Decatur

"A city of homes, schools, and places of worship." That's the motto for the City of Decatur, a small town with a big feel located inside the I-285 perimeter just six miles east of downtown Atlanta. Friendly neighbors, world-class restaurants, galleries, bars, independent retail shops, churches, highly rated schools, greenspaces, and plenty of athletic activities offer residents and visitors a wealth of opportunities to nourish body and soul.

Our top-notch schools produce students who are prepared for life, whether it's continuing their education or embarking on careers. The City's roughly 3600 student school district, which is composed of a high school, a middle school, a 4th and 5th grade academy, and four elementary schools, consistently ranks among the top school districts in the state. City Schools of Decatur schools are among the few public schools in Georgia to receive a distinguished GreatSchools Rating of 9 out of 10.

Decatur, the county seat of Dekalb County, also is home to three MARTA rail stations, a public library, the county courthouse, and a hotel conference center. Free concerts in the Square every weekend and every Wednesday lunchtime during May and September bring residents from all over the City to picnic on the grounds and dance away to the live music. The Decatur Arts Festival in May and the Decatur Book Festival in September draw visitors from around the metro area and the state.

Decatur's inside-the-perimeter location and proximity to Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers residents a short commute to major employment centers. And with our three MARTA stops, getting to and from the airport. or Turner Field to catch a Braves game, is a cinch.

Love to eat delicious, award winning food that has mostly been locally grown? Decatur is your foodie destination. Several local restaurants have been lauded in national magazines such as Bon Appetit and Garden & Gun, including Cakes and Ale, Farmburger, and Kimball House.

Love to know that an entire community is embracing sustainable practices such as local organic gardening, Farm to School initiatives, bike paths, walking tours, Walk and Bike to School initiatives? Decatur just might be the place for you. We are so proud of our town, which was named one of the 10 Great Places in America by the American Planning Association in 2013. The program celebrates places of exemplary character, quality, and planning. Places are selected annually and represent the gold standard in terms of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow.

APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live. They are enjoyable, safe, and desirable. They are places where people want to be — not only to visit, but to live and work every day. America's truly great streets, neighborhoods and public spaces are defined by many criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement.

 
Decatur Neighborhoods

The Winnona Park neighborhood lies between Agnes Scott College, Columbia Theological Seminary and The Waldorf School and is a short walk to downtown Decatur, the MARTA station, and to the Oakhurst market center. 

Winnona Park Elementary School, with its large playground, covered pavilion, and playing field, anchors the charming neighborhood. Sidewalk lined streets are heavily used by families walking their dogs, strolling their children, and heading to the field for a pick up soccer game. An outdoor classroom, butterfly garden, vegetable garden, and pond allow students to fully engage with each other and with nature during expeditionary learning exercises.

The Oakhurst neighborhood is a community of beautifully restored or newly constructed Craftsman-style homes, a lively retail district anchored by Harmony Park, and a brand new school building to house the City Schools of Decatur's Fifth Avenue 4/5 Academy. Coffee shops, pubs, churches, retail stores, restaurants and a dog park offer residents a variety of activities in which to participate. Want to read a book? Visit the Little Free Lending Library at the edge of Harmony Park and borrow one. Have a hankering to play baseball or tennis? Walk to Oakhurst Park to the public park facility.

Clairemont - Great Lakes is a historic neighborhood in the north central section of Decatur. It primarily consists of residences and churches with a few businesses along West Ponce de Leon Ave. Children living in the neighborhood attend Clairemont Elementary School. Clairemont Elementary, 155 Erie Avenue, is the site of an annual Holiday Marketplace and Cafe in early December. The event, a fundraiser for Clairemont PTA, showcases more than 95 artists and craftspeople selling their wares in a festive setting during the holiday season.

Glennwood Estates is a beautiful older neighborhood that is just east of downtown Decatur and walking distance to Glenlake Park / Swim / Tennis. Love to cook? The fabulous DeKalb Farmers Market is only a couple of miles away, featuring every exotic ingredient you can imagine. Love to eat? Stroll down Ponce to one of Decatur's award-winning restaurants. 

Lenox Place, a charming collection of Craftsman bungalows of old and newer construction that is designed to fit right in, is tucked between the railroad tracks and downtown Decatur. Walk to the Square easily from this neighborhood, or just as quickly walk to Oakhurst Village.

The Parkwoods, on the edge of Decatur near Druid Hills, are now part of the City of Decatur and the Westchester Elementary School district. These homes sit on large mature lots and many are in close proximity to a neighborhood park. Streets in the community include West Parkwood Rd., East Parkwood Rd., Parkwood Ln., Wimberly Ct. and Upland Rd.

Downtown Decatur is the hub of it all. Historic homes grace the tree lined streets, where residents stroll to and from shops, restaurants, the library, or just stroll randomly, enjoying the temperate climate in Georgia.