Cities
Learn about some of Northeast Atlanta’s most popular communities and what makes each of them unique…
Avondale Estates may be one of Atlanta’s best kept secrets. One of the first planned communities in the United States, the city was founded in 1924 and was named for Stratford-upon-Avon, home of William Shakespeare. The beautiful Tudor style buildings in the community’s central business district reflect this heritage and give the city its distinct personality.
Nestled between Decatur to the west and Stone Mountain to the east, Avondale Estates was named the safest city in the United States by a leading news magazine in the early 2000s. Today, it is still the safest community in DeKalb County and boasts the lowest crime rate in the county.
When the community was first organized, planners included a lake, swimming pool, tennis court, and bandstand to help forge a sense of communal harmony. Today, citizens of Avondale Estates make great use of these and the city’s other amenities enjoying among other events an annual Easter egg hunt, an antique car parade, spring garden tours and artists’ market, the annual Avondale Fishing Derby in Lake Avondale, a Fourth of July parade and celebration, an autumn arts festival, the city-wide Halloween decorating contest, as well as the annual Christmas tree lighting and arrival of Santa Claus by firetruck.
Originally a farming community and one of the first towns in Georgia named after an African-American, Chamblee, Georgia prides itself on the city’s ability to transform amid shifting economic opportunities, all while maintaining a sense of the town’s origins and a compassionate approach to meeting the needs of its citizens.
Chamblee’s evolution from quaint farming community to international village took it through several incarnations including military town, industrial community, and finally, international marketplace brought about by an influx of Asian and Hispanic immigrants to the Atlanta area in the mid-to-late ‘80s.
Many of these immigrants moved to the Chamblee area and quickly formed what is today known as Atlanta’s own International Village where active ethnic communities from China, Korea, Vietnam, Mexico, El Salvador, and other Hispanic nations thrive along side one another.
Taking advantage of this unique opportunity, Chamblee city government developed the first mixed-use development in the Atlanta area while taking special care to create a Central Business District to protect historic properties and the city’s origins.
Today, antique dealers from across the U.S. come to visit Chamblee’s famed Antique Row. Chamblee High School is the center for high-achieving math and science students in DeKalb County and a creative and well-organized city parks department sponsors events throughout the year including several popular summer day camps for children from age 5 to 18.
Chamblee remains one of the most affordable housing markets in the metro area and is convenient to the Decatur/Emory area as well as Midtown/Downtown, and the Perimeter Mall areas. Chamblee also has its own MARTA Rapid Rail station making use of mass transit easy and efficient.
One of Atlanta’s most distinctive suburbs, Decatur, Georgia is known for tree-lined streets, friendly, welcoming neighborhoods, fabulous shopping and dining, plus an on-going series of special events. With approximately 18,000 residents, Decatur is one of the most ethnically and racially diverse communities in the metropolitan Atlanta area. City of Decatur schools consistently rank above Georgia and national averages in virtually every category and the city’s independent school system is known as one of the best in all of Georgia.
The city is home to major employers including Emory University, Agnes Scott College, the Art Institute of Atlanta, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), DeKalb County government, and the City of Decatur government. It should also be noted that Decatur residents are among the most well-educated in the entire 13-county metro area.
Each spring, summer, and fall the city hosts a range of cultural, family, and recreational events including the Decatur Arts Festival organized by the Decatur Arts Alliance; weekly Blue Sky concerts; the annual Decatur Beach Party; the Oakhurst Music and Arts Festival; summer neighborhood softball and tennis tournaments; and in December a Candlelight Tour of Homes, Breakfast with Santa, and a bonfire and marshmallow roast.
Retaining the sense of community of a much smaller town, Decatur offers all the amenities of city life, including over 80 boutiques and restaurants – from chic fine dining to casual coffeehouse fare – dotted along the city square and throughout the downtown area. Oakhurst, one of Decatur’s historic neighborhoods, offers even more shopping dining, and entertainment options. And with great spots like Kavarna, Cavallino’s, Java Monkey, Birdi’s, and the famed Eddie’s Attic to hear live, local music, Decatur is a music lover’s dream.
For those wishing to relocate to Decatur, the city offers a range of affordable housing options. From original Craftsman style bungalows designed by famed Georgia architect Leila Ross Wilburn to contemporary high-rise condominiums, the city has a home for almost every taste.
Emory Corridor
The Emory Corridor stretches from the Emory campus north along LaVista and Briarcliff Roads to Tucker, and east toward Decatur. The area incorporates several smaller neighborhoods including Toco Hill(s), North Druid Hills, Oak Grove, Leafmore, and Sagamore Hills.
In addition to Emory University, the Emory Corridor is home to some of Atlanta’s largest employers including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; and Emory University Hospital.
Ever popular with young families thanks to excellent public and private schools, great parks and natural areas, cultural events, and a location convenient to downtown Atlanta, Decatur, and Midtown, the Emory Corridor is a wonderful place to call home. Activities for families, singles, and retirees abound and the community is wonderfully diverse in terms of both its residents, businesses, and things to do.
One of Atlanta’s largest Orthodox Jewish communities with a large and popular Orthodox synagogue makes its home in the heart of the area.
Lilburn:
Located just minutes from the heart of Atlanta, the Southeast’s biggest city, Lilburn, Georgia offers excellent schools, convenient shopping including the Mall of Georgia and Discover Mills, as well as a charming small-town atmosphere including festivals, parades, and a beautiful city park complete with walking trails, new playground, and a bandstand.
A railroad town destroyed by fire in the 1920s, the City of Lilburn reformed in 1953, growing up around primary corridor, Hwy. 29. Home to the outstanding Brookwood and Parkview High Schools, Lilburn also boasts several popular private Christian schools including Providence Christian Academy, St. John Neumann Regional Catholic School, and Greater Atlanta Christian School.
Lilburn, Georgia offers a diverse community with attractive and affordable single-family housing as well as a range of multi-family housing options. It is also interesting to note that Lilburn is home to the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, the single largest Hindu temple in the United States.
Loganville
Playing on the image of the historic well that sits at the heart of its downtown, Loganville, Georgia calls itself, “The City that Wishes You Well.” Yet, that’s not just a cute pun to this small city located in Walton, County, Georgia. In fact, this town is so committed to the people who move here and making them feel welcome, that the city offers a free class called Loganville 101 that explores the history, form of government, city services available, and volunteer opportunities of this town. There’s even a question and answer session at the end of each class with the heads of the various city departments.
Once a thriving cotton and railroad community, Loganville is now a fast-growing bedroom community, nestled ideally between Atlanta and Athens, Georgia. One of the fastest growing communities in the metro area, Loganville surged from a population of roughly 5,000 in 2000 to nearly 9,000 in 2005.
The intense growth of the area is ideal for business and the city saw intense growth along its Hwy. 78 Business Corridor in the early ‘00s. A well-planned development code enforced by the city’s planning and development commission has helped the city maintain its charming appearance while attracting a variety of businesses to the area. Today, the city’s Chamber of Commerce is working closely with the State of Georgia Department of Industry to attract more manufacturing opportunities to the area. The Chamber of Commerce also sponsors an annual 5K Run to benefit a scholarship fund; each year the Chamber awards scholarships to deserving seniors at Loganville High School.
A strong sense of history and community pride pervade this quickly growing community. Despite it’s rapid growth from rural area to Atlanta suburb, Loganville has held onto its friendly neighborhood charm, making it popular among those who long for a taste of the country while wanting to hold onto all the offerings of the big city.
Smoke Rise
Smoke Rise is truly a shining gem in metro Atlanta’s crown. The community sits amid acres and acres of rolling hills which are covered in old growth hardwoods, gorgeous multi-hued dogwoods, azaleas, and rhododendrons. Trickling creeks dotted by ferns and wild lilies along their banks traverse the many rambling neighborhoods that make up the Smoke Rise community and it is not uncommon for neighbors to spy deer that have wandered in from nearby woods calmly drinking from the creeks during early evening hours.
Smoke Rise provides ample opportunities for its residents to enjoy themselves. Stone Mountain Park is just minutes away and offers endless trails for hiking, a lake for canoeing or paddle boating, and a mountain to climb for the truly ambitious. The Smoke Rise Golf and Country Club provides elegant fine dining and golfing in a true country club setting while three additional swim and tennis clubs offer Smoke Rise residents more affordable opportunities for outdoor recreation and fellowship.
While many young families flock to Smoke Rise because of the outstanding reputation of its neighborhood school, Smoke Rise Elementary, the community is also home to a variety of young single professionals and retired folk as well.
Nestled between Stone Mountain and Tucker, Smoke Rise is well-known for offering homes with some of the most unique architecture of any neighborhood in DeKalb County. Most homes in the area were built in the 1970s or 1980s and many feature the quirky contemporary designs of the day. However, traditional styles dominate the area in both new and older homes. Home prices and sizes in this area vary greatly with very large, prestigious neighborhoods populated with local sports stars and celebrities adjacent to more modest neighborhoods that are home to your average upper middle class families.
Quick access to Ga. Hwy. 78 and its location between Stone Mountain and Tucker gives Smoke Rise residents enjoy easy access to shopping and entertainment. Commute times to downtown Atlanta may be marginally longer than neighboring areas due to the additional time required to get to the freeway.
Snellville
There couldn’t be a community friendlier than one with the motto: Everybody’s somebody….
That’s exactly the kind of friendly, hometown atmosphere you’ll find in Snellville, Georgia where the town motto really is “Everybody is somebody in Snellville.”
Just a 40 minute drive from the heart of downtown Atlanta, Snellville is Georgia’s 35th largest community. Commuter bus service provided by the Gwinnett County Transit System and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, as well as access to several major arteries, make travel from Snellville to the city or other areas simple and efficient.
The population of nearly 19,000 includes roughly 6,000 households, made up primarily of double-income families with children. The average age of a Snellvillian is 39 years old and the average family income is $75,000. With origins dating back to 1878, what once was a prosperous farming community, is now a busy suburb of a major metropolitan area with a thriving business district filled with more than 1,150 businesses including boutiques, numerous restaurants, and big box retailers.
Snellville is widely considered one of the safest communities in Gwinnett County. In 2006 (the last year for which data is available), Snellville reported only 51 violent crimes and no murders or homicides according to FBI statistics.
Snellville is part of the Gwinnett County School System and is home to Brookwood High School, known both for its outstanding academic record and for having one of the best football teams in the state of Georgia.
Stone Mountain
Stone Mountain, Georgia is home to one of the South’s most popular tourist destinations and Georgia’s premiere state park. In fact, the city and the park share the name of Stone Mountain.
Founded in 1839, Stone Mountain, Georgia is the second-oldest city in DeKalb County and one of its most charming communities. In 2001, the historic Village of Stone Mountain – which is also the heart of the city’s downtown and business district – was named to the National Register of Historic places. Historic mansions, tea rooms, gift shops, restaurants, and boutiques abound in this quaint railroad village. Yet, just minutes along Hwy. 78, the skyscrapers, shopping malls, and hustle-bustle of Atlanta beckon, giving residents here the best of both worlds.
Throughout each season, the city of Stone Mountain sponsors events in the historic village, including a walking wine tour, free concerts by the DeKalb Symphony, an arts and crafts festival, a BBQ cookoff, and other family-friendly festivities.
In addition to unique shopping and dining opportunities, Stone Mountain is known for its wide variety of artistic offerings. ARTStation is a local, not-for-profit theatre group that puts on award-winning performances and offers classes in drama, pottery, fiction writing and other arts. Each October, ARTStation storytellers present “A Tour of Southern Ghosts” inside Stone Mountain Park. Meanwhile, just down the street, you can visit famed leather artisans at Stone Mountain Handbags, take in a pottery class at The Sweet Honey House, or view beautiful handmade wares by local artists at the Southern Artistry gallery.
From the charming cottages and stately mansions that fan out around the village Main Street to the beautiful new single family homes and classic ranch and split-level homes that populate the surrounding area, new residents of Stone Mountain have access to some of the nicest and most affordable living in metro Atlanta. Four city parks, walking paths, new sidewalks, and outstanding public schools make Stone Mountain a refuge for those seeking the creature comforts of suburban living while staying close to the city.
Tucker
With a population of over 26,000, Tucker, Georgia is the largest community in DeKalb County. Although the community is currently unincorporated, an exploratory committee of the Tucker Civic Association is exploring incorporation as a city.
The community offers a variety of housing options. Traditional single-family neighborhoods featuring ranch, colonial, Cape Cod, and other classic styles abound in the area, as do new subdivisions and in-fill housing offering more contemporary styles.
Tucker is just minutes from downtown Atlanta and fabulous shopping at Perimeter, Lenox, Phipps, and Northlake Malls. Several parks in the area offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun including both baseball and football leagues for children. The Tucker Youth Soccer Association, or TYSA, is the fourth largest youth soccer association in the state and the largest organized youth sports league in DeKalb County. Over 1700 children from four to 18 play on 140 recreational and select teams. Tucker and Lakeside High Schools which both serve the Tucker community offer outstanding athletic teams in a variety of sports while also boasting high academic achievements. Tucker was recently named an International Baccalaureate School while Lakeside has the highest SAT scores in DeKalb County and the third overall highest SAT scores in Georgia.
Tucker offers a diverse community that remains bound to its heritage. The Tucker Business Association works with business owners throughout the community and through the Association’s efforts this once bustling railroad community is being revitalized. Antique shops, music stores, unique coffee houses, upscale salons, restaurants, and even an old-fashioned soda fountain and compounding pharmacy flourish along Tucker’s Main Street, while a variety chain and big-box retailers offer Tucker residents many options in the places they shop near home.
