A personal note: For several years, I researched locations across the country searching for my vision of the perfect spot. At a minimum, it would be pedestrian friendly, offer great schools at all levels, provide convenient public transportation, superb medical services, progressive local government and an airport that could take me anywhere without a layover. Discovering Decatur was like winning the lottery.  Decatur is a very pedestrian-friendly, thanks to superb planning and design oversight. Broad sidewalks with street storefronts invite you to browse along the friendly streets of downtown. When you're in a crosswalk, traffic is required to stop. It's the law. Whether you're looking for hip bars, funky coffee shops, world class chocolate, unique gifts, restaurants, wine or clothing, you'll find plenty of choices within walking distance. (Check out the Favorite Places section on this page for some suggestions.)
Decatur has its own independent school system consisting of four neighborhood elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school serving approximately 2,400 students. The schools are staffed by more than 200 teachers, over 70% of whom have advanced degrees. City Schools of Decatur earn consistently strong test scores, often cited as a major reason for the relatively stable real estate market. (Check out the Schools section on this page for details). Decatur graduates have plenty of local options for higher education including: - Agnes Scott College: recently ranked as one of the top 50 national liberal arts colleges, the Southeast's best women's college, and Georgia's best liberal arts college by U.S. News & World Report in its annual "America's Best Colleges" survey.
- Columbia Theological Seminary: with its beautiful 52 acre campus along Columbia Drive.
- Emory University: located just 3 miles west of the City.
- DeVry University: Technology and degree programs.
- Georgia Perimeter College: located to the east.
Getting around Atlanta from Decatur is easy using one of 3 MARTA stations within city limits, including one in the heart of downtown. MARTA bus service is also available.
The Clifton Corridor Shuttle provides FREE transportation from downtown to Emory University. If you need a hybrid car for an hour or two, ZIPCAR can hook you up. With lots of choices, they claim you can even get a short-term rental to match your shoes. Bicycles are very popular around Decatur. Check out THE PATH that can take you into Atlanta or over to Stone Mountain and back. Health Care is abundant and of high quality. As home to Emory University School of Medicine, a leading national biomedical education and research institute, the CDC, DeKalb Medical Center and the VA Medical Center, you'll rarely go anywhere and not see someone in scrubs. Very reassuring.
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