For your next stay in the Georgian capital, you are wondering about the dangerous neighborhoods in Atlanta and the best areas to stay.
Indeed, the city of Atlanta has more and more visitors (business trips, seminars, students, tourists or vacationers). However, as in all large American cities, there are neighborhoods to avoid and others that are safer and more interesting to choose your accommodation.
Here is the 2024 guide to Atlanta neighborhoods whose information comes from business media, news articles, various rankings and statistics.
In addition to information on dangerous neighborhoods in Atlanta and the best to stay in, I am sharing a map below that helps locate them.
Atlanta dangerous city in 2024?
It is true that we can ask ourselves the question of whether Atlanta is a dangerous city. In fact, in recent years, crime levels have increased by more than 30% in America's largest cities (San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Miami, Las Vegas). See the article: “ Joe Biden facing steep rise in homicides"
As a result, we can legitimately ask the question about the danger of the city of Atlanta in 2024.
Well, Atlanta is not one of the most dangerous cities in the United States according to the rankings worldpopulationreview ou Statistics.
But Atlanta is far from being one of the least dangerous cities in the world like Vienna, Lisbon, Prague, Malaga ou Dubai.
Indeed in 2024, according to the Numbeo ranking of major cities in North America, Atlanta would be the 8th most crime-ridden city of the 55 cities ranked. Numbeo has given it a crime index which is a very high average and has been increasing over the last 3 years.
See the map of the Numbeo.com site below:
Be careful, however, to put this type of ranking into perspective, which is only based on the opinions or feelings of Internet users and not on statistics or official figures. To form your own opinion on crime in the city of Atlanta, do not hesitate to consult the official statistics of the police department at http://www.atlantapd.org/
Is Atlanta safe for tourists?
Yes, but on condition that tourists are careful and avoid certain dangerous areas of Atlanta.
Indeed, at Atlanta tourist sites, visitors are not at risk of becoming victims of violent crime because crime in Atlanta generally does not target tourists. See more info on Crime in Atlanta.
Except in certain areas and apart from the risk of scams or pickpockets, tourists are not in danger in tourist areas.
Discover below the dangerous neighborhoods and areas to avoid in Atlanta when choosing your hotel or walking there, especially at night.
Atlanta City neighborhood map
The big peach, as it is nicknamed, was built around a major axis called Peachtree Street which extends to the north by Peach Road, the main road. This large avenue crosses the 3 main areas of the city:
- Downtown: Historic downtown Atlanta, home to the city's iconic skyscrapers, business center and most tourist sites
- Middtown: Most populated area comprising residential, office and commercial skyscrapers with also extensive green spaces
- Buckhead: Huge area shared by Buckhead Village or Atlanta Heights) and the Peachtree Road area.
The city of Atlanta has 243 officially city-defined neighborhoods (see list on Wikipedia).
Here is a map that allows you to locate the main neighborhoods of Atlanta City: https://goo.gl/maps/tuKjWHVoyfg7S6nT7
Most dangerous neighborhoods in Atlanta
According to the latest statistics (Areavibes, Updradeshome, Neighborhoodscout), here are the neighborhoods in Atlanta considered the most dangerous because of their crime rates well above average:
- Oakland City
- Lakewood Heights-Southeast Atlanta
- West End
- Grove park
- Adamsville
- Center Hill
- Adams Park
- Cascade Heights
- Adair Park
These neighborhoods are those which record a higher crime rate per number of inhabitants than other neighborhoods in the city.
Where are these neighborhoods to avoid in Atlanta?
Below is the location of the districts listed above:
Oakland City
Oakland City, located in southwest Atlanta, is one of the city's most dangerous neighborhoods. It has seen a significant increase in crime in recent years, which has impacted the safety of residents. See location Oakland City
Lakewood Heights - Southeast Atlanta
Lakewood Heights – Southeast Atlanta is also considered a high crime hotbed. See location of this neighborhood
West End
West End is a neighborhood in transition that is experiencing an increase in crime. See location of West End
Grove park
Grove Park is another neighborhood in Atlanta that has seen an increase in crime. However, the local community has also taken steps to combat this trend. See location of Grove Park
Adamsville
West of Atlanta, Adamsville is a neighborhood where safety has been a major concern for several years. See location Adamsville
Center Hill
Center Hill is a neighborhood where crime prevention initiatives are implemented and community participation is encouraged. But for the moment these initiatives have not contributed to improving security in this neighborhood. See location of Center Hill
Adams Park
West of downtown Atlanta, Adams Park is considered one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Atlanta. See location of Adams Park
Cascade Heights and Adair Park
Cascade Heights and Adair Park are two neighborhoods where security measures have been put in place to deal with crime issues. But these two neighborhoods should still be avoided because of their insecurity.
Red Light Districts in Atlanta
Among the neighborhoods to avoid in Atlanta, we must also indicate the neighborhoods with a bad reputation because they are poorly frequented:
- Cheshire Bridge Road
- Metropolitan Parkway
- Murrell's Row
- Slabtown
The 10 Best Neighborhoods to Stay in Atlanta
According to the majority of real estate agencies and specialized sites, the most beautiful, least dangerous and wealthiest neighborhoods in Atlanta are:
- buckhead
- Virginia highland
- Morningside - Lenox Park
- Decatur
- Druid Hills
- Midtown
- Ormewood Park
- Candler park
- Morningside
- Inman Park
Where to stay in Atlanta to visit?
Discover now the 2 neighborhoods preferred by tourists who come to visit or spend a vacation in Atlanta:
Downtown Atlanta: Tourist District
Downtown Atlanta is the best area for a tourist trip. Indeed, it is in this area that the best restaurants and the most tourist sites of Atlanta are concentrated:
- Centennial Olympic Park
- National Center for Civil and Human Rights
- Georgia Capitol Museum
- World of Coca Cola
- Georgia Aquarium
- Liberty Plaza
- Underground Atlanta
- CNN Center
Its central location is perfect for exploring the city either on foot or by public transport. See location Downtown Atlanta
Where to stay in Downtown Atlanta?
Here is a very nice hotel ideally located for visiting Atlanta: The Glenn Hotel of the Marriott Autograph Collection.
Indeed, it is right next to the CNN Studio Center, the State Farm Arena and the Georgia Aquarium. Its advantage is its bar and rooftop terrace which offers spectacular views of Atlanta.
Buckhead Atlanta: Luxury and Shopping District
Buckhead is the chic and wealthy neighborhood of Atlanta located north of Downtown. It's a huge neighborhood that is divided into two with the hills of Atlanta Heights and the Peachtree Road area. See Buckhead neighborhood location
In these beautiful neighborhoods of Atlanta, one after the other are alleys of Victorian houses, luxurious shopping centers, art galleries and upscale restaurants. This is the best neighborhood for an upscale stay and shopping in Atlanta.
Where to stay in Buckhead Atlanta?
Here is the hotel I recommend for a luxurious stay in the upscale Buckhead district: Hotel JW Marriott Atlanta Buckhead at Phipps Plaza.
Connected to the luxurious Lenox Square shopping center, its location directly opposite the Lenox MARTA public transport station, is ideal for a tourist stay. In addition, it has an indoor swimming pool and a good restaurant on site.
