03 Feb Decatur: A Small Town in the Big City
The Decatur neighborhood is actually a small town located in the northeast section of in-town Atlanta. In the mid-19th century, Decatur formed as a residential suburb of Atlanta, although none of the residences from this period remain, historic homes and buildings from the 1880’s and 1890’s are featured in the Decatur neighborhood historic districts. Examples of the architecture from this period can be found on the campus of Agnes Scott College, which was founded in 1889, is an all women liberal arts college and one of Atlanta premier schools for higher education. The Historic Preservation Commission sponsors the Decatur Design Awards annually, which recognizes not only the restoration of historic buildings, but also new construction that accentuates the rich history of the Decatur neighborhood.
Decatur is recognized for its high level of “walkability” because of the proximately of the business districts to the residential areas. Additionally, Decatur is known for its numerous parks and recreational areas that have dedicated dog parks, playgrounds, swimming pools, and sports fields. Walking tours of areas of interest in the Decatur neighborhood are also offered with different routes and time lengths. For those who prefer not walking, several options are available including zip cars, pedi-cabs, and MARTA.
The Decatur neighborhood offers a broad range of houses that includes new construction as well as historic homes. The median sales price of homes is $69,729 and the average listing price is $152,167. While home values in the Decatur neighborhood incurred the impact of the burst of the housing bubble in 2008, the market appears to be recovering. The current listings in the Decatur neighborhood range from very affordable apartments, condominiums, and cottages to large custom-built homes fully upgraded with pools and exquisitely landscape yards for listed at 1.2-1.5 million dollars. The Decatur neighborhood offers something for everyone with its unique small town atmosphere within the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Decatur is a part of DeKalb County. Other DeKalb County neighborhoods are: