoody has schools that are strong, despite the DeKalb school system, larger class sizes, less resources than Alpharetta. Alpharetta has schools that are strong.

[skbl17]

Traffic varies, nightlife doesn't really exist, and costs of real estate are about the same (very high). Where Alpharetta wins is the SCHOOLS. Now, I'm not saying Dunwoody has bad schools; our schools are great! It's the school system that drags Dunwoody down. We almost lost accreditation last year because of DCSD corruption, despite the fact that Dunwoody schools are in very good shape both academically and in terms of parental involvement.

I can see why parents up here want Dunwoody to break off and form its own school district, despite the fact that such a thing is currently prohibited by the state constitution.

- skbl17

[afdinatl]

Alpharetta has the typical suburban nightlife. Bars, topgolf, Main Event Entertainment, Avalon, etc

[sedimenjerry]

Dunwoody doesn't have nightlife but it would be closer (depending on what part of Dunwoody at least). But yes, Alpharetta will definitely have better schools.

[10 feet tall]

Depends on what you mean by "nightlife", but if there is any in either place, Dunwoody has more. With that said, Dunwoody is an overall better location (more central, easier to get places) and it is aesthetically more pleasing (older homes, mature tree lined streets, fewer McMansions, etc). Alpharetta is cheaper but probably has better schools. Traffic is a tie, with neither place being bad.

[arjay57]

Whatever happened to Park Place? That was pretty lively back in the day.

[andy1324]

Local traffic may be the same, but if your commuting into atlanta, dunwoody is a helluva better commute than alpharetta... By around 30min depending on where exactly you are.

[MattCW]

Dunwoody also has closer good MARTA access. Transit access from Alpharetta requires you to drive to North Springs or take the bus to the same, but you're still in traffic all the way down to that station.