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Atlanta Ranks 2nd in the U.S. for Upscale Living at Lower Rents

RentCafe

Friday, February 28th, 2025

Atlanta’s blend of urban life and Southern charm doesn’t come cheap. The city’s average rent is $1,811, but for a modern, high-end apartment, that number jumps to $1,926.   

What if I told you our latest report uncovered 9 zip codes in Atlanta where renters can find high-end apartments, in great neighborhoods, at a monthly rate below the city’s norm for luxury units? Moreover, in 5 of them, monthly rates are even lower than the city’s overall average.

Let’s dive in Atlanta’s prime locations for affordable luxury:
  • Renters in Atlanta can maximize their savings on high-end apartments by living in the northeast, in zip code 30345, nestled between interstates 85 and 285, just south of the Dekalb-Peachtree Airport and Mercer University. Here, the average monthly rent is a whopping $378 below the city’s norm for luxury rentals and $262 below Atlanta’s overall average. 
  • In zip code 30342, encompassing neighborhoods along highways 19 and 400 — such as the coveted Windsor Heights and East Chastain Park — the average rent for a high-end unit is $1,669/month. That’s $257 under the city’s luxury living rent and $142 under Atlanta’s average rent for all units. Renters can enjoy similar savings in zip code 30324, which is closer to downtown and situated between the Botanical Garden and Pine Hills neighborhood.  
  • Moving north of Dunwoody, zip code 30350 offers plenty of green spaces, as it’s surrounded by parks or golf courses, while also providing potential savings of $251 on high-end apartments (compared to the city average for premium units) and $135 compared to the city average ($1,811).
  • The 5th zip code for affordable luxury is 30327, just south of Sandy Springs, stretching all the way to Castlewood and Cross Creek. Here, high-end apartments rent for $1,778/month, $148 less than luxury units elsewhere in Atlanta and $32 below the city’s average rent.
  • How did we identify these zip codes? The RentCafe.com research team analyzed approximately 10,000 zip codes, narrowing them down to those with a high concentration of quality apartments in desirable neighborhoods. We focused only on locations where the average rent was below the citywide norm for high-end units and where monthly rent costs accounted for less than a third of the typical local income.  

An attractive apartment with desirable amenities, in a nice neighborhood, at a reasonable monthly rent. Many renters dream of such a combination, but few know this is possible.

So, to help renters find the best deals as we gear up for the peak season for moving, RentCafe.com analyzed zip codes across the nation to pinpoint those urban enclaves offering premium apartments at below-average rents. In doing so, we found 200 zip codes where renters can find upscale units in good locations at lower monthly rates.

For more information visit www.rentcafe.com