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[BugCatcher]

I'm moving down to Atlanta next month to go to grad school, but having lived in Alaska my whole life I'm kind of clueless about how to find a good place to live in a big city. People have told me that Atlanta is a bit wild to begin with, which makes me especially nervous. I've been searching around on www.apartments.com, but I don't know what parts of the city to avoid. So, GAF, I turn to you.

In order of importance, I'm looking for a place that is:
1) In a safe part of town, or a safe community. Safe enough for a naive country bumpkin like me to feel comfortable.
2) Close to the university (map). I'm hoping to find someplace less than 15 miles away, which also meets requirement 1), if that's possible.
3) Less than a grand a month for a 2-bedroom apartment. I'm hoping such a place exists that satisfies both 1) and 2).

I'm not having any problems finding apartments that meet 2) and 3), but I need your help with 1). Where are the good neighborhoods? Where are the dangerous, high-crime areas? If possible, I want to stick to places that fall inside this map.

I've never lived in a big city in the US before, so besides telling me where not to live, if you have any general information or advice you want to give, recommendations on things to do or see, please let me know!

 

[Triumph]

Stay out of the south side of Atlanta and you should be reasonably fine.

The communites of Inman Park, Midtown, Little Five Points and East Atlanta are all relatively safe. I have lived in Midtown for almost four years now in a somewhat rundown building(but oh so cheap!) and the worst crap we've had to put up with is our downstairs neighbor apparently trying to get on Jerry Springer with all of his infidelities and screaming girlfriends. The cops shot his dog, too. But that's what you get for having a fucking rottweiller as a pet in a small one bedroom apartment, dipshit. Also, bums will occasionally shuffle up the street to rummage through the dumpster, but they never bother me.

 

[Tommie Hu$tle]

Anything south of 20 and you probably want to stay away from most Atlanta universites. Basically you want to stay outside of 285. But, close to where you will work, that's the most important thing. And for a "big" city Atlanta is a good choice it still is country in several aspects.

 

[ChrisReid]

As far away from downtown and the south as possible. Stay away from the Marta lines too.

 

[Incognito]

Live in Buckead!

 

[Brannon]

Well MARTA is pretty cheap travel for now and if he doesn't have a car. But do try to find a place in northeast section of the city. You'll thank us later.

 

[BugCatcher]

So far most of the places I have looked at are at least 5 minutes away from the Marta trains by car (is that far enough away?), but within walking distance of the Marta bus. I'll be getting a car, but likely the gf will be using it to get to work, and unless we work something out I'll have to use public transportation to get to and from university. Is this a bad idea?

Live in Buckead!

Don't mess with me! I have no sarcasm detector

 

[Triumph]

Pffft. Don't listen to these dorks. I ride MARTA five days a week, am often the only white dude on the train, and haven't had an issue in almost a year. Don't be a scaredy cat.

Also, if you're not going to have a car initially, then you really are gonna want to look into the communities that I named. You could go further out into Decatur, which is a real nice town, but the places I named are cool and pretty safe to live in. Living outside 285 is LAME and not feasible if you don't have a car. You don't want to be made fun of for not living in the city, right? Also, don't listen to Lonestar/Incognito. You're not gonna find a place in Fuckhead for less than a grand a month worth living in, and if you live in Fuckhead you live with the yuppie meatheads. Bleah.

Are you going to GSU? If so, seriously look into Inman Park and Little Five. They are less than 10 minutes by train to GSU.

 

[Battlezone]

Is Buckhead even that desirable anymore? I moved from Atlanta a couple of years ago-just after Ray Lewis was down there killing everybody-and everybody was starting to hightail it for the suburbs then. Is it not like that anymore?

If you don't have a car, stick like glue to the MARTA rail line. If you can get to the rail line, you can get to anywhere you really want to be in Atlanta anyway.

Oh, and grab a Creative Loafing. You can usually find decent apartments in there, although you won't have the advantage of looking at them online first.

 

[ChrisReid]

Pffft. Don't listen to these dorks. I ride MARTA five days a week, am often the only white dude on the train, and haven't had an issue in almost a year. Don't be a scaredy cat.

Hehehe, whenever I travel to Atlanta, I always arrive at like 4 or 5 am. And I'm always the only white (looking) dude on a packed train. Maybe it's just worse for me because I'm also hauling 80 pounds of luggage and equipment.

 

[Brannon]

Are you going to GSU? If so, seriously look into Inman Park and Little Five. They are less than 10 minutes by train to GSU.

From the map, it looks like he's more into attending Georgia Tech, but the people around there like to hike up the rent on students sometimes which is why I suggested a place on the other side of the tracks. A bus could take you to the Midtown, Art Center (travel one station south to Midtown) or North Avenue (travel one station north to Midtown) Station, and from there you can hop on to a Georgia Tech trolley that comes by every few minutes. Both services run pretty late, too.

And stay.

Away.

From the south side.

Really.

IT SUCKS.

Really. All the good stuff is north!

 

[Tommie Hu$tle]

Yes, I'm from College Park/Riverdale and the place has gone down hill in the past 10 years. I can't wait for my folks to move out of the area. I think they are moving this year.

 

[Property of Jumpship]

I lived in Dunwoody for awhile (2 years) and it was a pleasurable experience. I cant remember where exactly that is, its been 5 years, but the worst thing I had to deal with was traffic. I lived off of Ashford-Dunwoody road near the Perimeter Mall. It took me about 20 minutes to get to Buckhead. Enjoy!

 

[Property of Jumpship]

Oh, Mellow Mushroom pizza is the best.

 

[Shig]

Oh, Mellow Mushroom pizza is the best.

Yep.

Avoid the one at Peachtree Corners, however, that one is a dive. Though it is next to a theater with pretty good big arcade.

Most consistently good location is Dunwoody, I'd say.

 

[Property of Jumpship]

Yep.

Most consistently good location is Dunwoody, I'd say.

I miss Atlanta.

 

[BugCatcher]

Thanks for all the advice guys! This helps alot. I'll make sure to stay away from the south side and find a good place up north.

Is Buckhead even that desirable anymore? I moved from Atlanta a couple of years ago-just after Ray Lewis was down there killing everybody-and everybody was starting to hightail it for the suburbs then. Is it not like that anymore?

I'd like to know the answer to this question too; a lot of the apartments I like are in Buckhead, but if it's not that great anymore I can pass on them. As it is I'm leaning towards finding a place there or in Dunwoody.

 

[Phoenix]

North of the city is where more of the clubs are (Buckhead), but rents and houses are cheaper to the east and west of the city and those areas aren't plagued with the hellish traffic that consumes the north side. I live outside of 285 on the east side off of Panola and can get to downtown in 15 minutes during my normal work travel time (9:30 depart) or about 35 minutes door to door (8:30 depart).

 

[Gruco]

Stay the bloody hell away from I-285.

Lindburgh or Brookhaven is good for MARTA access....

Midtown if you're okay with the prices...I don't think you can meet requirement 3 with that though.

Inside the Perimeter and north up 75 in general works pretty well, the traffic isn't bad in rush hours and you have a pretty quick trip just about anywhere.

But seriously, stay away from 285.

 

[teh_pwn]

My sister moved to Atlanta in January and goes through at least 1:30 of traffic each day. I have no idea where she lives but she's already looking into moving. Choose carefully.

 

[Phoenix]

Stay the bloody hell away from I-285.

Lindburgh or Brookhaven is good for MARTA access....

Midtown if you're okay with the prices...I don't think you can meet requirement 3 with that though.

Inside the Perimeter and north up 75 in general works pretty well, the traffic isn't bad in rush hours and you have a pretty quick trip just about anywhere.

But seriously, stay away from 285.

Nah, 85 and 75 are straight parking lots in the morning. I've passed them at around 8:45-9:00AM doing about 75mph on I-20 and they are backed up in both directions Since GaState is down/down town - I-20 is the best ingress/egress you're going to get.

 

[Phoenix]

My sister moved to Atlanta in January and goes through at least 1:30 of traffic each day. I have no idea where she lives but she's already looking into moving. Choose carefully.

I'll put my bid in that she stays north of the city, probably in some part of Gwinett county.

 

[Ronin]

Yes, I'm from College Park/Riverdale and the place has gone down hill in the past 10 years.

Word.

 

[Gruco]

Nah, 85 and 75 are straight parking lots in the morning. I've passed them at around 8:45-9:00AM doing about 75mph on I-20 and they are backed up in both directions Since GaState is down/down town - I-20 is the best ingress/egress you're going to get.

I take 75 south every morning at 8:30 and get into midtown within 10 minutes. I've never had a problem going further (state isn't that far past my exit IIRC) either, though admittedly I don't go that far in the mornings often. I suppose going deep into the connector could get bad. But 75 moves perfectly fine as long as you start inside the perimeter. 85 is much worse because you have to deal with the 400 traffic merging.

 

[Phoenix]

Where inside the perimiter are you coming from and where are you going? A 10 minute trip on 75 would indicate a relatively short distance travelled. I'm going about 23 miles from my house to my destination.

 

[Gruco]

West Paces exit to 10th St.

So yeah, it's a hell of a lot shorter than 23 miles.

Regardless, the traffic is far from parking lot status, unless there was an accident or something.

 

[BugCatcher]

Stay the bloody hell away from I-285.

So 285, 75, and 85 all have awful traffic? Or is there some other reason why I should avoid 285?

What do you guys mean by "inside the perimeter"? Within 285?

 

[dmann]

Traffic is pretty bad between 7 - 9am ... and after 4 pm. So schedule your classes after 9 in the morning, and try to leave campus before 4.

Personally, it takes me roughly around 45-90 minutes to get to TECH from Peachtree City(which is way down south on I-85) in the morning if I leave at 8am. When I used to live at my parent's house in Riverdale, it would take me approx 30-45mins to get thru the morning traffic.

 

[Triumph]

So 285, 75, and 85 all have awful traffic? Or is there some other reason why I should avoid 285?

What do you guys mean by "inside the perimeter"? Within 285?

Yes, 285 is the "perimeter". You definitely want to live inside of it.

I still maintain that Buckhead/Dunwoody is lame. I lived in Dunwoody/Sandy Springs during high school, and it's only gotten lamer with time. Are you going to State or Tech? Either way, you're better served living in town if you're not gonna have a car to begin IMO.

And yes, Atlanta has some of the worst fucking traffic in the country. ESPECIALLY 285. I think it's still the busiest interstate in the country.

 

[DarkAngyl]

RD has it right...285 fucking sucks.. I live in Marietta and work in Norcross so I deal with the top end perimiter every day. Bleck. It doesn't take much to hose the traffic to epic propotions either. A fenderbender...the hint of rain...too much sunshine (I shit you not) it all causes traffic nightmares. :/

If you are going to Tech, you would probably be better off living inside the perimiter, but as someone that grew up in a small town, I just couldn't do it. I'm just not a city person at all. You might find that you like it though. It is very convienant, especially if you are close to a MARTA rail line.

 

[Phoenix]

Note that everyone talking about horrid traffic says:

*tada*

North end or down south

 

[BugCatcher]

Haha, noted, Phoenix.

Yes, 285 is the "perimeter". You definitely want to live inside of it.

I still maintain that Buckhead/Dunwoody is lame. I lived in Dunwoody/Sandy Springs during high school, and it's only gotten lamer with time. Are you going to State or Tech?.

Tech, so yeah, a safe place inside the perimeter would be perfect. Midtown is definitely out of my reach, though. Why don't you like Buckhead (or Dunwoody)? They seem like nice places from what most of the other posters are saying.

 

[Phoenix]

The big question is going to be - how much do you want to pay. Once you're ITP places like Buckhead which are actually nice IMO are magically overpriced expensive. What I usually suggest to people is finding a realtor and tell them what you're looking for, how much you want to spend, and where you want to live and they will find whatever you're looking for.... and they work for free

 

[Triumph]

Haha, noted, Phoenix.

Tech, so yeah, a safe place inside the perimeter would be perfect. Midtown is definitely out of my reach, though. Why don't you like Buckhead (or Dunwoody)? They seem like nice places from what most of the other posters are saying.

Yuppie scum, mostly. I call the people who frequent bars in Buckhead "punchfaces", because that's what I want to do to them. They're basically grown up frat boys and sorostitutes fucking up my night life. Also, if you live in either place you're going to overpay because it's considered "nice" to live there(i.e. gentrified so the only black folks you find are the help who live safely away from scared white folks).

There are some cool places to live around Tech.

 

[Brannon]

Also, Buckhead and some areas around it have that old money vibe going. Grand mansions that raise the property values of land miles away from them, not to mention the Governor's Mansion. Expensive place, Buckhead. And on Friday and Saturday you can walk faster than any car can drive down the main streets. Unless you like to party hard, then it's just for you, but still expensive.

 

[BugCatcher]

I don't party, just study. I am an exciting person!