Update: Inman Park Whips Decatur In Battle Of The 'Hoods

By Peralte Paul and Ralph Ellis

Update: The votes are in. Inman Park administered an online beatdown to Decatur.

Curbed, a website that covers real estate and development, brokered the battle over which is the best neighborhood. When the votes were counted, Inman Park had 59.9 percent to Decatur's 41.1 percent. Inman Park faces Virginia Highland in the next round.

So what? We've got better things to do, such as vote in the Southern Living Tastiest Town contest.

Oh, we're not doing so well in that either?

Never mind.

The original story: The People's Republic of Decatur is loved for its small-town feel, walk- and bike-friendly environment and restaurants.

After all, Southern Living magazine just named it

Inman Park, Atlanta's first planned community, is known for its big Victorian homes and civic activity.

So Curbed.com, a real estate website, posed this question to its readers: Which of them is better?

It's part of the Curbed.com's, somewhat tongue-in-cheek "Curbed Cup" 2011, a fake trophy that will be awarded to one of eight neighborhoods and towns selected among the best of metro Atlanta:

• Sandy Springs
• East Lake
• Midtown West
• Candler Park
• Decatur
• Inman Park
• Virginia-Highland
• Midtown

In round 1, East Lake bested Sandy Springs, while Midtown West edged out Candler Park in round 2.

Round 3 has Decatur putting its dukes up against Inman Park.

As of midafternoon Thursday, the vote was tight with Inman Park with a slight edge.

In case you're too busy biking, walking or dining to click on the Curbed link, here's part of what the website had to say about Decatur:

This east side hamlet in Dekalb County has a population of about 20,000, and is among Atlanta's most progressive communities...in matters of transit, sustainability, education and "place-making," it is miles ahead of much of the competition. Its downtown is arguably Atlanta's densest, most walkable district of dining, shopping and entertainment, and it's become particularly for chef-entrepreneurs and the foodies that follow them. The presence of multiple institutions of higher education (primarily Emory University and Agnes Scott) contributes much to the rich fabric of the community as well. As you'll read later on Curbed, its housing market has recovered as much (or more) as any other 'nabe in town, and with its transit infrastructure in line to be upgraded even further with T-SPLOST, the future would only seem to be getting brighter for Decatur. We could go on, but we won't.