Virginia-Highland is an affluent neighborhood located east of Midtown in Atlanta, Georgia. The area is named for the intersection of Virginia Ave and N Highland Ave, which lies at the heart of its trendy retail district.
Virginia-Highland took shape as a suburb of Atlanta in the 1880s with the development of the Nine Mile Trolley. The Atlanta Street Railway Company built the streetcar project that served Intown Atlanta. By the 1890s, housing developments emerged, including Highland Park, located on either side of Ponce de Leon Avenue between today's Barnett Street and N. Highland Avenue. The first housing boom lasted between 1909 and 1926, and commercial establishments appeared by the 1930s.
Virginia-Highland experienced growth until the 1960s when the automobile allowed families to move farther from the city's center, and development pushed into the suburbs. The area experienced new growth and interest in preservation after 2000. Today, it offers residents a close-knit, vibrant, low-crime community amidst a premier shopping and dining district. Virginia-Highland's current population is estimated at around 7,800.
Virginia-Highland's housing options trend historically. Craftsman-style bungalows line Virginia Avenue, N. Highland Avenue, and St. Charles Avenue. N. Highland Avenue also features the Colonnades, a group of garden apartments built in 1916. Another famous property is the Adair Estate, a five-acre enclave of 15 condos dating to 1910. Other architectural styles include English Vernacular Revival, Colonial Revival, English Cottage, and American Foursquare. Single-family homes range from $900K to $2M, townhomes range from $800K to $1.2M, and condos and apartments start at around $330K. Learn more about the area's housing trends on Redfin.
Virginia-Highland ranks high on many lists of best places for young professionals and families. Niche gives the area high grades in multiple quality-of-life categories such as shopping, dining, nightlife, parks and recreation, family atmosphere, and education. The neighborhood has C grades in cost-of-living and housing. Nearby parks include Piedmont Park, the Atlanta BeltLine, John Howell Memorial Park, Orme Park, and North Highland Park.
Residents can stay involved with their community via the Virginia-Highland Civic Association, which oversees zoning and planning oversight, plus year-round festivals and events. The Virginia–Highland Summerfest is one of the largest art festivals in the southeast and one of Atlanta's most popular neighborhood festivals. The VHCA also organizes a tour of historic homes every December and a Taste of Highlands in the spring.
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