Brookhaven GA Homes: Living, Cost, Safety, Schools & More
Located in the northeastern suburbs of Atlanta, Brookhaven is an incorporated city that is highly sought after by young professionals, families, and older couples alike. Among the most affluent areas near the city, Brookhaven is one of the rare places where you can enjoy a relaxed, suburban community without being far from big-city amenities.
Brookhaven is known for having great public and private schools, and it might not be a shock to learn that this area is highly desirable. With many homes boasting larger lots compared to other Atlanta suburbs, this is a nice, quiet, and convenient place to live. With both historic homes and newer, modern development, there’s something for everyone here.
When it’s time to purchase a new home, many factors must be considered. You not only want to find a property that fits your needs and budget, but you also want the area to support your lifestyle for years to come. In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at what you’ll want to know about Brookhaven, GA before you start exploring available homes in the area.
The Current Real Estate Market in Brookhaven, GA
According to realtor.com, the median listing home price in Brookhaven is $699k, with the median listing home price per square foot around $287. On the other hand, the median sold home price is $625k based on the realtor.com data.
Redfin’s housing market report on Brookhaven calculates the median sale price a bit higher at $677.5k for all home types and a median $279 price per square foot.
Prices for homes currently on the market in April of 2023 in Brookhaven covered a wide range, with prices as low as $99.9k and stretching as high as a cool $12M.
This is a competitive market, and many homes still receive multiple offers. Some, but not all, offers involve waived contingencies, and the average home sells around the price it was listed for and goes pending within eighteen days after hitting the market.
Based on Redfin’s data, the hottest homes in Brookhaven often go pending within eight days after listing and can sell for about 2% above the list price.
The History of Brookhaven
The first permanent European settler in Brookhaven was a man named John Evins, who, in 1810, started a plantation. Over the next several decades, the plantation continued to expand and changed hands a number of times. By 1876, there were 250 residents in the area in a settlement known as Cross Keys, partially influenced by the construction of a train station along the Atlanta and Richmond railway in 1873.
Around 1900, residents of Atlanta started building summer cottages in the area, and planned communities started being built in the early 1900s, along with a golf course designed by English professional golfer and course architect Herbert Barker.
In 1924, the area became known as the city of North Atlanta through incorporation until the city charter was dissolved in 1965.
Major residential and commercial development started taking place in Brookhaven between the 1950s and the 1970s, and the initial historic developments known as the Capital City Club were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
This is the neighborhood now known as “Historic Brookhaven.” Brookhaven was officially incorporated after a vote in 2012.
Safety in Brookhaven
Brookhaven is frequently listed as one of the safest neighborhoods to move to if you’re interested in living Inside the Perimeter, along with North Buckhead, Inman Park, Candler Park, Morningside/Lenox Park, and Virginia-Highland.
When comparing the crime rate of Brookhaven specifically with Atlanta as a whole, both the violent crime rate and the property crime rate are significantly lower in Brookhaven. According to crime rates based on FBI data, Brookhaven scores 24.4 out of 100 (with 1 being low crime and 100 being a high crime area) for violent crime, while Atlanta as a whole scores 55.3. The numbers when it comes to property crime are 38.9 for Brookhaven and 75.4 for Atlanta as a whole.
There are also differences when it comes to safety in terms of the neighborhood you choose within Brookhaven, with neighborhoods closer to the city tending to have a higher crime rate than those closer to Chamblee and Sandy Springs.
According to Niche.com, Brookhaven ranks as the #20 suburb in all of Georgia and is given an overall grade of an A+. Based on a small poll run by the site, 84% of respondents said that they feel “very safe” or “pretty safe” in Brookhaven, and 75% of respondents said that “the police are very visible and very responsive.”
It’s also worth noting that, since Brookhaven is its own city, it has its own police department, which helps contribute to the sense of safety and security among residents.
Schools in Brookhaven
The public schools serving Brookhaven are operated by the Dekalb County School System, with the following public elementary schools serving the city:
Montclair Elementary
Ashford Park Elementary
Woodward Elementary
Montgomery Elementary
John Lewis Elementary (Outside of the city limits but serving portions of the city)
Fernbank Elementary (Outside of the city limits but serving portions of the city)
Montgomery Elementary is a particularly noteworthy elementary school in Brookhaven, with it being only one of five public schools in the county to exceed 90% in every category of the CRCT.
There is also a magnet school– Kittredge– that serves grades 4 through 6 and can be attended via a lottery system or application.
The public middle schools in Brookhaven are Sequoyah Middle School and Chamblee Middle School, while the two public high schools are Chamblee Charter High School and Cross Keys High School.
There are also a number of private schools in the area, including Marist School, St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal School, and Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School.
Noteworthy Neighborhoods and Districts in Brookhaven
Which neighborhood or district in Brookhaven is right for you is going to depend on what you’re looking for in your home. Maybe you’re interested in being closer to shopping or restaurants or have your eyes set on a larger lot in a quieter spot.
1. Ashford Park
Many of the homes in Ashford Park are new construction homes, many of which feature larger home sizes and lot sizes for the city. Close to parks and recreational activities as well as shops and restaurants, it’s no surprise that it is a highly desirable area to live.
Complete with a number of family-friendly amenities, including a playground area, community center, tennis court, and picnic shelter, Ashford Park is a delightful, friendly, and safe neighborhood.
2. Lynwood Park
Lynwood Park surrounds a ten-acre area with an abundance of green space as well as a playground, picnic pavilion, and mixed-use sports fields.
It’s a great place for people that love the outdoors and are looking for a safe neighborhood with plenty of amenities.
3. North Brookhaven
North Brookhaven was once incorporated as the city of North Atlanta and is largely suburban in character. There are a number of residential communities here, as well as two sizable parks, Murphey Candler Park and Blackburn Park. Other features of note include the Nancy Creek PATH trail, the historic Peachtree Golf Club, and two major lakes.
For those of you considering moving your family to Brookhaven, you’ll be particularly interested in the large number of top-rated public and private schools in North Brookhaven, including:
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School
Marist School
Montgomery Elementary School
St. Martin’s Episcopal School
The Kittredge Magnet School
4. Drew Valley
There’s a wide variety of price points offered in Drew Valley, ranging from more affordable single-family homes to more luxurious new construction homes.
Many of the older homes in Drew Valley are ranch-style with three bedrooms and two baths, and the area is convenient for shopping and dining in both Brookhaven and Buckhead.
5. Historic Brookhaven
If you’re interested in a home with more character than new construction typically offers, you’ll want to turn your attention to Historic Brookhaven. Many of the homes here were designed by a handful of famous Atlanta architects hailing from the pre-war period, but there are some newer homes in the area, too.
Technically, most of Historic Brookhaven lies outside the city limits of Brookhaven, falling instead within the northeastern section of Atlanta itself.
The Lifestyle and Culture in Brookhaven
Despite being very conveniently located in relation to Atlanta, Brookhaven has a laid-back suburban feel. Brookhaven is an excellent choice if you’re looking to get the best of both worlds in terms of urban amenities and a more relaxed home setting.
Brookhaven is technically its own city and has been for ten years, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t well connected to Atlanta. You can get downtown in 25 minutes using the MARTA heavy rail line and to the airport in 40 minutes. I-85 runs along the south of Brookhaven and is bounded on the north by I-285, while 141 cuts through the city from west to east. It’s very convenient to drive down into Atlanta or further out to the northern suburbs.
People are drawn to Brookhaven for a lot of reasons– the great public and private schools, the restaurants and shopping paired with a relaxed suburban vibe, larger lots compared to other areas of Intown, and the proximity to Downtown Atlanta.
Who’s Moving to Brookhaven?
Though it isn’t easy to get precise data about where people are moving to Brookhaven, Redfin’s housing market report utilizes data collected from users searching for homes across 100 metro areas.
Based upon this information, only 2% of homebuyers that searched for homes in Brookhaven were doing so from metro areas other than the Atlanta metro area. Most of those who were at least toying with moving to Brookhaven from elsewhere were in the New York City metro area, while Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Chicago round out the top five.
Are you planning on selling a home before you make a move? You can use our free market analysis tool to learn the value of your home.
The Pros and Cons of Living in Brookhaven, GA
Of course, it’s always difficult to compile a list of pros and cons when offering information to help people make a decision about where to live. Everyone is going to have their own priorities when searching for a new home, and some things that might be a deal breaker for one person might not be a problem for others.
That being said, we’ve compiled some of the most common benefits of living in Brookhaven that residents have shared, as well as some of the drawbacks to help you build a short list of desirable areas to live in.
When it comes to the perks of living in Brookhaven, some of the most often cited benefits are:
The location: Close to Atlanta, Brookhaven is conveniently located near major highways and public transportation
Amenities and services: There are plenty of restaurants, shopping centers, parks, and recreational facilities in Brookhaven. The infrastructure is well maintained, and the city provides many of the most essential services within its limits.
Community: There’s a strong sense of community in Brookhaven, and the city hosts festivals, gatherings, and other events that help foster a sense of belonging.
Safety: Brookhaven has a well-earned reputation as one of the safer neighborhoods in the Atlanta area.
Green spaces: Brookhaven has many parks and green spaces, offering residents abundant opportunities for all sorts of outdoor activities.
On the other hand, some of the most commonly mentioned cons of living in Brookhaven include:
The cost of living: Brookhaven isn’t the cheapest place to live in the Atlanta area due to the fact that there is still quite a bit of competition for homes in the area. The homes also tend to be larger in Brookhaven, and the lot sizes are also more spacious, both of which boost the average sale price.
Traffic congestion: Perhaps one of the biggest complaints about living in Brookhaven is the traffic. Peachtree Street, for example, can be very congested during the morning commute, but there is a direct Gold Line connection to Midtown in Brookhaven that residents can use if they would prefer to use MARTA to beat traffic.
Limited nightlife and entertainment: While there are plenty of places to eat and shop in Brookhaven, it leans heavier on the side of suburban than urban. If a bustling nightlife is high on the priority list, there are other parts of the Atlanta area that will be more in line with what you’re looking for.
Are You Searching For the Right Home in The Atlanta Region?
As we reported in our recent post to the Justin Landis Look Book, we are still in a sellers’ market. While this can be frustrating when you’re searching for a home, it doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to snag the house of your dreams. What you need is a world-class team in your corner, and the Justin Landis Group is here to help.
When you work with the Justin Landis Group, your real estate agent will act as your primary point of contact. However, that’s not where the support stops. You’ll also be backed by a team of experts that will all be working together to help you purchase the home you’ve always wanted.
Whether you’re just exploring your options or you’re ready to purchase a home in Brookhaven or any other part of the Atlanta area, reach out today to get started.