The Best Neighborhoods In Atlanta To Buy A Home

According to Travel + Leisure, Atlanta is a unique city that blends Southern living with big-city excitement. In addition to having one of the busiest airports in the world, Atlanta is also home to amazing cuisine, vibrant nightlife, and a plethora of museums. That said, those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city will find that there are several amazing suburbs and neighborhoods that surround Atlanta. While some prefer an apartment or condo living in the heart of an urban area, residents looking to reap the benefits of living near a city while still owning a home in a safe and quiet neighborhood might find Atlanta to be the ideal place.

Best of all, compared to many other major cities in the country, home prices in several Atlanta neighborhoods remain pretty affordable and fair. From Virginia Highland to Sandy Springs, we've rounded up the best neighborhoods in Atlanta to buy a home.

Located on the eastside of Atlanta just two and a half miles from downtown, the vibrant neighborhood of Little Five Points is one of Atlanta's most popular areas. Described by the Little 5 Points Atlanta website as a melting pot of subcultures, and the bohemian center of the United States, it is no surprise that this funky, fashionable neighborhood has made its way to the top of our list. Little Five Points can be characterized by its colorful display of the array of cultures that make the neighborhood unique. Electric murals by local artists meet subtle street art installations by some of the most renowned international artists in the world, making every occasion in this area an exciting artistic event.

Little Five Points' commitment to counterculture and individuality has allowed for a variety of unique shops, restaurants, bars, and other local businesses to thrive. With a median home cost of $204,000 in conjunction with a lively artist atmosphere and prime central location, buying a home in Little Five Points is an incredible investment (via Redfin).

Also located on the east side of Atlanta, the expansive Candler Park neighborhood is known for its quieter, more residential feel. Home to its namesake 55-acre Candler Park, this neighborhood boasts suburban charm with urban proximity, making it an ideal place for those who wish to work and play in the metro Atlanta area and reside in peace and quiet. According to Candler Park Neighborhood Organization, the majority of the single-family homes in the area were constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, giving the neighborhood a lasting sense of history. The tree-lined streets boast a mix of mostly craftsman-style bungalows, with a sprinkling of Queen Anne and Folk Victorian one and two-story houses, American Four-Square houses, and the occasional modern building.

Despite the diverse architectural styles, every resident of Candler Park enjoys the same community-oriented energy, a wealth of greenery and park access, and historic charm. Although the median home price of $528,000 is higher than many other Atlanta neighborhoods, for those with a more flexible budget, owning a home in Candler Park is the perfect fit (via Niche).

Looking for the ultimate city experience? Owning a home in Downtown Atlanta allows residents to enjoy all the most exciting elements of one of the south's most vibrant metropolitan cities. Downtown Atlanta is easily one of the most walkable neighborhoods in the city. According to Atlanta Downtown, this area of the city features high-quality restaurants, shopping, entertainment, bars, and coffee shops along every street, providing residents with everything they need at their fingertips. The centerpiece of this neighborhood is the stunning Centennial Olympic Park, and the surrounding streets are lined with some of the city's most impressive art (via Discover Atlanta).

Downtown Atlanta can be broken up into a collection of even smaller neighborhoods, allowing residents to feel a true sense of community even within their urban metropolitan lifestyle. The median home price across these communities comes in at $290,000, a small price to pay for the location, style, and centrality of the downtown district (via Redfin).

As the name suggests, Midtown Atlanta is located in the heart of the city. According to Midtown Alliance, Midtown is also considered the south's "Heart of the Arts," and is home to the largest concentration of cultural and arts institutions in the region. The Midtown community takes pride in its modernized urban accessibility. With over five miles of bike lanes and many more miles in the works, over fifteen miles of newly constructed sidewalks, and a wealth of public transportation options, Midtown is easily one of the most accessible and enjoyable areas to explore the city on foot.

In addition to its newly constructed outdoor spaces and transportation zones, Midtown has seen an incredible construction boom over the last twenty years. With more than $5 billion of construction completed in this neighborhood, there are a wealth of modern, clean, eco-friendly homes and condominiums available for potential buyers to check out. The median home price in the area comes in around $376,000, which is impressively low considering the modernity of many of the homes in the area (via Niche).

Located northeast of Downtown, just a quarter mile from Midtown lies the adorable "streetcar suburb" of Virginia Highland, according to Virginia Highland District. Known for its classic southern charm style, the neighborhood offers just under 8,000 residents walkable tree-lined streets, as well as over forty local shops, restaurants, bars, and galleries. The 612-acre neighborhood boasts a diverse population of residents, and despite its relatively central Atlanta location, Virginia Highland maintains a safe, friendly, accessible neighborhood feel (via The Atlanta Journal-Constitution). While there are a few commercial zones in the neighborhood which allow for a convenient commute for many residents, the majority of the streets within the Virginia Highland neighborhood are home to small community businesses or single-family homes.

1920s bungalows dominate the architecture scene in this neighborhood, further adding to the suburban, classically southern aesthetic of the area. The median home price of these homes is just under $700,000, making Virginia Highland one of the pricier Atlanta neighborhoods on our list (via Realtor).

One of Atlanta's oldest and most protected historic neighborhoods, the Old Fourth Ward offers residents and tourists alike a touch of history down every street. According to Discover Atlanta, the Old Fourth Ward is best known for its pride in being the home of Martin Luther King Jr.'s childhood home. Development of this centrally located neighborhood began back in the 1800s, earning the Old Fourth Ward the title of one of Atlanta's original neighborhoods. In addition to its incredible historic sites and continued cultural relevance, the Old Fourth Ward has seen a massive increase in public green spaces over the last few decades. Residents of this neighborhood are able to enjoy the 2011 construction of the Historic Fourth Ward Park, a 17-acre green space complete with two lakes, a playground and splash pad, and even an outdoor theater (via Conde Nast Traveler).

The combination of robust history and plentiful green space within an otherwise exciting and bustling area makes the Old Fourth Ward an ideal neighborhood to purchase a home for potential buyers of all ages and stages of life. With a median home price of $395,000, the Old Fourth Ward is an exciting, relatively affordable option for buyers in the market (via Rocket Homes).

Surrounded by over 950 acres of parks and natural areas, Sandy Springs is one of Atlanta's largest and most popular central neighborhoods. According to the City of Sandy Springs, the neighborhood is located just minutes from Downtown Atlanta and is home to just under 110,000 residents, making it the second largest neighborhood in the city. Sandy Springs is also a bustling center of business and intercity transport, hosting multiple Fortune 500 companies within the neighborhood. It's also the perfect location to purchase a home for those interested in local or international travel. In addition to being very close to the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Interstate 285, Georgia Highway 400, and Interstate 75 are all accessible within the Sandy Springs area, as well as four Marta rail stations (via Visit Sandy Springs).

Considering the booming businesses, expansive greenery, and unmatched ease of transportation, the increased median home price in comparison to other surrounding neighborhoods of $676,000 is worth it for those who have flexibility within their budget (via Zillow).

Looking for a high-end, luxurious neighborhood? Referred to by Bungalow as the "Beverly Hills of the South," living in the Buckhead neighborhood brings all the glitz and glamor of some of the country's biggest cities to the beautiful city of Atlanta. Located just fifteen minutes from downtown, Buckhead boasts an incredible mix of carefully curated green spaces and impressive homes with a bustling urban dining and shopping scene. While Buckhead's residential streets are characterized by kempt lawns, towering green trees, and some of the South's most impressive home architecture, the commercial zones are also home to some of the highest rated, fanciest, and most luxurious restaurants in the city (via Discover Atlanta). Buckhead Village, a high-end shopping center and communal outdoor space, offers residents convenient shopping as well as charming cobblestone streets, string light seating, and high-end cafes.

The luxury of Buckhead also comes with a high price. The median sale price for a home in Buckhead is over $1.2 million (via Buckhead.com). However, despite the incredible prices of these homes, Buckhead truly delivers the luxury lifestyle it promises for those seeking a lavish neighborhood to reside in.

According to the official neighborhood website, Inman Park was Atlanta's first residential suburb and continues to be characterized by its charming, safe streets and Victorian-style homes. The neighborhood was built on old Civil War grounds just two miles from the city center, and offers homes along curved, suburban-style streets with sizable lots, allowing for many residents to enjoy plentiful yards or other outdoor space along their properties. Inman Park takes great pride in the history of not only the land, but also the original Victorian Style homes, so almost all of the homes in the entire community whether they be quaint single-story constructions or impressive mansions have been restored to their original style exteriors.

Inman Park is also known for hosting one of Atlanta's largest annual festivals, as the Inman Park Festival draws locals and tourists together to celebrate with costumed performers and local officials all joining in on the celebration (via Discover Atlanta). With a median home price of just over $362,000, Inman Park is a beautiful neighborhood offering classic homes and a lively community for a decently affordable price (via Orchard).

Located just six miles from Downtown Atlanta, the Decatur neighborhood is just under five square miles and is home to almost 25,000 residents according to Visit Decatur Georgia. Decatur offers a blend of many different Atlanta lifestyles all within its relatively small bounds. Its proximity to the city centers offers residents complete urban convenience, as access to shopping, high-quality restaurants as well as casual home-style spots, and public transportation are seemingly unlimited (via City of Decatur). The presence of the renowned liberal arts university Agnes Scott College gives the neighborhood an exciting, youthful sense of innovation and education, and the charming homes and residential streets allow residents to enjoy a small town sense of community and serenity despite its urban location.

Decatur also has its own independent public school system including four elementary schools as well as a middle school and a high school, making the neighborhood even more desirable for those looking to settle down with children in the Atlanta area. With a reasonable median home price of just under $325,000, Decatur is a great neighborhood for families, college students, and professionals alike (via Zillow).

Dating all the way back to 1881, what was once a small community for textile mill workers has since become one of Atlanta's most beautiful historic districts. According to Cabbagetown.com, after the closure of this textile mill in the late 1970s, developers with excitement for Atlanta's rising art scene saw this closure as an opportunity to transform Cabbagetown into a hub for creativity and artistic expression. Today, this creative energy mixes with the remaining rural-suburban sized lots and provides a unique, community-oriented neighborhood for families, artists, first-time homeowners, and well-established professionals (via Uncover Atlanta).

The architecture style across Cabbagetown varies greatly, giving the neighborhood a unique eclectic character. From farmhouse homes, Victorian-style homes, single-story bungalows, and early 1900s shotgun-style homes share the same streets, united by shared access to community gardens, family-friendly parks, and beautiful greenery. The median home cost in Cabbagetown comes out to $346,000 which is fairly standard for neighborhoods across Atlanta, and is absolutely worth it for the creative community of the area (via Niche).

Located just east of Cabbagetown and south of Inman Village, development in historic Reynoldstown dates all the way back to the 1860s. According to Reynoldstown.net, Reynoldstown is one of Atlanta's first African American neighborhoods and has remained an important cultural and historical landmark since its conception. Modern Reynoldstown is home to over 1,500 households and boasts a diverse population. In fact, many first-time homeowners find themselves surrounded by families who have lived in their homes since the early 1900s (via Uncover Atlanta). Families with children wave from their porches to young professionals, highlighting the beautiful sense of community present in the neighborhood across cultures, classes, and ages.

Because Reynoldstown has been a popular neighborhood for so many years, there is also great diversity in the architectural style of homes. On one Reynoldstown street, you may find an ultra-modern, newly constructed home right next to an early 20th-century shotgun home or a humble bungalow. While home prices vary greatly based on the size and age of a home, the median home cost in the neighborhood comes out to $534,500 (via Rocket Homes).