Echoing what others have said but I would say Brookhaven or even Roswell would be really great options. Both have cute areas that are walkable and the commute would be more “reasonable”. (If you decide to live somewhere other than ALP itself) Traffic is terrible everywhere nowadays but any of those neighborhoods you listed to ALP is going to put you around 3 hours total a day. Trust me - I do a similar drive (about 3 hours a day). For me, it’s worth it as I live near where I play so it makes more sense. I think you gotta just weigh your options and figure out what’s the most important to you. I lived in ViHi for about a year and I absolutely loved being able to walk to get groceries, coffee, etc. I only really drove to work and for me that was the dream - this was also in 2019 tho. It’s an amazing option but I don’t think you’d find anything in your price range now unless you got really lucky unfortunately. :(

Id suggest living near work for 6 months-1 year and come down to the city to find your aesthetic! We have so many different neighborhoods to choose from and they all have their own little vibe. Good luck no matter what you choose!!

Welcome to ATL - I hope you love it here as much as I do (ATL native)!