Atlanta, GA Homes For Rent

Homes for Rent in Atlanta, GA: What You Need to Know

Atlanta is Georgia’s capital and largest city, with a population of 506,811. The city was immortalized in the film “Gone with the Wind.” 

Job Opportunities

Atlanta is the economic center of the 29-county Atlanta metropolitan area. There are 30 companies on the Fortune 500 and 1000 lists that operate in the area. Delta Air Lines, Home Depot, UPS, and Coca-Cola are based in Atlanta. Emory University & Emory Healthcare, Northside Hospital, and State Farm are also top employers.

Local History

In 1837, Atlanta was established as the end of the Western & Atlantic railroad line. Atlanta was named after the railroad. In January 1861, Georgia seceded from the Union. Atlanta became a key producer of war materials. In September 1864, Union Gen. William T. Sherman captured Atlanta, which ultimately doomed the Confederacy. Sherman and his troops destroyed much of the city before embarking on the “March to the Sea” toward Savannah. Atlanta was the epicenter of the civil rights movement as Martin Luther King Jr. and other African Americans fought for voting rights, the end of segregation, and increased opportunities for Blacks.

Local Culture

Martin Luther King Jr. and Margaret Mitchell, author of “Gone with the Wind,” are two of the most famous Atlanta natives. King, born on Jan. 15, 1929, rose to prominence during the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. He advocated for nonviolent resistance and was instrumental in bringing about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited racial discrimination in employment and education and outlawed racial segregation in public facilities. 

Mitchell, born on Nov. 8, 1900, quit her writing job at the Atlanta Journal Sunday magazine in 1926 due to a broken ankle. She began writing “Gone with the Wind,” a Civil War saga about a spoiled Southern belle’s transformation into a survivor. The book was a bestseller upon publication in 1936, and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1937. The film version won eight Academy Awards in 1940.

Cost of Living

Residents bemoan the rising prices in Atlanta, whose cost of living rate, food, and housing costs are 0.3%, 3.5%, and 4.1% higher than the national average, respectively. Even so, Atlanta is cheaper than other cities of similar size such as Seattle and San Francisco. The median gross rent in Atlanta is $1,099; the median rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,215. Georgia residents pay 1% to 5.75% in income tax and 4% to 9% in statewide sales tax.

Know Your Neighborhoods

The Fairlie-Poplar and Centennial Hill neighborhoods downtown make great choices for renters. Many historic buildings in Fairlie-Poplar have been converted into condos and apartments, while new investment in Centennial Hill has added condos and multifamily housing units. In the suburbs, Decatur and Smyrna are known for their highly rated schools and affordability.