Edgewood

East Atlanta

Good For : Good for: shopping, restaurants, walkability, parks, MARTA | Home Cost : $$$

Walk Score : 61 Walk Score | 56 Transit Score | 66 Bike Score (go to Walk Score)

Like many of the surrounding eastside neighborhoods, Edgewood began around the turn of the 20th-century as Atlanta experienced a population boom. However, unlike most of the other “streetcar suburbs” Edgewood was not built by a single developer but instead grew up from a variety of smaller developments. That unique origin coupled with a reputation for affordable, modest homes led to Edgewood’s longstanding appeal as a diverse, working class neighborhood.

As interest in intown living surged towards the end of the 20th century, Edgewood became a center of the revitalization efforts, bolstered by the arrival of the Edgewood Retail District in 2005. Residents now had a full range of shopping options minutes away, and no longer had to leave the neighborhood for groceries.

Even as business has boomed along Moreland Avenue, the many short streets of the neighborhood have maintained much of their distinctive charm, with the unique blocks of old bungalows greeting the arrival of new townhouse developments and the occasional modern home. Many residents’ commute starts with the easy walk down Dogwood-lined sidewalks to the Edgewood-Candler Park MARTA station.

Thanks to a committed and engaged group of neighbors, Edgewood continues to deal successfully with an influx of new residents and businesses. Although the occasional gravel street can still be found, reminiscent of the area’s 19th-century origins, Edgewood increasingly looks like the kind of thriving live-and-work community so strived for by modern cities.