East Atlanta Village or East Lake?? (Decatur: crime, homes, neighborhoods)

[sunnygt]

Which neighborhood is a safer and better bet to purchase a home in?

[south-to-west]

East Atlanta Village and East Lake are very comparable. EAV has a hopping commercial district with cool bars, restaurants, and shops. Also, the community association, EACA, is very involved in the community and hosts many festivals and events for the neighborhood.

East Lake is centered moreso around the country club and has older homes. It's also close to the Oakhurst neighborhood in the city of Decatur, as well as Downtown Decatur. The schools in both neighborhoods have been improving--especially Burgess Academy--and the new East Lake YMCA is a great place for families to stay active.

[davesm]

Both are City of Atlanta and Dekalb County. I think they are both great neighborhoods.

East Lake in general has older housing stock and is next to City of Decatur. To me it has a bit of a more family feel to it. There are parts of East Lake next to Oakhurst were you can't tell the difference between the two except for the sign toppers. That section of East Lake at least feels a little safer that East Atlanta, but what do I know. Check crime info at Atlanta PD's website.

East Atlanta seems to have more going on as a far as Restaurants, Shopping, and Entertainment in the village area. It has a hipper reputation that East Lake, but feels a bit isolated to me since there isn't much going on to the East or South. Same could be said for East Lake, but it seems just a little bit more plugged in to me. Maybe because it is closer to Decatur.

I think both would be great places to live. It is just a matter of personal preference. If you're an intown beginner maybe East Lake. If you want more action around you might prefer East Atlanta. Drive both areas and which ever one you gravitate to go for it.