Founded1834
About the commercial center The early-20th-century core of Marietta—one of Atlanta’s largest suburbs—is home to about 50 restaurants and 35 retailers ranging from a record shop to purveyors of upscale women’s clothing, six museums, three theaters, and a host of art galleries. Commercial activity continues to expand outwardly down several side streets.
Key attractions Downtown made waves in 2019 with the debut of Marietta Square Market, an adaptive-reuse food hall with 20 food options reminiscent of Krog Street Market. Other recent additions include Glover Park Brewery, which has helped lure foot traffic down Atlanta Street, Mac’s Chophouse, and the speakeasy-style cocktail lounge the Third Door.
Housing types The downtown boom has lured builders of newer subdivisions and townhome clusters within a quick bike ride of the action, while historic thoroughfares such as Church Street are loaded with well-kept, grander century-old dwellings.
Cost of living The rather steep median home price, $454,210, reflects the prevalence of larger, restored estate homes that can fetch more than $850,000. More affordable bungalows and ranches can be found further off the square.
Who lives here? Popular with young families and retirees—and, more recently, fans of the Atlanta Braves, who play ball eight miles away.
You might be surprised This past fall, Yelp and Zillow declared Marietta the number eight suburb in the U.S. for affordability with a big-city feel.
Charm-o-meter Rating 10. With its impressively preserved houses, gorgeous square, and a growing slate of sophisticated culinary options, this city center is where Mayberry meets Inman Park.
