Honesty without a lens
Is Butner/Tell safe?
Atlanta, Georgia · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Butner/Tell as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Butner/Tell
“Go with care. The Butner/Tell area is largely a quiet, wooded residential community, but poor pedestrian infrastructure makes walking difficult and impractical. Visitors are best served driving to specific destinations during daylight hours and avoiding isolated stretches at night.”
City initiatives have continued to focus on addressing traffic safety and sporadic property crimes along the surrounding Southwest Atlanta arterial corridors.
About the area
Butner/Tell is a low-density residential neighborhood in Southwest Atlanta characterized by single-family homes, mature tree canopies, and scattered neighborhood retail plazas. It offers an authentic suburban local atmosphere rather than tourist-oriented attractions. Navigating the area comfortably requires a personal vehicle.
- Suburban Residential
- Car-Dependent
- Wooded / Quiet
- Low Density
Walking and biking in Butner/Tell
Walk score: 28/100 · Bike score: 26/100
There are no BeltLine trails, dedicated protected bike lanes, or city bike-share stations in Butner/Tell, making cycling challenging along narrow, hilly roads.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Peaceful, leafy residential streets with minimal foot traffic congestion
- Close driving proximity to the Southwest Arts Center and community parks
- Authentic local Southern and soul food spots along nearby corridors
Cons
- Car-dependent layout with widespread gaps in sidewalk coverage
- Dim or absent street lighting along several residential roads
- Lack of pedestrian-friendly retail or dining clusters
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is minimal in the quiet residential sectors, with occasional individuals seen near commercial strip plazas and major bus stops along Campbellton Road.
What Butner/Tell is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Mornings are calm and quiet as residents commute, making short strolls on residential streets feel comfortable.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Afternoon traffic picks up along main roads, requiring extra caution where sidewalks are absent.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Evenings are generally low-key, but reduced visibility from sparse lighting warrants situational awareness.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Late nights are isolated and deserted; walking is not recommended due to dark roads and lack of pedestrian activity.
Transit, parking and getting around
MARTA rail stations like Oakland City and College Park are roughly 6 to 7 miles away and not walkable. Transit access depends on MARTA bus routes like Route 83 and Route 162 operating along nearby major thoroughfares.
Parking is abundant and free throughout the area, with open surface lots at commercial centers and easy unmetered curb parking on residential streets.
Things to do in Butner/Tell
- Attend a theater performance or art exhibition at the nearby Southwest Arts Center.
- Enjoy sports courts and community recreation at the Ben Hill Recreation Center.
- Explore local comfort food staples and Southern barbecue along Campbellton Road.
Local favorites
- Q Time Restaurant · Southern / Soul FoodA long-standing neighborhood staple serving classic cafeteria-style soul food, meats, and Southern sides.
- Southwest Arts Center · Arts Center & TheaterA Fulton County cultural complex featuring a dedicated performance theater, art galleries, and class studios.
- Ben Hill Park · Public ParkA community recreation park featuring athletic fields, tennis courts, and neighborhood open space.
Scores blend recent reported crime levels, area poverty and walk/bike access, refreshed nightly. They are a guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.