Torn between Brookhaven and Sandy Springs? You’re not alone. Both sit in North Atlanta with strong amenities, but they deliver different daily rhythms, commute options, and housing choices. In this guide, you’ll compare what matters most: home types and pricing, transit and commutes, and lifestyle highlights, then use a simple checklist to decide which city fits you best. Let’s dive in.
Quick overview
If you want a compact, walkable core with dining and direct MARTA rail, Brookhaven stands out near Dresden Drive and Town Brookhaven. The area blends older single-family streets with newer townhomes and mid-rise living around its core, as highlighted by the city’s visitor resources on Explore Brookhaven.
If you prefer a larger, suburban-scale city anchored by a civic downtown and major employment hub, Sandy Springs fits that brief. City Springs is the arts and gathering hub, and Perimeter Center brings extensive shopping, office towers, hospitals, and Red Line MARTA access, as detailed on City Springs.
Recent MLS-derived snapshots show median sale prices trending higher in Brookhaven compared with Sandy Springs. At the same time, both markets vary by micro-neighborhood and property type, so your experience will depend on where and what you buy.
Home types and prices
What you will find
Brookhaven concentrates its most walkable living around Dresden Drive and Town Brookhaven. You’ll see mid-rise condos, townhomes, and apartments near restaurants and retail, with classic single-family streets extending out from the core. For a feel of the mixed-use heart and local events, start with Explore Brookhaven.
Sandy Springs is broader in scale. Near Perimeter Center you’ll find high-rise condos, dense apartments, medical and office campuses, and extensive shopping around Perimeter Mall. Outside those nodes, Sandy Springs shifts to established subdivisions and larger single-family lots with a suburban feel. City programming and downtown events center on City Springs.
What homes cost now
- Recent MLS-derived snapshots for Jan 2026 report Brookhaven’s median sale price around $814,000, with a median of about $318 per square foot. Sandy Springs’ median sale price sits around $565,000, with a median of about $242 per square foot. These medians reflect closed sales in that window and can move with inventory and seasonality.
- Broader valuation indexes tell a different story by design. Zillow’s ZHVI for Sandy Springs sits around $660,000 as of Dec 2025. ZHVI blends sales and valuation models and smooths volatility, so it will not match monthly sale medians.
- For long-run, structural context, American Community Survey estimates of owner-occupied values place Sandy Springs in a mid-to-upper range depending on the 5-year window you view. You can explore Sandy Springs ACS profiles via Census Reporter.
Bottom line: pricing depends on the pocket and product type. A Dresden-area condo, an Ashford Park single-family, a Perimeter high-rise, or a Riverside-area house can differ by several hundred thousand dollars. Use citywide medians as a starting point, then drill into the exact blocks that match your lifestyle.
Commute and transit
Rail access
If you value direct MARTA rail and a walkable station area, Brookhaven/Oglethorpe Station on the Gold Line offers straightforward service to Buckhead, Midtown, and Downtown. Check schedules and parking details on the Brookhaven/Oglethorpe MARTA page.
If your work or routine centers on Perimeter Center or GA-400, Sandy Springs puts you near multiple Red Line stations, including Sandy Springs, Medical Center, Dunwoody, and North Springs. Station options and bus connections are outlined on the Sandy Springs MARTA page.
Driving patterns
Sandy Springs shines for highway connections. You have near-immediate access to GA-400 and I-285, which is useful for commutes into the Perimeter employment core, Pill Hill, North Fulton, and beyond. The area’s dense office and retail concentration around Hammond Drive and Perimeter Center offers a good snapshot of the local hub-and-spoke commute pattern, seen in this Perimeter Center context listing.
Brookhaven commutes often follow Peachtree Road, Buford Highway, and Ashford-Dunwoody. If you head to Buckhead or Midtown, direct Gold Line service or a short drive can be appealing. For an overview of Brookhaven’s central corridors and attractions, browse Explore Brookhaven.
Commute times in context
American Community Survey QuickFacts puts average travel time to work around 25 minutes for Brookhaven and a similar range for Sandy Springs. It’s a helpful baseline, though rush-hour direction and roadway choice can swing your door-to-door time. See Brookhaven’s statistical overview on U.S. Census QuickFacts.
Lifestyle and amenities
Walkability snapshot
- Brookhaven: The Dresden Drive and Town Brookhaven core consistently scores in the mid-70s on Walk Score, which is considered very walkable. See an example block-level score for Dresden Drive.
- Sandy Springs: Citywide, neighborhoods are more car-oriented, but Perimeter Center and City Springs have improving pedestrian networks. In the heart of Perimeter, scores often top 60. Check a sample map near Perimeter Center here: Perimeter Center Walk Score.
Parks and civic life
Sandy Springs brings a strong mix of civic spaces and outdoor access. City Springs hosts concerts, theater, markets, and festivals in a central, walkable campus, with schedules posted on City Springs. The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and Morgan Falls Overlook Park add big-sky green space and water access within a quick drive.
Brookhaven’s park system highlights include Murphey Candler Park and Blackburn Park, plus smaller pocket parks near neighborhoods. Dresden Drive and Brookhaven Village extend daily-life convenience with cafes and shops. Ongoing infill projects continue to add dining and retail choices along Dresden, as reported in this coverage of new mixed-use development on Dresden Drive.
Dining and shopping
Brookhaven’s core features a concentrated restaurant scene with independent spots and neighborhood services close together, which supports an easy, on-foot evening routine. Sandy Springs offers a broader range of retail and services, with Perimeter Mall and surrounding centers providing big-box options and daily conveniences. City Springs adds cultural programming to round out a night out.
Which fits you? A checklist
Use these prompts to prioritize what matters most, then map to the city that tends to fit.
- Transit and walkable errands your top priority? Choose the Brookhaven core around Dresden Drive and Town Brookhaven, where you can pair a short walk with Gold Line MARTA access.
- Short drive to Perimeter or GA-400 jobs most important? Lean Sandy Springs, especially near Perimeter Center and the Medical Center area, where Red Line stations and highway access are close.
- Budget sensitivity with a goal of more space for the money? Citywide medians show Brookhaven trending higher on recent MLS sale metrics. Sandy Springs spans everything from Perimeter condos to larger single-family lots, which can help you trade proximity for space.
- Desire for larger lots and a suburban feel? Favor Sandy Springs neighborhoods outside the core or near the river, where single-family homes and yards are more common.
- Newer mixed-use living and quick urban outings? Brookhaven’s infill projects along Dresden and Town Brookhaven offer a growing slate of restaurants, retail, and modern townhome or condo options.
Secondary considerations:
- Parking needs: Single-family areas in both cities typically include driveways or garages. High-rises and some townhome communities rely on structured parking.
- HOA or condo fees: Expect monthly dues for condos and many townhomes that cover exterior maintenance and shared amenities. Single-family homes often have lower or no HOA dues, depending on the neighborhood.
- Resale positioning: Brookhaven’s walkable nodes and Sandy Springs’ Perimeter access both attract buyers. Your micro-location, lot, parking, renovation quality, and proximity to amenities often drive resale outcomes more than the city name alone.
Next steps and resources
- Get current: Compare recent closed sale medians with active listing medians, and note which metric you’re viewing. Monthly medians can shift with inventory and seasonality.
- Validate commute options: Check station maps, parking, and bus links for the Gold and Red Lines on the Brookhaven/Oglethorpe MARTA page and the Sandy Springs MARTA page.
- Test walkability: Pull block-level scores for areas you’re considering. A quick look at Dresden Drive’s Walk Score and a Perimeter Center Walk Score shows how close everyday errands can be.
- Explore lifestyle calendars: Skim event lineups and community programming on City Springs to understand the Sandy Springs rhythm. For Brookhaven’s dining and mixed-use core, keep an eye on local updates and development news like Dresden Drive’s new projects.
When you are ready to zero in on the right pocket, connect with a local team that blends neighborhood storytelling with data-driven guidance. The Barnes Young Team will help you compare specific blocks, weigh tradeoffs, and craft a smart offer strategy that fits your life.
FAQs
How do 2026 home prices compare between Brookhaven and Sandy Springs?
- Recent MLS-derived snapshots report Brookhaven’s median sale price around $814,000 and Sandy Springs around $565,000 in Jan 2026, with wide variation by neighborhood and property type.
Is MARTA practical if I work in Perimeter Center in Sandy Springs?
- Yes, the Red Line serves multiple Perimeter-area stations, and many commuters combine rail with short walks or shuttles from Sandy Springs, Medical Center, Dunwoody, or North Springs.
Where are the most walkable areas in each city?
- Brookhaven’s Dresden Drive and Town Brookhaven area scores very walkable; in Sandy Springs, Perimeter Center and City Springs are the most pedestrian-friendly pockets.
What housing types are most common in both cities?
- Brookhaven mixes core-area condos and townhomes with established single-family streets, while Sandy Springs offers Perimeter high-rises and apartments plus larger-lot single-family neighborhoods.
How long are average commutes in Brookhaven and Sandy Springs?
- ACS QuickFacts places average travel times for both cities around 25 minutes, though peak-hour direction and roadway choice can add time.
I want newer mixed-use living with dining nearby. Which fits?
- Brookhaven’s Dresden Drive and Town Brookhaven core, plus newer infill projects, concentrate restaurants, retail, and mid-rise living within a compact walkable area.
How should I plan for HOA or condo fees in these markets?
- Expect monthly dues for condos and many townhomes that cover exterior maintenance and shared spaces, while single-family homes often have lower or no HOA dues depending on the subdivision.
