Fulton · DeKalb · The capital city
About Atlanta
Atlanta began as Terminus, the end of the Western and Atlantic Railroad, became Marthasville, then took the name Atlanta when it incorporated in 1847. It rebuilt from the Civil War, hosted the 1996 Olympics, and grew into the Southeast's dominant metro, which makes it the reference point for every other city on this site.
For people living here, Atlanta is less one city than a set of very different neighborhoods spread across Fulton and DeKalb counties: Midtown's towers, Buckhead's retail, the Old Fourth Ward's reinvention, and the quiet intown streets in between.
The short version
A railroad terminus that became a capital
The city was the railroad's southern terminus, incorporated in 1847 as Atlanta. It burned in the Civil War, rebuilt, became the state capital in 1868, and spent the twentieth century as the headquarters city of the Southeast. The 1996 Olympics put the modern downtown park district on the map.
The City of Atlanta itself is a compact core split between Fulton and DeKalb counties. The county line decides schools, courts, and parts of county services for individual addresses.
How it works
A strong-mayor city on two county lines
The city provides
- Atlanta Police, fire, parks, and city permits.
- Atlanta Public Schools for most city addresses.
- Water and sewer through the city's watershed department.
The counties keep
- Fulton and DeKalb courts, jails, and county offices by address side.
- County elections and parts of the property tax digest.
- DeKalb County schools for DeKalb-side addresses.
Getting around
MARTA, the interstates, and the airport
MARTA rail and bus serve a real share of intown life; the Gold and Red lines cross the city, and the airport station is the easiest air trip in the country. I-75, I-85, and I-20 all meet inside the city.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport sits south of downtown, consistently among the busiest airports in the world by passenger traffic. The commute and transit details live on the getting around page.
Straight answers
Questions people actually ask
Is Atlanta in Fulton or DeKalb County?
Both. The line runs through the city, and it decides county services, the ballot, and parts of the school map. Check the exact parcel.
Do you need a car in Atlanta?
MARTA and the BeltLine cover a real share of intown life, but most metro jobs, suburbs, and errands assume a car. Most households here own at least one.
Which schools serve city addresses?
Atlanta Public Schools for most of the city, with DeKalb County School District on the DeKalb side. Verify by address with the district.
An editorial guide, not a listings site. Updated September 13, 2026. Real-estate guidance on this page is provided by Rob Dietrich, REALTOR® with eXp Realty, LLC.