Scottdale is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in DeKalb County, Georgia, in the eastern half of metro Atlanta. It is centered on East Ponce de Leon Avenue, running between the city of Decatur to the west and Clarkston to the east, and it lies about eight miles east of downtown Atlanta. Its boundaries are drawn by the Stone Mountain Freeway to the north, Interstate 285 to the east, and the Avondale Estates city limits to the south, giving the community a compact, centrally located footprint in the county. The community's origins are industrial. Scottdale was founded in the early 1900s as a self-contained mill village built around the Scottdale Cotton Mills, and it was named for Colonel George Washington Scott, an industrialist. The mill shaped the community for decades, providing housing, work, and identity until its closure in 1982. That history is still visible in the area's older cottages and the layout of its streets, even as the community has evolved well beyond its mill-village days. Today Scottdale is a diverse, urban-suburban community of roughly 10,700 residents, most of whom own their homes. Its unincorporated status means DeKalb County provides services and zoning, and the area has experienced a wave of new construction and investment as homebuyers and investors have recognized its location. It sits close to some of the region's most important institutions and amenities, including Emory University, Agnes Scott College, downtown Decatur, and Avondale Estates. For homebuyers, Scottdale offers an intown-adjacent location with genuine value relative to neighboring incorporated cities, plus easy access to Atlanta's employment, education, and cultural centers. It suits commuters, first-time buyers, and those seeking a community in transition, with the tradeoffs of unincorporated governance and an eclectic, evolving housing stock.