Overview
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Decatur is a city in Dekalb County, just 6 miles east Of Atlanta. There are roughly 20,000 people living there, although it is assumed to be larger because multiple zip codes in unincorporated Dekalb claim to be in Decatur. The entire county has rougly 800,000 people, including all the cites and not just Decatur. It was founded in 1823 at the intersection of two Native American trails: the Sandtown which led east from the Chattahoochee River at Utoy Creek and the Shallowford which follows today's Clairmont Road and eventually crossed near Roswell, Georgia. The town was named for naval hero Stephen Decatur. Decatur is considered a suburb of Atlanta. However, In the 1830s, the Western and Atlantic Railroad wanted to make Decatur the southernmost stop on its railroad. Decatur did not want the noise and growth and rejected the proposal. The railroad decided to put the terminal west of the town, thus creating Atlanta. In the 1960's and 1970's, middle class whites left moved to other suburbs causing a significant drop in property values. However, in the last 20 years, revitalization efforts have made the city a coveted place to live. The city is known for being progressive, especially with it's large and influential LGBT community. It's home to well-known educational centers such as Agnes Scott College, Art Institute of Atlanta, Columbia Theological Seminary, Devry University, and Emory University that is unincorporated Dekalb.
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Decatur is an awesome place to live the closer you are to downtown Decatur. It's trendy, clean, organized, and has a small town feel. Folks who live there love it. And citizens are dedicated to keeping the place nice. Apartments range from reasonable to high-end because of the area's popularity. You can also find lots of charming older buildings to rent at lower rates. However, the unincorporated parts that bear Decatur as a city, are the areas that aren't so good. If you head further south of downtown, such as Memorial Drive, Glenwood, and Candler Road, which is an exit off of I20, you'll come across some of the worst places to live in the Metro area. High crime rates and dilapidated buildings litter the landscape. So you want to look carefully. I recommend Decatur in general, but be cautious with your choices because the winds of revitalization have not blown over all the neighborhoods.
The City of Decatur is nestled between two great colleges Emory and Agnes Scott so professors and students are attracted to the city. CDC is also nearby so many of their employees call Decatur home.
Many people call Decatur the Berkeley of the South and also the Mayberry of the South. I think it is a healthy mix. Most residents are very eco conscious and open minded to people and their lifestyles. Decatur also has that small town feel. Many many families call Decatur home. The city boasts 7 parks, community swimming pools, Venetian Pools, a members only pool, and the Decatur Square where there is always something to do. You can't do any better than Decatur City.
Restaurants in Decatur are mostly 'chef led' with the primary focus on quality food over atmosphere. This is not to say the restaurants are dives as most are friendly, clean and well designed with a bit of funk or edge here and there. The best part is you will usually find an interesting twist on each menu of traditional favorites and not be let down. In contrast with much of ATL, there is less hype and more focus on execution.
Yes, Decatur City is expensive, but the quality of living can't be beat. Parents put more miles on their child's jogger than on their car. Most Decaturites will tell you they don't have to leave the city to get anything. All the walking leads to better physical and mental health and that is priceless.
The MARTA train station is in the center of Decatur City so it is very convenient for people who work downtown or need to go to the airport.
Most apartment buildings are older and privately run vs the large suburban apartment complexes. There are also many duplexes. Homes though expensive to rent, are small and quaint with small yards.
The entire Decatur City school system is a Charter System. The schools are top performers in GA. The 4-5 Academy is an IB shcool with the Middle and High School about to be IB as well. People from outside the area can send their child, but pay $7000.00 in tuition if there is a spot available. Another nice feature is how small the schools are and are in walking distance of almost all of the children that attend. At Oakhurst Elementary the Principal, Ms Mary Mac individualizes each child's Valentine card every year. There is also very high parent participation at the schools and strong PTA's.
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