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Hello, friends. I’ve been debating posting here a few months, but I really think I could benefit from your advice. I relocated my family (2 adults, 3 kids elementary age) here 2 years ago for a new job. We came from Ft Lauderdale, FL. I took some advice from coworkers at my new job and was recommended the Fayette County area, where we found a house in Fayetteville and the timing just worked out and we bought it.
Now I’m thankful to have an affordable home to live in, but not happy with the location. I work 12-hour days, 4 days a week and find it challenging to explore around the vast ATL metro areas. It takes us over an hour to get anywhere!
Our goal would be to be able to branch out and narrow down some areas we like before deciding to move during the summer. I appreciate any advice you can give to help us narrow down our search. I know I'll never replace what we had in Florida but maybe we can come close?
Does an area like this exist in the ATL metro area?
• Housing areas that aren’t secluded neighborhoods. This is hard to explain but where we live there’s lots of communities along long 2 lane roads and each one is surrounded by trees. I’d prefer if they all were connected / blended together)
• Walkable areas, nice downtown, public transportation is a plus.
• Strong Parks/ Recreation dept. with city / county events.
• Good public library system for kids.
• Diversity is important. To me that means a generous balance of races, where not one race makes up more than half of the population.
• Public schools, safety and diversity is more important than great school grades. They can be average. We are very involved in their education.
• Younger families (we are mid 30’s with children in elementary school)
• Less involvement in churches. We aren't against religion but every event near us seems to be at a church. We just feel the church-people tend to be very judgmental.
• Different food options, from different cultures.
• Distance to airport is a factor since I work near there. I’m willing to sacrifice commute time for quality of life.
Honestly based on what you’re looking for just move into the city. Atlanta has all of those factors in spades in the inner city neighborhoods. Specifically I’d recommend
-Inman park
-cabbagetown
-Reynoldstown
-Grant Park
-Summerhill
There are other neighborhoods of course but those ones I have specific experiences with from living there and they all have what you describe. As a vague general search tool for additional neighborhoods I’d recommend searching anywhere with in the following borders.
-no further east than Moreland
-no further south than the southern trail of the Atlanta beltline
-no further west than the eastern side of the 76/85 connector
-No further north than 17th
Of course there are exceptions to this and plenty of pockets that would meet those criteria BUT if you aren’t familiar with the city then within those borders you’ll always find everything you’re asking for. In General if you’re familiar with the Atlanta beltline just consider any property inside the beltline as good to go, caveat being that was east side is preferable over Westside although you will save money on the Westside. As the beltline continues to get built out and property around it developed I wouldn’t be surprised if ITB and OTB becomes a thing similar to ITP and OTP today.
First thought was, where's work? Saw it's the airport (or nearby).
Now the question is, what's the budget?
Assuming your coworkers are the same ones from a couple years ago, suggesting Fayette County makes sense. It's right there and very common for airport area workers to live in Fayette. But, it's not for everyone.
I second (or third?) looking at the actual city. The areas mentioned would not be that far of a commute to the airport and would be the best fit.
Thank you all, you know I never once thought of living in the actual city for some reason.. I guess I assumed there wouldn't be any families around there? And the reputation of the city I hear is not good crime-wise.
I suppose I can see why I was recommended the Fayette area, but I agree it's not for me.
Sorry about not putting a budget, I wasn't really sure if it was necessary.. I'd say the budget is around 700k max, but I'm not moving right away. Just looking for places to nail down. Also I feel like if I wanted it badly enough I could make some sacrifices to make it work.. And I would consider renting if I couldn't afford to buy something.
Hello, friends. I’ve been debating posting here a few months, but I really think I could benefit from your advice. I relocated my family (2 adults, 3 kids elementary age) here 2 years ago for a new job. We came from Ft Lauderdale, FL. I took some advice from coworkers at my new job and was recommended the Fayette County area, where we found a house in Fayetteville and the timing just worked out and we bought it.
Now I’m thankful to have an affordable home to live in, but not happy with the location. I work 12-hour days, 4 days a week and find it challenging to explore around the vast ATL metro areas. It takes us over an hour to get anywhere!
Our goal would be to be able to branch out and narrow down some areas we like before deciding to move during the summer. I appreciate any advice you can give to help us narrow down our search. I know I'll never replace what we had in Florida but maybe we can come close?
Does an area like this exist in the ATL metro area?
• Housing areas that aren’t secluded neighborhoods. This is hard to explain but where we live there’s lots of communities along long 2 lane roads and each one is surrounded by trees. I’d prefer if they all were connected / blended together)
• Walkable areas, nice downtown, public transportation is a plus.
• Strong Parks/ Recreation dept. with city / county events.
• Good public library system for kids.
• Diversity is important. To me that means a generous balance of races, where not one race makes up more than half of the population.
• Public schools, safety and diversity is more important than great school grades. They can be average. We are very involved in their education.
• Younger families (we are mid 30’s with children in elementary school)
• Less involvement in churches. We aren't against religion but every event near us seems to be at a church. We just feel the church-people tend to be very judgmental.
• Different food options, from different cultures.
• Distance to airport is a factor since I work near there. I’m willing to sacrifice commute time for quality of life.
Thanks for your time reading and suggesting.
Honestly and frankly, it doesn’t really sound like metro Atlanta and North Georgia might necessarily be the best fit for you and your family at this point in time.
It sounds like you are really having some VERY noticeable difficulty in adjusting to the social and cultural differences between South Florida and North Georgia. It sounds like you are experiencing a very significant degree of culture shock after moving to North Georgia from South Florida.
One important thing to note about metro Atlanta is that Atlanta has an extremely well deserved reputation of being one of the lowest density and most spread out large major metropolitan areas on the entire planet.
As you seem to have learned, everything (most development from homes to schools, businesses, shopping centers, etc.) in metro Atlanta and North Georgia is basically extremely spread out because (unlike a much more densely developed area like the East Coast of South Florida where development is constrained by the great Everglades swamp to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east) there basically are no natural barriers or constraints to development in the landlocked metro Atlanta/North Georgia region.
And Fayette County, with its very large residential lot sizes (that are required by law, particularly in unincorporated Fayette County) and extremely low density semi-rural exurban character, is ground zero for the very low/extremely low density semi-rural outer-suburban/exurban development pattern and interior Deep Southern lifestyle that dominates the metro Atlanta/North Georgia region.
Because of the very low to extremely low density of development of the greater metropolitan Atlanta/North Georgia region (which is influenced by the rolling to hilly creek-and-valley terrain of metro Atlanta’s landlocked interior location near the boundary between the relatively level to rolling terrain of the upper Piedmont Plateau and the rolling to hilly to low mountainous terrain of the Southern Appalachian foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains), most residential neighborhoods (particularly outside of the I-285 Perimeter loop highway, and even inside of the I-285 Perimeter to some extent) are “secluded” neighborhoods that are surrounded by trees and heavy woods and are mostly and/or only accessible by often-winding two-lane roads.
Another important thing to note about metro Atlanta is that Atlanta is an extremely Northside-heavy metropolitan area. Most of the people, businesses, jobs, development and top-notch amenities (and traffic congestion) are located north of Interstate 20 on the north side of the greater Atlanta metropolitan region.
And since Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is located noticeably south of I-20 on the south side of the Atlanta region, that means that the airport is located on the side of town that is opposite where most of the people, businesses, jobs, development and top-notch amenities are located on the north side.
Your coworkers very likely recommended Fayette County because it is located relatively very close to the world’s busiest airport and because Fayette County is where many (if not most) people who work at and near the airport (including many younger professionals with families) live.
Fayette County may have fewer top-notch/upscale amenities than Atlanta’s most popular Northside neighborhoods, suburbs and exurbs that are located north of I-20… But as an affluent outer-suburban community on metro Atlanta’s Southside, Fayette County also has significantly less traffic congestion than Atlanta’s most popular Northside neighborhoods, suburbs and exurbs while also having very to extremely highly rated public schools.
With that said, the aforementioned areas ITP (the area located inside of the I-285 Perimeter loop highway) likely will come the closest to offering the type of more cosmopolitan urban lifestyle that you seem to have really enjoyed while living in Fort Lauderdale and South Florida.
Though, you probably should be aware that nothing in the very landlocked Atlanta metropolitan area very likely will come close to providing you with the exact type of coastal urban lifestyle that you experienced (and seemed to have really enjoyed) in Fort Lauderdale and South Florida.
Another important thing to note is that the church generally seems to play a noticeably larger and stronger role in public life in metro Atlanta and North Georgia than it may seem to play in coastal Southeast Florida (particularly in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties).
For proof of just how tremendous of a role the church plays in public life in metro Atlanta and North Georgia, look no further than the overwhelming influence the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King has had and continues to have on public life in Atlanta while he was lead pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church which is also currently led by Georgia’s sitting junior U.S. senator and pastor, Raphael Warnock.
Though, church culture and the influence that it has on public life in metro Atlanta and North Georgia very often (if not most often) may be noticeably less judgmental and more secular ITP/inside of the I-285 Perimeter and just north of the I-285 Perimeter than it may be in the much more deeply socially and culturally conservative areas that are located OTP/outside of the I-285 Perimeter and outside of much of Atlanta’s very heavily developed and affluent northern suburban crescent.
ITP areas like the City of Atlanta proper (including along and near the Eastside BeltLine, Midtown Atlanta, Morningside-Lenox Park, Buckhead, etc), Brookhaven, Decatur and much of ITP DeKalb County north of I-20 will go a long way in providing you much of the more secular cosmopolitan urban lifestyle that you enjoyed in Fort Lauderdale and coastal Southeast Florida, minus the coast, the beach and the ocean, of course.
OTP Northern Crescent suburban areas (including Cobb, North Fulton, South Forsyth and Gwinnett counties) may also provide you and your family much of the more secular metropolitan lifestyle (by North Georgia and interior Southeastern U.S. standards) that you very much seem to desire…but in a noticeably lower-density and decidedly more suburban environment than you seem to have enjoyed living in Fort Lauderdale in South Florida.
OTP Northern Crescent areas (including the Wheeler, Sprayberry and Walton school clusters of East Cobb, and ESPECIALLY the Alpharetta and Johns Creek areas of North Fulton County, South Forsyth County and Gwinnett County) will also provide you with an extreme (if not exceptional) amount of the type of diversity that you desire.
Though, one very important thing to note is that housing prices are significantly higher in desirable areas on the Northside (including in both more urban and suburban neighborhoods ITP and OTP) than they are in desirable areas on the Southside.
The combination of the close proximity to numerous amenities, the close proximity to numerous large employment hubs, some of the highest rated public schools in the Southeastern U.S., and relatively close proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains north of the city has driven demand for housing extremely high and put housing supply at a premium in many areas of metro Atlanta’s greater Northern Crescent over much of the last decade.
So just recognize that housing prices are not likely to be as affordable in desirable areas that are located north of I-20 as housing prices may be in desirable areas that are located south of I-20.
Another very important thing to know is that much of metro Atlanta’s greater Northern Crescent (particularly the most diverse and upscale suburbs that are located north of the Top End of the I-285 Perimeter) is located farther away from the Airport than you might desire as someone who commutes to a job at/near the airport.
Thank you all, you know I never once thought of living in the actual city for some reason.. I guess I assumed there wouldn't be any families around there? And the reputation of the city I hear is not good crime-wise.
While paling in comparison to the massive draw that Atlanta’s Northern Crescent suburbs and exurbs has been and continues to be for families with children, the City of Atlanta proper has still been a very noticeable draw for young professional families with children over the past decade, particularly in the desirable Intown urban neighborhoods in the Midtown and Jackson high school clusters as well as in the more inner-suburban neighborhoods of the North Atlanta High School cluster.
DeKalb County ITP areas like the City of Decatur proper, North Decatur, Brookhaven and Chamblee also attract many young professional families with children.
And while ITP and Intown Atlanta do experience a noticeable amount of crime, and while there has been a noticeable increase in crime in ITP areas since the beginning of the pandemic, the crime situation is still significantly improved in the City of Atlanta proper from the historically high crime rates that the city experienced from 1970-1994. And the most desirable Intown and ITP neighborhoods generally experience noticeably less crime when compared to less desirable areas.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bumperbagels
I suppose I can see why I was recommended the Fayette area, but I agree it's not for me.
The irony is that, believe it or not, the conservative version of Fayette County that you are experiencing in 2023 is dramatically less conservative than the uber-conservative outer-suburban/exurban community that Fayette County was 10+ years ago before both the TV/movie production industry moved into the area and before the northern half of the county began to rapidly diversify with a growing number of Black and minority newcomers about a decade ago.
If you think that Fayette County is church-oriented and judgmental now, then you should have been in the county before 2013 before the TV and movie production industry came to town with the opening of the massive Pinewood Atlanta Studios (now Trilith Studios) complex just outside of Fayetteville.
The continued massive growth of the world’s busiest airport (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport) and the county’s relatively very close proximity to that massively growing Atlanta Airport and the massive growth in industry and the massive growth in racial, ethnic, social, cultural and political diversity that it has generated in the county has greatly moderated the extreme social and cultural conservatism that Fayette County has been known for historically.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bumperbagels
Sorry about not putting a budget, I wasn't really sure if it was necessary.. I'd say the budget is around 700k max, but I'm not moving right away. Just looking for places to nail down. Also I feel like if I wanted it badly enough I could make some sacrifices to make it work.. And I would consider renting if I couldn't afford to buy something.
In recent years it has been so expensive to rent in desirable areas that it probably wouldn’t be worth it to attempt to rent in a desirable area (Intown/ITP or suburban Northern Crescent OTP) north of I-20 in what has been a highly competitive housing market over the past several years.
It likely would be best for you to keep your current home in Fayette County while you look for a home to purchase in a part of the Atlanta metro area that appeals much more to you and your family.
I must say that I agree with all of the previous responses to a significant degree. That being said, I'll add some additional thoughts and try to answer some of your questions.
Budget concerns and crime concerns aside... I believe you would really like Grant Park -- a large neighborhood southeast of Downtown Atlanta -- and it is my opinion that Grant Park probably comes closest to what you're looking for.
Grant Park offers the walkability and interconnected streets you're seeking. Though the neighborhood is primarily residential, there are little commercial nodes scattered throughout the neighborhood -- in Grant Park, one is almost always within walking distance of at least one or two restaurants or coffee shops. Grant Park (the park) is quite large and nice, and is the center of the neighborhood (Zoo Atlanta is also located in the park). Other things I admire about Grant Park include its many beautiful older and historic homes, its community-oriented neighborly spirit, its mature tree canopy, its many great restaurants, its convenient intown location, and its Beltline access (coming 2025-2026). Grant Park is also close to the Airport (15-20 minutes).
I will say that Grant Park is not especially diverse (it's largely White, upper-middle-class, highly-educated, and very politically progressive). The surrounding area is about 50% White and 50% Black, which probably isn't significantly different than your current Fayette County home. Grant Park is diverse in some other ways -- it has a sizeable LGBT presence, all age groups and life stages are well-represented (though Grant Park does skew a bit young), and residents work in a variety of professions: education, law, tech, healthcare, policy/government, food service, art, travel/hospitality, etc. are all well-represented. Religion is not important in Grant Park, and a majority of residents are non-religious/secular or only "culturally Christian" at most.
As for schools -- Grant Park is served by a school cluster with poor to average ratings (Maynard Jackson High School), but which is quickly improving as wealthier households increasingly enroll their children into the neighborhood public schools (particularly at the elementary level) -- I predict that in about 5 years' time, the schools serving Grant Park will all be above-average in standing. There is a lot of parental involvement in the schools in the form of PTAs and such.
Grant Park's zoned schools are Parkside ES, King MS, and Maynard Jackson HS. GreatSchools shouldn't ever be taken at face value, but notice the high "Academic Progress" ratings for Parkside ES and King MS -- that's a reflection of households who value education increasingly enrolling their kids into those schools. Do note that all of Parkside ES, King MS, and Maynard Jackson HS are International Baccalaureate (IB) schools, if IB programs are of interest to your family.
Furthermore, Grant Park has a local public charter school system at the ES and MS levels via Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School ES and Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School MS (ANCS). This is where Grant Park's pro-education residents have historically enrolled their children... if you take a look at the GreatSchools ratings, you'll notice very high "Test Scores", but average "Academic Progress" -- as this charter school system has a stable population of education-valuing families with kids who already test very well, it's not possible to make too much "Academic Progress" year-over-year. Do note that ANCS is also an IB school, but only at the MS level.
Basically, Grant Park has two different public school communities to choose from, each with pros, cons, and differences in curriculum, programs, etc. Having this kind of choice is a good thing, in my opinion, especially when neither choice is terrible.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bumperbagels
Thank you all, you know I never once thought of living in the actual city for some reason.. I guess I assumed there wouldn't be any families around there? And the reputation of the city I hear is not good crime-wise.
I suppose I can see why I was recommended the Fayette area, but I agree it's not for me.
Sorry about not putting a budget, I wasn't really sure if it was necessary.. I'd say the budget is around 700k max, but I'm not moving right away. Just looking for places to nail down. Also I feel like if I wanted it badly enough I could make some sacrifices to make it work.. And I would consider renting if I couldn't afford to buy something.
Grant Park has a lot of families with kids, believe it or not... you would definitely not be totally out of place with 3 kids; it's one of the more family-friendly areas of the city, I feel.
As for crime... it both is and is not as bad as you think it is. While the City of Atlanta as a whole tends to be on the higher-crime side of things, there are plenty of relatively safe neighborhoods to choose from. Grant Park is certainly one of those neighborhoods.
In Grant Park, violent crime is very rare... if you're envisioning nightly gunfire and frequent armed robberies in broad daylight, Grant Park is really not like that at all. Property crime, on the other hand, is a bit more common, but not terrible -- car break-ins happen on an occasional basis in the neighborhood, and porch pirates come around every now and then. Is it as safe as Fayette County? Well, no, but it's not too much worse.
There's truly only one small block of Grant Park I would consider to be even remotely dangerous: Hill Street immediately north of I-20, and south of Woodward Avenue (around the Shell and Texaco gas stations/convenience stores). That block is barely even in Grant Park anyway (it's basically Downtown).
Unless you're willing to downsize, your budget may be a bit on the low side -- $700k is good for a small-ish 3-bedroom single-family house in Grant Park. If you need 4+ bedrooms in a single-family house in Grant Park, you're looking at $800k+ (likely closer to $1m). If you want new-construction with 4+ bedrooms, that'll be over $1m. Most homes in Grant Park are nearly 100 years old -- though many have been nicely renovated. Some homes have very small lots (small backyard), and most lack garages. Grant Park is a competitive market, and good properties tend to go very quickly (often for a bit over asking price). For those reasons, I'll suggest some other neighborhoods for you to consider as well:
- Ormewood Park: Grant Park's eastern neighbor. Ormewood Park is very similar to Grant Park: slightly more residential than Grant Park, and just a bit less walkable (you won't find any restaurants or coffee shops on street corners except for along busy Moreland Ave). Ormewood Park shares the same schools as Grant Park (Parkside ES, King MS, Maynard Jackson HS) and is also eligible for ANCS schools like Grant Park. It might be ever-so-slightly less expensive than Grant Park.
- Summerhill: Grant Park's western neighbor. Summerhill is a rapidly-gentrifying neighborhood which is still a good bit more affordable than Grant Park at this time. It's pretty walkable to restaurants, etc. like in Grant Park, and the Georgia Avenue commercial area has some good restaurants. Crime rates are a bit higher than in Grant Park, particularly as one gets closer to I-75/85 and I-20 (approaching Downtown Atlanta). Summerhill shares the same schools as Grant Park (Parkside ES, King MS, Maynard Jackson HS) and is also eligible for ANCS schools like Grant Park.
- Boulevard Heights: One of Grant Park's southern neighbors. Boulevard Heights is a rapidly-gentrifying/gentrified neighborhood along the Beltline Southside Trail (opens 2025) which is slightly more affordable than Grant Park. It shares the same schools as Grant Park (Parkside ES, King MS, Maynard Jackson HS), but it's not eligible for ANCS schools unless those schools are under-enrolled. No restaurants/shops in the neighborhood (yet).
- Reynoldstown: One of Grant Park's northern neighbors across I-20. Reynoldstown is a very walkable neighborhood with Beltline access, and it's zoned for the well-regarded Burgess-Peterson ES (as well as King MS and Maynard Jackson HS like Grant Park). Violent crime isn't an issue outside of one or two problem establishments on Moreland Avenue and Memorial Drive... the single-family residential area is quite safe. Reynoldstown is probably just as expensive -- if not more expensive -- than Grant Park, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.
- East Atlanta: Like Reynoldstown, East Atlanta is also zoned for the well-regarded Burgess-Peterson ES (as well as King MS and Maynard Jackson HS like Grant Park and Reynoldstown). East Atlanta is just a bit less expensive than Grant Park/Ormewood Park/Reynoldstown. Outside of the East Atlanta Village (EAV) commercial/nightlife district, the East Atlanta neighborhood is very residential with interconnected streets. Violent crime is almost exclusively confined to the EAV commercial district; the residential areas are fairly safe -- though a bit less "gentrified" than Grant Park.
- Kirkwood: Zoned to the less-well-regarded Toomer ES, which serves a significant contingent of middle-class and upper-middle-class families (mostly living in single-family houses) as well as few large low-income/Section 8 apartment communities (Villages of East Lake, Edgewood Courts, Amani Place); as a result, Toomer ES is unlikely to perform as well as peer elementary schools. That being said, there is significant parental involvement at the school among pro-education families, and many are happy with the school despite poor test scores. Kirkwood is also eligible for the well-regarded Drew Charter School system, but it's almost impossible to get into. Kirkwood is fairly walkable, with a nice commercial district at its core. Similarly priced to Grant Park, if not slightly less expensive.
- East Lake: See Kirkwood above, but a bit less expensive (and less gentrified). Smaller commercial district/a bit less walkable.
- Edgewood: Like Kirkwood; perhaps a bit more walkable and closer to restarants/shopping/etc. Not eligible for Drew Charter like Kirkwood, but shares the same schools (Toomer ES, King MS, Maynard Jackson HS).
- Riverside/Bolton/Whittier Mill Village/Northwest Atlanta (Bolton Academy ES zone). Bolton Academy ES, Sutton MS, North Atlanta HS. Solid, very diverse schools, all with IB programs. Several of the neighborhoods have the "interconnectedness" you seek, though most are not super walkable (though certainly better than Fayette County). A bit father from the Airport.
- Medlock Park/Clairmont Heights: Fernbank ES, Druid Hills MS, Druid Hills HS. International Community School (charter) is also in the neighborhood. Not super walkable, but has a fairly interconnected street grid. Sort of walkable to Medlock Park (the park) and the South Peachtree Creek Trail. 5 minute drive to several grocery stores and restaurants. Attainable housing (less expensive than Grant Park, etc.). Next to the upcoming Lulah Hills/North Dekalb Mall redevelopment, which should inject even more vibrancy into the community. A bit farther from the Airport.
- Avondale Estates: Avondale ES, Druid Hills MS, Druid Hills HS. The Museum School (charter) and DeKalb School of the Arts (merit-based selective enrollment) are also in the neighborhood. Avondale Estates has a distinctive character (tudor architecture) as well as a nice little downtown area. MARTA rail (public transit) accessible. Also close to Your DeKalb Farmer's Market, which you should definitely visit if you haven't already. On the more expensive side, but perhaps attainable. A bit farther from the Airport.
- Smyrna (quite far from Airport). More affordable.
- Brookhaven/Chamblee (quite far from Airport). Possibly too expensive.
- South Buckhead/Collier Hills/Peachtree Hills/Peachtree Heights East/Garden Hills (quite far from Airport). Possibly too expensive.
Unfortunately, you're priced out of the City of Decatur as well as the Midtown HS cluster neighborhoods (Virginia-Highland, Morningside, Inman Park, Candler Park, etc.).
Last edited by DoubleZ OTP; 09-23-2023 at 10:17 PM..
I must say that I agree with all of the previous responses to a significant degree. That being said, I'll add some additional thoughts and try to answer some of your questions.
Budget concerns and crime concerns aside... I believe you would really like Grant Park -- a large neighborhood southeast of Downtown Atlanta -- and it is my opinion that Grant Park probably comes closest to what you're looking for.
Grant Park offers the walkability and interconnected streets you're seeking. Though the neighborhood is primarily residential, there are little commercial nodes scattered throughout the neighborhood -- in Grant Park, one is almost always within walking distance of at least one or two restaurants or coffee shops. Grant Park (the park) is quite large and nice, and is the center of the neighborhood (Zoo Atlanta is also located in the park). Other things I admire about Grant Park include its many beautiful older and historic homes, its community-oriented neighborly spirit, its mature tree canopy, its many great restaurants, its convenient intown location, and its Beltline access (coming 2025-2026). Grant Park is also close to the Airport (15-20 minutes).
I will say that Grant Park is not especially diverse (it's largely White, upper-middle-class, highly-educated, and very politically progressive). The surrounding area is about 50% White and 50% Black, which probably isn't significantly different than your current Fayette County home. Grant Park is diverse in some other ways -- it has a sizeable LGBT presence, all age groups and life stages are well-represented (though Grant Park does skew a bit young), and residents work in a variety of professions: education, law, tech, healthcare, policy/government, food service, art, travel/hospitality, etc. are all well-represented. Religion is not important in Grant Park, and a majority of residents are non-religious/secular or only "culturally Christian" at most.
As for schools -- Grant Park is served by a school cluster with poor to average ratings (Maynard Jackson High School), but which is quickly improving as wealthier households increasingly enroll their children into the neighborhood public schools (particularly at the elementary level) -- I predict that in about 5 years' time, the schools serving Grant Park will all be above-average in standing. There is a lot of parental involvement in the schools in the form of PTAs and such.
Grant Park's zoned schools are Parkside ES, King MS, and Maynard Jackson HS. GreatSchools shouldn't ever be taken at face value, but notice the high "Academic Progress" ratings for Parkside ES and King MS -- that's a reflection of households who value education increasingly enrolling their kids into those schools. Do note that all of Parkside ES, King MS, and Maynard Jackson HS are International Baccalaureate (IB) schools, if IB programs are of interest to your family.
Furthermore, Grant Park has a local public charter school system at the ES and MS levels via Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School ES and Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School MS (ANCS). This is where Grant Park's pro-education residents have historically enrolled their children... if you take a look at the GreatSchools ratings, you'll notice very high "Test Scores", but average "Academic Progress" -- as this charter school system has a stable population of education-valuing families with kids who already test very well, it's not possible to make too much "Academic Progress" year-over-year. Do note that ANCS is also an IB school, but only at the MS level.
Basically, Grant Park has two different public school communities to choose from, each with pros, cons, and differences in curriculum, programs, etc. Having this kind of choice is a good thing, in my opinion, especially when neither choice is terrible.
Grant Park has a lot of families with kids, believe it or not... you would definitely not be totally out of place with 3 kids; it's one of the more family-friendly areas of the city, I feel.
As for crime... it both is and is not as bad as you think it is. While the City of Atlanta as a whole tends to be on the higher-crime side of things, there are plenty of relatively safe neighborhoods to choose from. Grant Park is certainly one of those neighborhoods.
In Grant Park, violent crime is very rare... if you're envisioning nightly gunfire and frequent armed robberies in broad daylight, Grant Park is really not like that at all. Property crime, on the other hand, is a bit more common, but not terrible -- car break-ins happen on an occasional basis in the neighborhood, and porch pirates come around every now and then. Is it as safe as Fayette County? Well, no, but it's not too much worse.
There's truly only one small block of Grant Park I would consider to be even remotely dangerous: Hill Street immediately north of I-20, and south of Woodward Avenue (around the Shell and Texaco gas stations/convenience stores). That block is barely even in Grant Park anyway (it's basically Downtown).
Unless you're willing to downsize, your budget may be a bit on the low side -- $700k is good for a small-ish 3-bedroom single-family house in Grant Park. If you need 4+ bedrooms in a single-family house in Grant Park, you're looking at $800k+ (likely closer to $1m). If you want new-construction with 4+ bedrooms, that'll be over $1m. Most homes in Grant Park are nearly 100 years old -- though many have been nicely renovated. Some homes have very small lots (small backyard), and most lack garages. Grant Park is a competitive market, and good properties tend to go very quickly (often for a bit over asking price). For those reasons, I'll suggest some other neighborhoods for you to consider as well:
- Ormewood Park: Grant Park's eastern neighbor. Ormewood Park is very similar to Grant Park: slightly more residential than Grant Park, and just a bit less walkable (you won't find any restaurants or coffee shops on street corners except for along busy Moreland Ave). Ormewood Park shares the same schools as Grant Park (Parkside ES, King MS, Maynard Jackson HS) and is also eligible for ANCS schools like Grant Park. It might be ever-so-slightly less expensive than Grant Park.
- Summerhill: Grant Park's western neighbor. Summerhill is a rapidly-gentrifying neighborhood which is still a good bit more affordable than Grant Park at this time. It's pretty walkable to restaurants, etc. like in Grant Park, and the Georgia Avenue commercial area has some good restaurants. Crime rates are a bit higher than in Grant Park, particularly as one gets closer to I-75/85 and I-20 (approaching Downtown Atlanta). Summerhill shares the same schools as Grant Park (Parkside ES, King MS, Maynard Jackson HS) and is also eligible for ANCS schools like Grant Park.
- Boulevard Heights: One of Grant Park's southern neighbors. Boulevard Heights is a rapidly-gentrifying/gentrified neighborhood along the Beltline Southside Trail (opens 2025) which is slightly more affordable than Grant Park. It shares the same schools as Grant Park (Parkside ES, King MS, Maynard Jackson HS), but it's not eligible for ANCS schools unless those schools are under-enrolled. No restaurants/shops in the neighborhood (yet).
- Reynoldstown: One of Grant Park's northern neighbors across I-20. Reynoldstown is a very walkable neighborhood with Beltline access, and it's zoned for the well-regarded Burgess-Peterson ES (as well as King MS and Maynard Jackson HS like Grant Park). Violent crime isn't an issue outside of one or two problem establishments on Moreland Avenue and Memorial Drive... the single-family residential area is quite safe. Reynoldstown is probably just as expensive -- if not more expensive -- than Grant Park, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.
- East Atlanta: Like Reynoldstown, East Atlanta is also zoned for the well-regarded Burgess-Peterson ES (as well as King MS and Maynard Jackson HS like Grant Park and Reynoldstown). East Atlanta is just a bit less expensive than Grant Park/Ormewood Park/Reynoldstown. Outside of the East Atlanta Village (EAV) commercial/nightlife district, the East Atlanta neighborhood is very residential with interconnected streets. Violent crime is almost exclusively confined to the EAV commercial district; the residential areas are fairly safe -- though a bit less "gentrified" than Grant Park.
- Kirkwood: Zoned to the less-well-regarded Toomer ES, which serves a significant contingent of middle-class and upper-middle-class families (mostly living in single-family houses) as well as few large low-income/Section 8 apartment communities (Villages of East Lake, Edgewood Courts, Amani Place); as a result, Toomer ES is unlikely to perform as well as peer elementary schools. That being said, there is significant parental involvement at the school among pro-education families, and many are happy with the school despite poor test scores. Kirkwood is also eligible for the well-regarded Drew Charter School system, but it's almost impossible to get into. Kirkwood is fairly walkable, with a nice commercial district at its core. Similarly priced to Grant Park, if not slightly less expensive.
- East Lake: See Kirkwood above, but a bit less expensive (and less gentrified). Smaller commercial district/a bit less walkable.
- Edgewood: Like Kirkwood; perhaps a bit more walkable and closer to restarants/shopping/etc. Not eligible for Drew Charter like Kirkwood, but shares the same schools (Toomer ES, King MS, Maynard Jackson HS).
- Riverside/Bolton/Whittier Mill Village/Northwest Atlanta (Bolton Academy ES zone). Bolton Academy ES, Sutton MS, North Atlanta HS. Solid, very diverse schools, all with IB programs. Several of the neighborhoods have the "interconnectedness" you seek, though most are not super walkable (though certainly better than Fayette County). A bit father from the Airport.
- Medlock Park/Clairmont Heights: Fernbank ES, Druid Hills MS, Druid Hills HS. International Community School (charter) is also in the neighborhood. Not super walkable, but has a fairly interconnected street grid. Sort of walkable to Medlock Park (the park) and the South Peachtree Creek Trail. 5 minute drive to several grocery stores and restaurants. Attainable housing (less expensive than Grant Park, etc.). Next to the upcoming Lulah Hills/North Dekalb Mall redevelopment, which should inject even more vibrancy into the community. A bit farther from the Airport.
- Avondale Estates: Avondale ES, Druid Hills MS, Druid Hills HS. The Museum School (charter) and DeKalb School of the Arts (merit-based selective enrollment) are also in the neighborhood. Avondale Estates has a distinctive character (tudor architecture) as well as a nice little downtown area. MARTA rail (public transit) accessible. Also close to Your DeKalb Farmer's Market, which you should definitely visit if you haven't already. On the more expensive side, but perhaps attainable. A bit farther from the Airport.
- Smyrna (quite far from Airport). More affordable.
- Brookhaven/Chamblee (quite far from Airport). Possibly too expensive.
- South Buckhead/Collier Hills/Peachtree Hills/Peachtree Heights East/Garden Hills (quite far from Airport). Possibly too expensive.
Unfortunately, you're priced out of the City of Decatur as well as the Midtown HS cluster neighborhoods (Virginia-Highland, Morningside, Inman Park, Candler Park, etc.).
Good stuff here.
Only thing: Smyrna is known for being relatively convenient to the airport.
I agree with B2R, it honesty sounds like the Atlanta area may not be the best fit based on your wants from what I am hearing.
Almost sounds like you would appreciate where I moved from more….the twin cities.
Checks all YOUR boxes except the ethnic diversity piece (60% white in the city, much more so in the burbs).
Otherwise, I agree that I too thought of the city proper, save the schools
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