Decatur area info (Atlanta: real estate, low crime, house)

[mkearns]

Hello everyone, Me and my family are thinking about making the move to GA.. And I wanted to get some info on the Decatur area. Is it family friendly? How are the schools? Is there a certain part we should stay away from? We are looking for I guess what just about everyone is looking for. Good neighborhood to raise a family, good schools, low crime and good housing prices. Any info you could give me would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks so much!

[George Chong]

Originally Posted by mkearns

Hello everyone, Me and my family are thinking about making the move to GA.. And I wanted to get some info on the Decatur area. Is it family friendly? How are the schools? Is there a certain part we should stay away from? We are looking for I guess what just about everyone is looking for. Good neighborhood to raise a family, good schools, low crime and good housing prices. Any info you could give me would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks so much!

I think that you will hear from many people in the forum in future postings that live in Decatur and love the neighborhood. Keep in mind that there is a BIG difference between the City of Decatur and the "other" Decatur.

Here is a link to the City of Decatur: City of Decatur, GA

Here is a link to the City of Decatur School System: City Schools of Decatur

Here is a link to the map of the school system: City Schools of Decatur

You can also read ratings on the school at GreatSchools.net

Home price tend to be a little more expensive since you are paying for the separate school system. Searching for a house in the City of Decatur would be the zip code of 30030 and Decatur High as the high school. If you see a real estate listing that shows 30030 and let's say Avondale as the high school - then the real estate agent is trying to trick people or has no idea about the area.

Good luck!

[Iconographer]

Mind you, when you refer to 'Decatur' you can be construed to mean two things on this forum. One is the city of Decatur (zip 30030), the other is the mailing area of Decatur, which means the city and unincorporated areas surrounding it that carry a Decatur mailing address (zips 30032, 30033, 30034, 30035). It's easy to get confused.
If you are referring to the city, it has everything you are looking for and then some: great schools, beautiful neighborhoods, virtually no crime and as family friendly as any place on the planet. The stumbling block here is 'good housing prices'...you will pay for this little slice of Heaven. So, it would help to know your definition of 'affordable'.
In the 'other' part of Decatur, it's basically a matter of whether you are going north or south. 30033 (just north of the city) is a fine area for the most part, and a little bit more affordable on the whole than the city proper. The other zips are dicey at best...if I were you, I wouldn't bother there.

[bicycleguy]

My family and I are moving from Decatur to Chicago and wish we could take Decatur with us. It's exactly where we would live in the Atlanta area if we had to do it all over again. That said, there are a number of places outside the city limits of Decatur proper that are quite nice (Clairmont Heights, etc.). We live just outside the city of Decatur (still in 30030), near the Decatur YMCA. Our kids went to Fernbank Elementary, in the Dekalb school system and it is one of the highest rated schools in the area.

If price were no object (we were students while we lived here) we would definitely live close to downtown Decatur, of which the courthouse square is the center. This is a great place with outstanding restaurants, Atlanta's best pub, great MARTA station, and good pedestrian-friendly living.