The 5 Best Family-Friendly Neighborhoods In Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is commonly referred to as the capital of the American south, with the city teeming with business, nightlife, and undeniable culture. As the headquarters for company giants like Coca-Cola, Delta, and UPS, per KNOWAtlanta, Georgia's capital attracts countless visitors and future residents yearly due to the city's prosperous economy and the hyperactive job market. Atlanta is also incredibly diverse regarding housing, as the city's metropolitan area offers a variety of options both north and south of the city center.
Determining where to live in Atlanta can be difficult, as there are over 200 neighborhoods to choose from within the city limits alone, according to Atlanta Families. Many suburbs surrounding the city make up Atlanta's metro area, which numerous residents choose to live in, especially those craving more space to house growing families. If you're planning to move to the Peach State's capital for work or otherwise, and you have a spouse, kids, and maybe a pet or two to bring with you, here are five neighborhoods and suburbs located in and around the city that are safe, beautiful, and perfectly oriented for families.
Virginia-Highland
Atlanta Families states that Virginia-Highland is one of Atlanta's most popular neighborhoods because the area features amenities that appeal to all age groups. Located east of Midtown Atlanta, Virginia-Highland feels like a city within a city, with its historic homes and charming establishments providing a suburban feel for its residents. While the area attracts young professionals looking to move further away from the hectic environments of Midtown and Downtown, Virginia-Highland, also referred to as Va-Hi also attracts small families looking for a safer place to raise their children.
Virginia-Highland is a hotspot for small businesses in the city, as the neighborhood's streets are lined with a wide variety of local establishments, from coffee shops to bars to boutiques, says Atlanta Families. It's also reasonably easy getting around Virginia-Highland, and you don't need a car. The neighborhood offers ample sidewalks, making it one of the more pedestrian-friendly areas in Atlanta. One of the city's most popular parks, Piedmont Park, slightly borders Virginia Highland to the west, giving residents of the neighborhood even more chances to walk, cycle and enjoy the warm weather that Georgia offers for the majority of the year.
As for housing, Virginia-Highland is one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Atlanta, especially when only accounting for neighborhoods within the city limits. According to Realtor, the median listing price for single-family homes in Virginia-Highland reached $929,000 in October, making for a year-for-year increase of 34.2%.
Old Fourth Ward
Old Fourth Ward shares many similarities with Virginia-Highland, in that the area is clean, safe, and bears a historic charm. Surging in immense popularity only recently, the neighborhood is located just northeast of downtown, giving residents easy access to the city's business sectors to the west. The area has a unique history, once serving as a major industrial neighborhood for Atlanta before transforming into the cultural hub it's known as today. Landmarks popularized by the civil rights movement of the 1960s are also found in and around O4W, says Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, including Dr. Martin Luther King's birthplace and church, Ebenezer Baptist.
Old Fourth Ward also offers a lively entertainment scene. Atlanta residents commonly associate the neighborhood with Ponce City Market, a popular shopping destination. The mall is inside an old factory building once owned and operated by Sears, Roebuck, and Company. Although renovated, the mall still embodies the factory's industrial aesthetic. Discover Atlanta recommends residents check out Historic Old Fourth Ward Park, a 17-acre park featuring a lake, splash pad, outdoor theater, and world-class skate park. As for housing, Old Fourth Ward is more affordable than other neighborhoods located in northern Atlanta. Redfin states that the average listed price for a home in O4W rose to $454,000 in October, a 10.2% increase from the previous October. Homes in the area offer a mix of traditional and modern styles, says Keller Williams Peachtree Road real estate office, the Suits Team.
Johns Creek
For families looking to distance themselves from Atlanta's city limits entirely, Johns Creek is one of many suburbs north of the city to look into. According to the city's website, the land constituting Johns Creek initially belonged to a tribe of Cherokee Indians before Georgia's Gold Rush of the 1840s attracted white settlers and caught the attention of the U.S. Government. Now, the incorporated city stands as one of the more appealing choices for families since the area is safe and clean and provides a great enough distance from the chaos of the inner city.
Johns Creek truly feels like a suburb, given that the city is distanced farther from Atlanta than other neighborhoods and towns in the metro area. If shorter commute times and public transportation are priorities in your search for a new place to live, Johns Creek likely won't be the right fit for you. Since public transit is limited, residents of Johns Creek working within Atlanta's city limits commute to their jobs by car during the week, per the city's website. Commutes can last anywhere from 45 minutes to over an hour, depending on the traffic state. Distance aside, the town is well-manicured and designed, giving the area a gorgeous landscape. The homes in Johns Creek are typically large and spacious, offering plenty of room to raise a growing family. The site also has a plethora of public and private schools to choose from, per Great Schools, many of which are highly ranked.
Dunwoody
Dunwoody is another community outside of Atlanta's city limits that is a popular option for both old and young residents. However, Dunwoody is closer to Atlanta's city center than Johns Creek, making for a shorter daily commute and easier access to the metro area's amenities. Dunwoody was incorporated into an independent city in 2008, says Discover Dunwoody. According to statistics from Point2Homes, around 56% of the city's residents are married, while only 31% of Dunwoody's total households include children.
There are plenty of activities for families to enjoy together in Dunwoody. The area is home to many restaurants offering a variety of cuisines, which tends to attract Atlantans from all over to the city. Dunwoody also houses Perimeter Mall, says Explore Georgia, one of metro Atlanta's largest and most popular shopping destinations. For those interested in nature, the city has a number of parks available to the public and plans to develop even more parks in the future, Discover Dunwoody states. The cost of living in Dunwoody is high but still reasonable compared to select neighborhoods within Atlanta's city limits. The median listed home price in the area topped $550,000 in October, according to Realtor. However, the inflated cost of living may prove worth it for families desiring a safe environment to raise children since crime rates, especially violent crime rates, are pretty low, according to data from the Dunwoody Police Department's crime comparison report.
Grant Park
Grant Park, named after the park the neighborhood was built around, is another popular option for families looking to settle in Atlanta. Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau states that Grant Park is the oldest park in the city, spanning over 130 acres and serving as the host location of many of the city's annual festivals and events, providing constant, closely-distanced entertainment to residents of the neighborhood. Grant Park caters less to younger business professionals and more toward slightly older adults at the prime age to marry and have children, with just over half of the neighborhood's population consisting of those aged 25-44, according to Niche. Children under 10 comprise the next largest demographic, sitting at 12%.
Grant Park is perhaps best known for housing Zoo Atlanta, the city's zoo featuring a wide variety of animal exhibits and live shows that kids would love. The neighborhood also offers an array of restaurants perfect for weekend family outings, ranging from Mexican joints to pubs to brunch spots, says Uncover Atlanta. Homes in Grant Park are typically built in the Victorian or craftsman styles, states Atlanta-based real estate agent Katie McGuirk, giving parents plenty of space to care for their kids. The median listed home price in Grant Park increased to $595,000 this past October, according to Redfin, up 9.5% from October of last year.