If you plan to move to or within Atlanta, but don’t know which neighborhood best fits you, look no further. Here’s our ultimate Atlanta neighborhood guide.

Your In-Depth Intown Atlanta Neighborhood Guide

Here’s the scoop. Even as Metro Atlanta spreads and sprawls, the heart of the city remains a hugely popular place to live and play. Atlanta locals call these core neighborhoods Intown.

According to the strictest definition cited on Wikipedia, Intown communities include “Downtown and Midtown Atlanta and the surrounding, mostly pre-World War II neighborhoods that contain unique destinations that draw customers from across metro Atlanta.” It can also include the Buckhead neighborhood, or serve as a synonym for the broader geographical region known colloquially as “ITP” (inside the perimeter), referring to the boundary created by the Interstate 285.

Most Intown neighborhoods share a similar history. In the late 1800s, Atlantans rebuilt their city on the ashes of the Civil War battlefields. Factories flourished. Beautiful Victorian homes appeared. Parks bloomed. But, as in many cities, the rise of the suburbs brought a decline to inner-city neighborhoods.

Starting in the 1990s, Atlanta began revitalizing its oldest areas. Trendy businesses opened and new, modern apartment buildings popped up. A flagship piece of this effort is the Atlanta Beltline, a former railway corridor developed into a multi-use trail. The Beltline runs through many of the Intown neighborhoods, bringing them together and spurring economic growth.

Related: Highest-Rated Apartments in Midtown Atlanta and Atlanta’s Best Coffee Shops

Old Fourth Ward

Vibe: High energy, revitalized neighborhood

Until 2010, the Old Fourth Ward was a low-income area made famous as the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr. But, with the construction of the Beltline came the revitalization of the neighborhood. It’s now a trendy hot spot with plenty of outdoor recreation, shopping, and dining. If you struggle to choose which restaurant to start with, the locals will tell you not to miss Two Urban Licks.

Unique Features:

• One of the most walkable, bikeable, and dog-friendly Atlanta neighborhoods
• Easy access to Ponce City Market and the Eastside Beltline
• Historic Fourth Ward Park, with open lawns, a playground, a splash pad, an outdoor theater, and a 2-acre lake
• Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark, inaugurated and supported by skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, caters to skaters of every skill level
• Old Fourth Ward Arts Festival in September

Rental Market:

O4W has countless new and luxurious apartment communities, many with direct park access. The average rent is $2,259.

See available apartments in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood.

Midtown Atlanta

Vibe: Authentic city living and views

No Atlanta neighborhood guide is complete without Midtown, and over 27,000 people agree. Yep, that’s the current Midtown population estimate, and it’s only growing. From the High Museum of Art to the Peachtree Street commercial district to the clubs on Crescent Avenue, the action never stops. In the words of the Midtown Alliance, this neighborhood reflects a “true mixed-use, new urbanist, live-learn-work-play community.” Couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Confused about the differences between Midtown and Downtown Atlanta? Read all about these two neighborhoods.

Unique Features:

• The 185-acre Piedmont Park, the “Central Park” of Atlanta
• The “Heart of the Arts,” including the Woodruff Arts Center and Fox Theatre
• Arguably the best nightlife in the city
• More than 150 restaurants

Rental Market:

Midtown is the place for ultra-luxury high-rise apartment buildings with incredible city skyline views. The average rent is $2,488, but Midtown residents will tell you it’s worth the price.

See available apartments in the Midtown neighborhood.

Inman Park

Vibe: Loved by young professionals who desire a sense of history and community

Inman Park earned the distinction of being both Atlanta’s first planned residential suburb and its first electric trolley neighborhood. Think Victorian-style mansions on large lots, curving streets, and green parks. Today, the community combines the old and the new. Just consider Inman Park’s reputation for outstanding restaurants like Barcelona Wine Bar, Kevin Rathbun Steak, and Sotto Sotto.

Unique Features:

• Highly walkable neighborhood with Beltline access
• The active Inman Park Neighborhood Association (IPNA) promotes community events and works to maintain and preserve the neighborhood’s history
• Famous Inman Park Festival, which the IPNA calls “Atlanta’s most spirited and eclectic” neighborhood festival
• Lots of local restaurants, bars, and shopping options

Rental Market:

The average rent in Inman Park runs at about $2,312, but there’s a wide range. The neighborhood has its share of new luxury buildings, with lofts and one- and two-bedroom options. Some private homes offer apartments for rent, too.

See available apartments in Inman Park neighborhood.

Castleberry Hill

Vibe: Warehouse district turned artsy and trendy

Until the 1980s, Castleberry Hill was just another aging warehouse district. But, when the artist community fell in love with its arched windows and parapets, everything changed. Soon, old warehouses became lofts and art galleries. Forty years later, the neighborhood is a center of creative life, with art strolls and free concerts. It has even become a popular filming site.

Unique Features:

• Active Castleberry Hill Neighborhood Association that runs neighborhood events
• Diverse dining, including Paschal’s, made famous in its original location by civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr.
• Numerous art galleries, such as the Besharat Gallery and ZuCot Gallery
• Neighborhood Free Art Stroll the second Friday of every month
• More than 100 preserved early-20th-century warehouse buildings

Rental Market:

Castleberry Hill is famous for its trendy lofts in converted warehouses. You can still find plenty of those, and some new apartment buildings, too. The average rent is about $1,665.

See available apartments in the Castleberry Hill neighborhood.

Home Park

Vibe: Residential city neighborhood with excellent shopping and entertainment options

Known as the “The Heart of West Midtown,” Home Park began humbly in the early 1900s for workers from the Atlantic Steel Mill. But, when the  Atlantic Steel Company shut down in the 1990s, its gigantic site was entirely redeveloped into Atlantic Station, a chic center for shopping, dining, and entertainment. Home Park now displays the best of tree-lined, walkable residential streets along with extensive amenities on its commercial avenues.

Unique Features:

• Super-convenient access to the shopping districts of Atlantic Station and the Marietta Street Artery
• Member of the Grady Cluster, known for the best public schools in Atlanta
• Many entertainment and restaurant options at Atlantic Station and within the neighborhood
• Large GA Tech student population

Rental Market:

Home Park offers a diverse rental market with homes, townhomes, and apartments. The average apartment rent is $2,114, but varies widely. The upper end includes modern luxury buildings in prime neighborhood locations.

See available apartments in the Home Park neighborhood.

Virginia Highland

Vibe: Upscale, but with a cozy, small neighborhood feel

Virginia Highland is so named for its busiest intersection, but you can just call it VaHi. While the neighborhood features preserved homes and bungalows from the early 1900s, the nightlife crowd looks totally modern. The Highlands is home to a community of affluent young professionals and families. 

Unique Features:

• Walkable neighborhood with Beltline access
• Active Virginia-Highland Civic Association, which plans the annual Summerfest and Tour of Homes
• Funky, fashionable shopping and dining district at the intersection of Virginia Ave and Highland Ave
• Plenty of parks and green spaces

Rental Market:

VaHi has plenty of apartments for rent, including one-, two-, and even three-bedroom options. The average rent is nearly $1,848.

See available apartments in the Virginia Highland neighborhood.

Grant Park

Vibe: Parkside life in a historic neighborhood

The Grant Park neighborhood is named for the large park that defines it. As with most other Intown communities, the beautiful Victorian homes became decayed and neglected by the late 1900s. Focused efforts to revitalize the park and the neighborhood brought them back to life. The park serves as a center of community life, but Memorial Drive features a fantastic selection of restaurants, bars, and shopping, too. The reasonable housing market attracts young professionals and families alike.

Unique Features:

• Historic Grant Park, home to Zoo Atlanta
• Oakland Cemetery, resting place of “Gone With the Wind” writer Margaret Mitchell
• Summer Shade Arts & Music Festival, Halloween Lantern Parade, and Pic’n in Grant Park BBQ & Music Festival
• The Grant Park Farmers’ Market, with over 60 vendors, celebrity chef demonstrations, and special events
• Grant Park Neighborhood Association (GPNA) hosts events and protects the interests of the neighborhood

Rental Market:

Grant Park has plenty of new apartments for rent, averaging $1,851.

See available apartments in the Grant Park neighborhood.

Georgia Tech

Vibe: In-the-city campus life

The Georgia Institute of Technology, known affectionately as Georgia Tech, transformed and developed this Intown location over the years. Educational buildings and student housing fill the landscape. But, don’t worry, even non-students can watch Georgia Tech’s beloved Yellow Jackets play in Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Unique Features:

• Georgia Institute of Technology (of course!)
• Campus security and transportation
• Borders Centennial Park, the Coca Cola Museum, Georgia Aquarium, and more

Rental Market:

The Georgia Tech neighborhood features mostly student housing, with rent averaging about $2,266. Of note is Centennial Village, apartment buildings originally built to house the 1996 Olympic athletes.

See available apartments in the Georgia Tech neighborhood.

Cabbagetown

Vibe: Small, eclectic, 6-block neighborhood with a rural community feel

So, why is it called Cabbagetown? Urban legends abound, but the most common story goes back to the area’s roots. In the late 1800s, it served as the site of the new Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill. The mill’s workers, a tight-knit group of Scottish and Irish immigrants, lived nearby in small “shotgun shacks.” The story goes that the area often smelled of cooked cabbage from these cottages.

When the mill closed in 1976, the neighborhood declined with it. In the late 1990s, though, the area was revived by an influx of artists. The mill itself was converted into the Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts. Cabbagetown is a fairly new development, which is why you might be surprised to see it on this Atlanta neighborhood guide. Today, you can find good food and good company on the neighborhood’s main road, Carroll Street.

Unique Features:

• Chomp and Stomp Bluegrass and Chili Cook-off Festival in November
• Community Garden
• Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts, the nation’s largest residential loft community
• Extensive street art and wall murals, especially in the Krog Street Tunnel

Rental Market:

The neighborhood is small, but rental options exist, including houses and apartments, averaging $1,842.

See available apartments in the Cabbagetown neighborhood.

Downtown Atlanta

Vibe: Action packed city living

Downtown Atlanta represents the ultimate in urban living. From the Victorian era buildings to the brand new skyscrapers, it functions as the center of action in the city. Downtown divides into a few distinct districts, such as Fairlie-Poplar, South Downtown, Centennial Hill, and Sono. While each one delivers its own special flair and flavor, they all contain the high powered mix of restaurants, attractions, and commerce that characterizes Downtown.

Unique Features:

• Just 10 miles from the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
• Historic Downtown walking tour and Open House Atlanta
• Woodruff Park
• Excellent public schools
• Many popular tourist attractions, such as CNN’s world headquarters, the World of Coke, the Georgia Aquarium, the Georgia Dome, State Farm Arena, and Centennial Olympic Park

Rental Market:

Downtown offers a range of rental options, from townhomes and apartment sky-rises to trendy converted lofts. The average rent is $2,020.

See available apartments in the Downtown neighborhood.

Buckhead

Vibe: Luxurious, stylish city life

Does Buckhead really count as an Intown neighborhood? Although purists will tell you that it lies too far away from Downtown, no one can dispute the urban nature of the area. It’s Atlanta’s third-largest business district after Downtown Atlanta and Midtown, and comprises about one-fifth of the city. Call it what you want, but Buckhead residents enjoy the high-end shopping, world-class dining, and happening nightlife of a city neighborhood.

Unique Features:

• Upscale shopping in Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza
• Governor’s Mansion
• Atlanta History Center with historic Swan House and Smith Family Farm
• Fun Foodie Events, including the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival and Grand Tasting Buckhead

Rental Market:

Don’t be discouraged by the huge mansions you’ll see in the “Beverly Hills of the East.”  There are lots of apartments for rent, too. The average price is $1,934 and includes many luxury buildings. But, you can find modern, classy options on the lower end of the spectrum, too.

See available apartments in the Buckhead neighborhood.

Want a Real-Life Atlanta Neighborhood Guide?

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* The original version of this article was first published on May 31, 2019.