Every guide on one map of the metro, inside and outside the Perimeter, with the metro-wide guides beside it.
I-285, the PerimeterBeltline loopMARTA railGuide pinned to a place
1Where to Live in Metro AtlantaAnywhere in the metro · 4 minA practical way to compare places across the Atlanta metro: home values and rents from the Census Bureau, commute times, which county and school system you land in, and how much the 2026 property tax rate changes from one line on the map to the next.2Intown Atlanta NeighborhoodsInside the Perimeter · 4 minThe City of Atlanta has more than 240 neighborhoods grouped into 25 planning units. How to compare intown areas by rail access, the Beltline, renting versus owning, and the city tax and homestead rules that apply inside the city limits.3Decatur for NewcomersInside the Perimeter · 4 minWhat a newcomer should know about the City of Decatur: its size, home values and rents from the Census Bureau, the city school system, how the 2026 DeKalb rate sheet splits a Decatur tax bill, and MARTA access.4Marietta and Cobb CountyOutside the Perimeter · 4 minA newcomer’s guide to Cobb County northwest of Atlanta: its seven cities and their 2026 tax rates, why Marietta’s bill looks different, Census figures for Marietta, Smyrna and Kennesaw, and how getting around differs from the MARTA counties.
5Rent vs Buy in Metro AtlantaAnywhere in the metro · 4 minHow to weigh renting against buying in the Atlanta area: Census Bureau medians for owner costs and rents in twelve places, the Georgia costs that only owners pay, the rules that cap a renter’s deposit, and the timing questions that usually decide it.6Renting in GeorgiaAnywhere in the metro · 5 minThe Georgia rules an Atlanta renter runs into most often, from the state’s Landlord-Tenant Handbook: the two-month deposit cap, move-in and move-out lists, the 30-day deposit return, repairs, retaliation and the court process a landlord has to use to evict.7The Georgia Homestead Exemption for Atlanta-Area BuyersAnywhere in the metro · 4 minHow Georgia’s homestead exemption works for a new owner in metro Atlanta: the January 1 rule, the April 1 deadline and the 45-day window, the state’s $2,000 exemption, the larger county exemptions such as Fulton’s $30,000, and how floating exemptions and House Bill 581 limit growth in taxable value.8Atlanta-Area Property Taxes by CountyAnywhere in the metro · 4 minHow a metro Atlanta property tax bill is figured, with 2026 millage rates from the DeKalb, Cobb and Gwinnett tax commissioners, why Fulton County’s 2026 bills are temporary, sample bills on a $400,000 home, and how the annual notice, appeal and payment cycle runs.
9MARTA and Commuting in AtlantaInside the Perimeter · 4 minA newcomer’s guide to getting around metro Atlanta: how MARTA’s rail lines fit together, current fares and passes, when a 30-day pass pays off, park-and-ride at the end stations, average trip times from each station, and Census commute times by county.10Living Near the Atlanta BeltlineInside the Perimeter · 4 minWhat anyone renting or buying near the Atlanta Beltline should know: how much of the 22-mile loop is open according to Atlanta Beltline Inc., which trail segments are under construction and when they are expected, the affordable housing program, and the questions to ask about a specific address.11Alpharetta and North FultonOutside the Perimeter · 4 minHow the north Fulton cities compare for newcomers, using Census Bureau figures for home values, rents, ownership and commutes; how transit reaches the area from MARTA’s North Springs station; and how schools and property taxes work in Fulton County outside Atlanta.12Atlanta-Area School Districts ExplainedAnywhere in the metro · 4 minHow public school districts work across metro Atlanta: the county systems in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett, the independent city systems in Atlanta, Decatur and Marietta, the school millage each one levies in 2026, the school-tax exemptions for owners and seniors, and how to confirm the school for a specific address.