Atlanta’s Exact Location: Latitude and Longitude Explained

If you’re looking up “What is the latitude and longitude of Atlanta?”—whether for navigation, travel planning, or simply curiosity—Atlanta, Georgia has a clear, widely accepted geographic coordinate.

The Latitude and Longitude of Atlanta

The central coordinates for the City of Atlanta are approximately:

These coordinates point to the heart of downtown Atlanta, near the cluster of government buildings and major landmarks such as the Georgia State Capitol and City Hall.

You may also see Atlanta listed simply as:

• Latitude: about 33.75° North
• Longitude: about 84.39° West

Both are just rounded versions of the same central point.

What Those Coordinates Actually Mean

Latitude: How Far North Atlanta Is

Latitude 33.7490° N tells you how far north Atlanta is from the equator.

For everyday life in Atlanta, this helps explain:

• Climate and seasons – Atlanta’s mid-30s north latitude means:
  • Mild winters compared to cities farther north
  • Hot, humid summers typical of the southeastern U.S.
• Daylight patterns – You’ll notice longer days in June and shorter days in December, but not as extreme as northern cities.

If you’re entering latitude into a GPS or mapping system, make sure you select North (N), not South.

Longitude: How Far West Atlanta Is

Longitude 84.3880° W measures how far west Atlanta sits from the Prime Meridian in Greenwich, England.

For Atlanta residents and visitors, this shows up most clearly in:

• Time zone – Atlanta is in the Eastern Time Zone (ET).
• Travel planning – When comparing flights or meetings with people in other time zones, Atlanta lines up with cities like New York and Miami on the clock.

In navigation settings, always choose West (W) for longitude when entering Atlanta’s coordinates.

Why Coordinates Matter When Getting Around Atlanta

Most people don’t think in latitude and longitude day-to-day, but there are several Atlanta-specific situations where it can be useful.

1. Using GPS Devices and In-Car Navigation

Many built-in car GPS systems and some professional navigation tools work best with precise coordinates. If an Atlanta address is new, incomplete, or not recognized, you can:

• Enter 33.7490, -84.3880 (the negative sign means West) to get close to downtown.
• Use more specific coordinates for exact destinations like trailheads, construction access points, or large venues with multiple entrances.

2. Outdoor Activities and Parks

If you enjoy hiking, biking, or exploring green spaces in and around Atlanta, coordinates can guide you to:

• Trailheads and park entrances
• Scenic overlooks or river access points
• Less-marked areas of large parks

For example, Atlanta’s major parks—like Piedmont Park or the Atlanta BeltLine trail segments—are often mapped by both street address and GPS coordinates in outdoor and fitness apps.

3. Aviation and Travel

If you’re flying in or out of Atlanta, coordinates sit behind the scenes of your trip planning.

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) uses precise coordinates for runways, taxiways, and navigation.
• Private pilots and some hobbyist aviation tools often rely on latitude/longitude to plan routes into the Atlanta area.

While passengers rarely need to enter these coordinates themselves, it can be helpful to know that Atlanta’s central coordinates are the starting point for many regional navigation calculations.

Slight Differences Across the Atlanta Area

“Atlanta” can mean different things depending on context:

• City of Atlanta limits
• Metro Atlanta (including surrounding cities like Sandy Springs, Decatur, and Marietta)
• Specific neighborhoods such as Buckhead, Midtown, Old Fourth Ward, or West End

Because the metro area spreads out in all directions, the exact latitude and longitude will vary by neighborhood:

• Neighborhoods south of downtown (like South Atlanta or areas near the airport) have slightly lower latitude numbers (a bit closer to the equator).
• Neighborhoods north of downtown (like Buckhead or Brookhaven) have slightly higher latitude numbers.
• Areas east of downtown (like Decatur or East Atlanta Village) have slightly smaller longitude values (a bit farther east).
• Areas west (like West Midtown or Cascade neighborhoods) have slightly larger longitude values (a bit farther west).

For everyday purposes:

• Use 33.7490° N, 84.3880° W as the general coordinate for Atlanta.
• Use specific street addresses or location pins when you need door-to-door directions.

How to Enter Atlanta’s Coordinates in GPS or Maps

Different devices and apps accept coordinates in different formats. Here’s how Atlanta’s location commonly appears:

1. Decimal degrees (most common in apps):

   • 33.7490, -84.3880

2. Degrees and decimal minutes:

   • 33°44.94' N, 84°23.28' W (approximate)

3. Degrees, minutes, seconds (DMS):

   • 33°44'56" N, 84°23'17" W (approximate)

Tips when entering Atlanta coordinates:

• ✅ Always check that the first value is latitude (N) and the second is longitude (W).
• ✅ If using decimal formats in many map apps, you’ll often type a minus sign for West, so Atlanta becomes 33.7490, -84.3880.
• ⚠️ Avoid mixing formats (for example, combining decimal degrees with degrees-minutes-seconds in the same entry).

Landmarks Near Atlanta’s Central Coordinates

If you plug 33.7490° N, 84.3880° W into a map, you’ll end up very close to the core of downtown Atlanta, near:

• City of Atlanta government buildings
• Georgia State Capitol area
• Major office towers, hotels, and transit connections

From this central point, you can easily reach:

• Five Points – a major MARTA rail hub
• Centennial Olympic Park – a short walk northwest
• State Farm Arena and Mercedes-Benz Stadium – just west of the central core
• Georgia State University – integrated into downtown

Knowing the central coordinates helps if you’re trying to:

• Estimate distances to or from downtown
• Plan logistics for events, conventions, or deliveries in the central city
• Calibrate navigation tools that ask for a default “city center” point

When Someone in Atlanta Actually Needs Latitude and Longitude

Most Atlanta residents and visitors rely on street addresses and app-based directions. However, coordinates become especially handy when:

• You’re meeting at a large park or open area without a clear street address (for example, a specific spot along the Atlanta BeltLine or near the Chattahoochee River).
• You’re coordinating with delivery or service providers for hard-to-find locations on big campuses or commercial sites.
• You’re working in fields like surveying, construction, utilities, or event production, where site plans for Atlanta locations often include coordinates.

In these cases, it helps to know that:

• Atlanta’s general reference point is 33.7490° N, 84.3880° W.
• Your specific site in the city will be only a small fraction of a degree away from that central value.

Quick Reference: Atlanta’s Latitude and Longitude

To summarize for easy copy-and-paste use:

• City: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
• Approximate central coordinates:
  • Latitude:33.7490° North
  • Longitude:84.3880° West
• Common GPS entry:
  • 33.7490, -84.3880

Use these values whenever you need a reliable central point for Atlanta—whether you’re setting up a navigation device, planning travel, or just learning more about where the city sits on the map.