Need advice- safe, kid friendly neighborhood needed (Atlanta, Decatur: to rent, crime)

[Allison23]

Hi All,

I might have a job opportunity in the heart of Atlanta. I need to know of a safe neighborhood in or around Atlanta to live, where I can raise a 3 year old. It must be family friendly, safe and good schools. Can anyone please help me with suggestions?

Thanks

[ATLTJL]

What's your budget?

[Allison23]

I'm looking to rent a home. And pay around a grand to twelve hundred.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Allison23

Hi All,

I might have a job opportunity in the heart of Atlanta. I need to know of a safe neighborhood in or around Atlanta to live, where I can raise a 3 year old. It must be family friendly, safe and good schools. Can anyone please help me with suggestions?

Thanks

We will need way more information to help you.

Fill out the questions/prompts in the first post located this thread --> https://www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...ead-first.html


Then, cut and paste your answers back here in this thread that you started. I hope this helps some. Good Luck!

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by Allison23

Hi All,

I might have a job opportunity in the heart of Atlanta. I need to know of a safe neighborhood in or around Atlanta to live, where I can raise a 3 year old. It must be family friendly, safe and good schools. Can anyone please help me with suggestions?

Thanks

there are tons of intown neighbourhoods with good schools— you have to know where to look, though.

the first place people usually recommend is the *city* of decatur. i emphasize city because there's a huge area that has a decatur address that is not really in decatur; however, if you're in the city limits, decatur has its own school system and it's very highly rated. decatur is like a small little college town dropped right in atlanta's core. it's very safe, walkable and family friendly.

the second place i'd recommend is northeast of the city of decatur, either virginia-highland, morningside, or north druid hills (they're listed in rank of cost, north druid hills being the cheapest to live out of those three). these are all family friendly neighbourhoods that are very safe.

you may also want to check out a place on the westside, called whittier mill village. it's an old mill community that's been completely restored and has a park in the middle of it— it's unique in that it's very close to midtown and downtown, but it has a very rural feel to it, so you have access to all the atlanta amenities and a small village feel as well. this neighbourhood is also very family friendly.

there are certainly other places, but those are the three that came to mind first. always make sure that you come down and check the neighbourhood out before you buy, see if you like it and if it's your kind of place, although if you get in any of the three places above i guarantee you'll be satisfied.

[Allison23]

Thanks very much for the feedback!

[red92s]

Renting a single family home in the city of Decatur or Virginia Highlands on a $1,200 budget is going to be tough. Not impossible, but difficult.

[cqholt]

Check out Kirkwood. Afford homes, intown location, safe neighborhood, good elementary school. The middle school is steadily improving and got a great principal. The neighborhood has lots of young professional families with kids your kid's age. 5 parks within the 2 square mile area. Bike and walking PATHs. Kirkwood Neighbors' Organization (KNO) :: Kirkwood Neighborhood, Atlanta, GA

[researchnerd]

cqholt, I applaud your loyalty to the neighborhood, but I wouldn't call Kirkwood safe. A high school kid got shot in Coan park last month, in the middle of a Friday afternoon. People routinely get robbed there and in Bessie Branham park, and there are shots fired frequently in Gilliam Park. I know people bring their kids to these parks to play, but I wouldn't.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by researchnerd

cqholt, I applaud your loyalty to the neighborhood, but I wouldn't call Kirkwood safe. A high school kid got shot in Coan park last month, in the middle of a Friday afternoon. People routinely get robbed there and in Bessie Branham park, and there are shots fired frequently in Gilliam Park. I know people bring their kids to these parks to play, but I wouldn't.

The so called "safe" neighborhoods north of DeKalb ave have more crime than Kirkwood. Inman Park, Candler Park, and along Highland Ave have more crimes than our neighborhood. That's what I mean by safe, as most people think those areas are safer, due to being north of DeKalb.