The Best Neighborhoods in Atlanta in 2021
Surrounded by trees and thriving in culture, Atlanta differs from other cities when getting to know its true soul. While most tourists make a beeline for downtown, the city’s essence remains in its smaller neighborhoods. They’re all connected by the Atlanta BeltLine, too — a walking trail for pedestrians and cyclists.
You’ll find parks, boutiques, delicious restaurants and fun music venues with local talent. Breweries also keep popping up all over the place in the city.
Whether you’re in ATL for the first time or you’re just getting to know the city — learn more about each Atlanta neighborhood below.
The 20 best neighborhoods in Atlanta
We choose the 20 best neighborhoods in Atlanta to consider if you’re moving to the city or just looking for a new scene.
Midtown
With a walk score of 88, Midtown remains one of the most walkable neighborhoods in Atlanta, a very car-centric city. The neighborhood contains a mix of high rises, mixed-family housing and small apartment complexes. The tree-lined grid streets and bike lanes allow residents to live in the area without a car. MARTA, the city’s rapid rail, is not too far either.
Midtown’s rents can hover in the higher end of the spectrum due to its neighborhood amenities, but its proximity to Piedmont Park, the BeltLine and the city’s arts district bring a good balance.
Check out Orpheus Brewing near Piedmont Park, visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden for a dose of greenery and don’t miss the latest exhibition at the High Museum of Art.
East Atlanta Village (EAV)
One of the lesser neighborhoods, East Atlanta Village — or EAV — is mainly known for its nightlife and late-night bites. But over recent years, the neighborhood has also added coffee shops, a brewery and a farmer’s market.
If you’re looking for an area with lots of options nearby for entertainment, nightlife and dining, yet you don’t want to live in the middle of the city — this in-town neighborhood is a perfect spot. There’s a mix of home rentals and apartment complexes.
Visit the new Hippin’ Hops Brewery, the first Black-owned brewery in the state or grab late-night bites at Octopus Bar after a cocktail at Banshee.
Old Fourth Ward
Old Fourth Ward has had a renaissance following the construction of the Eastside Trail of the Atlanta BeltLine. Ponce City Market, a luxury mall, and other businesses went up right in the neighborhood along with the Old Fourth Skatepark. While it raised the profile of the neighborhood, it also increased the rents significantly.
There’s been a recent influx of out-of-towners and companies looking for easy access to the area’s 82 walk score and 83 bike score — eateries along Ponce de Leon Avenue mix casual dining and nightlife, like Twin Peaks-themed The Bookhouse Pub.
Inman Park
Historic Inman Park is Atlanta’s first planned suburb. It’s truly a delight to walk down the tree-lined streets and admire the neighborhood’s Victorian homes and the nearby train depot. If you’re on foot or bike, you’ll hit the eventual cobblestone peeking through the pavement. The area has more rental homes than apartment units, so it will depend on what you’re looking for.
The neighborhood, which enjoys an 88 walk score, also has a nearby MARTA rail station and many bike lanes. Don’t miss a visit to Krog Street Market, a modern food court that holds both casual and fine dining eateries, and then head to Horizon Theatre for their latest play.
Every year, Inman Park hosts a neighborhood festival that brings together many of the local businesses.
Candler Park
Many neighborhoods in Atlanta get their names after parks, and every year, the Sweetwater 420 fest brings all kinds of musical acts to Candler Park’s central park. The park also offers a community pool, picnic areas, tennis courts and a small dog park.
Every house has an idyllic porch and is near the local market, Candler Park Market. The houses and multi-family homes are often Craftsman-style, and apartment buildings remain small at only a few units.
Young families tend to thrive in this neighborhood with nearby schools. The neighborhood has a very involved association as well that plans community activities.
Virginia-Highlands
If your mornings look like making stops at your neighborhood nursery, coffee shop and market, Virginia-Highlands could be a great fit. The area attracts young professionals, married couples and young families as there’s a good mix of housing — apartments, multi-family and single-family homes for rent.
While the neighborhood is very walkable, there isn’t public transportation nearby. You can easily hop from a restaurant to a bar to even Italian gelato in one night.
The intersection of North Highland and Virginia avenues just comes alive every weekend.
Grant Park
Grant Park’s rich history lives along its streets — every corner has a little fact plaque about that spot’s role in the Civil War or the Civil Rights Movement. It also contains the city’s zoo — with pandas, giraffes and so many incredible animals.
The most beautiful Craftsman homes line the streets here. The area doesn’t have many apartments, but there are many rental homes.
There’s no shortage of things to walk to (thanks to its 70 walk score), with the Beacon shopping center has a brewery, a few restaurants and other businesses.
You can also walk to Oakland Cemetery and learn more about those buried there through a free walking tour.
Buckhead
Did you know that Buckhead has one of the wealthiest ZIP Codes in the U.S.? Buckhead is the financial center of Atlanta. Many headquarters have set roots in the area. You can also find luxury malls like Lenox Mall and Phipps Plaza nearby.
One-bedroom prices in one of Buckhead’s high-rises typically cost above $2,000 a month. However, units often come with luxury amenities like a state of the art gyms, pools and a concierge.
The area is mainly catered to young professionals and business people. At night, Buckhead’s nightlife thrives, with many clubs in the area.
Buckhead isn’t quite walkable with a 68 walk score, but there are nearby rail stations.
Adair Park
Adair Park has seen a recent resurgence located southwest of the city due to its affordable rental units and homes.
Residents here have helped transform this area into a safer neighborhood. An annual pie festival in the neighborhood park brings the whole community together and nearby, and Aluma Farm brings fresh produce to the community.
The Westside BeltLine trail also runs nearby for easy access to bike paths and other parts of the city. Downtown is only about two miles as well as the MARTA rail.
The community focuses most on young families looking for city living that offers a quiet home life.
Sweet Auburn
With a bit of history and tons of nightlife, Sweet Auburn was the epicenter of many milestones in the Civil Rights Movement. Nearby you’ll find Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s home, the church where he preached and the King Center. Only a few streets over, you’ll find a thriving nightlife of weekends that closes down Edgewood Avenue. The neighborhood is very dog-friendly also.
The area has a mix of older rental homes, lofts and smaller apartment buildings. Grab a coffee at Chrome Yellow Trading, then take your pup to the nearby dog park.
Younger millennials will enjoy the area as it still keeps its cool.
Westside
The Westside has undergone several transformations as a mainly industrial area, with new restaurants popping up and new high rises going up. The neighborhood is a good mix of students and young professionals looking for a unique place to live in, like lofts.
You’ll fit right in with bars, dining spots like The Optimist, healthy lunch options like Upbeet and art galleries.
Summerhill
Summerhill’s heart is Georgia Avenue, where many restaurants and outdoor eating spaces have opened recently in a plan to renew interest in the area.
You can see many apartment complexes and rental homes being renovated at this time so there’s still time to catch a deal — but not for long. The neighborhood has easy access to parks, a farmstand and the nearby Georgia State stadium.
Treat yourself to dinner at Little Bear and then grab dessert at Big Softie in the form of a vanilla cup.
Cabbagetown
Cabbagetown’s narrow streets and craftsman porches are iconic to the South. The neighborhood has a full spectrum of rent prices, depending on what you’re looking for. The area is extremely walkable with an 87 walk score and has many bike lanes that lead to the BeltLine.
The Atlanta Diaries has brought restaurants like Wonderkid and breweries like Three Taverns Craft Brewery into the area.
The community is very engaged and often promotes artists by encouraging them to create murals in the area.
Kirkwood
Did someone say family-friendly? Kirkwood has a mix of apartments and single-family homes available for rent with easy access to their small downtown area. There are plenty of parks in the area for picnics or soccer, brunch places and easy access to MARTA.
Don’t miss a visit to the butcher at Evergreen Butcher + Baker, you’ll get fresh baked bread and meats grown in nearby farms. Or pick up a donut at Revolution Doughnuts & Coffee right off College Avenue.
Atlantic Station
Atlantic Station, right off 17th Street, offers beautiful apartments with quick access to Midtown and the Westside.
The shopping center itself has clothing stores, a grocery store and the movies — all right there. For those looking to furnish their place, IKEA is only a minute or two away.
While the walking score for this area is high, it’s hard to get around without a car if you’re going beyond the shopping center. It’s an easy hop to dining in Midtown or seeing the latest play at the Woodruff Arts Center.
Little Five Points
Little Five Points has had many iterations, but it still remains the coolest neighborhood in town.
Costume shops, small boutiques, record stores, tattoo shops and of course, the biggest skull in the city at The Vortex. The neighborhood is adjacent to Inman Park. The neighborhood got its name from the intersection of five (now four) street converging. Since this also happens downtown at Five Points, this one became Little.
Rents in this neighborhood fluctuate depending on your lifestyle and budget, but they remain affordable still. The closest rail station is about a mile away and the area remains walkable with new pedestrian crossings.
West End
The West End has gained popularity in recent years as the BeltLine connected it to the rest of the city. You can find the historic Hammonds House Museum, the Wren’s Nest and much soul food from local eateries. The area has a mix of ages and lifestyles so there’s something for everyone. Its affordability has brought younger families to the area.
The vibrant community is now home to Wild Heaven West End Brewery, Kombucha brewer Cultured South Fermentation Co. and many vegetarian eats.
Downtown
You can find students and young professionals making Downtown Atlanta their home. Co-working spaces, an upcoming food hall, Georgia State University and easy access to the business center, make downtown an attractive spot for many.
Not too far from Peachtree Street, you can spot the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola and Centennial Olympic Park.
Castleberry Hill
Next to downtown Atlanta, Castleberry Hill is an artist’s paradise. The previously industrial area has transformed warehouses into galleries, loft apartments and trendy eateries. You’ll see a movie or two filming nearby probably, too. The historic district was reconstructed following the Civil War, so there’s history in every corner.
MASS Collective, a maker space, currently hosts blacksmith classes and woodworking. With a walk score of 74, you can enjoy walks down its grid streets and see what the community is up to.
Mechanicsville
Mechanicsville is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Atlanta. It gets its name from the mechanics that served the nearby rail lines and lived there. This downtown neighborhood is undergoing revitalization after suffering through several economic downturns.
The area features craftsman and Victorian homes with MARTA running nearby. If you’re looking for an affordable yet engaged community, Mechanicsville is an excellent fit for you.
Find your Atlanta neighborhood match
Unlike some other places, Atlanta neighborhoods take some time to get to know. The rental market is red hot in the city, with rental units going fast and homes going even faster, with prices up 21.6 percent over last summer. Wherever you choose, you’ll get to enjoy more of the city’s culture, music and parks right in your backyard.
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