If you’ve ever tried navigating Atlanta with a GPS or asked a local for directions, you’ve probably encountered the city’s most famous quirk: streets named Peachtree seem to be everywhere. Turn left on Peachtree, continue onto Peachtree, then take a right onto… another Peachtree. It’s enough to make newcomers wonder if half the city’s road signs share the same name.
So, how many Peachtree streets are there actually?
How Many Streets Are Named Peachtree in Atlanta? Around 71
The most frequently cited figure is 71 streets, roads, avenues, drives, lanes, and similar thoroughfares in the Atlanta metro area that include some form of “Peachtree” in their name. This number is often attributed to the Atlanta Regional Commission and is echoed by the Atlanta History Center and numerous local publications.1
Exact tallies can vary slightly depending on the criteria used:
- Whether the count covers just the City of Atlanta limits or the broader metro area.
- Whether directional variants (e.g., Peachtree Street NE vs. Peachtree Street SW) count as separate streets.
- Whether minor residential courts or short connectors are included.
Atlanta Magazine’s own survey found about 40 such streets before even clearing the Perimeter (I-285), noting that the full metro total is higher and that the classic “71” figure is approximate and somewhat dated. Other sources describe “over 70,” “around 60–70,” or simply “dozens.” The consensus remains clear: Peachtree-named roads are unusually abundant.
One True Peachtree Street (and Many Relatives)
Locals usually mean one primary corridor when they simply say “Peachtree.” Peachtree Street begins near Five Points in downtown Atlanta, runs north through Midtown, and continues into Buckhead, where it becomes Peachtree Road after crossing Peachtree Creek. Farther north it transitions into Peachtree Boulevard and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, forming a long continuous spine of roughly 18 miles under shifting names.
A separate West Peachtree Street runs roughly parallel through downtown and Midtown. Other well-known variants include Peachtree Battle Avenue, Peachtree Dunwoody Road, Peachtree Hills Avenue, Peachtree Center Avenue, Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, and many residential streets such as Peachtree Circle, Peachtree Drive, and Peachtree Lane.
Entire communities also carry the name: Peachtree City (a planned suburb south of Atlanta) and Peachtree Corners (to the north).
Why So Many Peachtrees? (It’s Not Really About Peaches)
Georgia is the Peach State, yet Atlanta’s street-naming obsession has little to do with actual peach orchards. The name traces back to a Muscogee (Creek) settlement near the confluence of Peachtree Creek and the Chattahoochee River. The Muscogee called the site Pakanahuili, commonly translated as “Standing Peach Tree.” Some historians suggest it may originally have referred to a “Standing Pitch Tree” (a pine used for resin or pitch), with “peach” emerging through later mistranslation or adaptation by English-speaking settlers.
In the early 19th century, the U.S. military established Fort Peachtree nearby. The old Native trail that connected settlements became an important early road. As Atlanta grew from a railroad terminus into a major city, developers and planners repeatedly borrowed the evocative name “Peachtree” for new streets, creating the dense web of variations that exists today. The name gained further cultural weight through Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind and the annual AJC Peachtree Road Race, one of the world’s largest 10K events.
Ironically, actual peach trees are scarce along most of these streets—though temporary plantings have occasionally appeared for promotional events.
Navigating the Peachtree Maze
For visitors, the abundance of similarly named roads can be confusing. A few practical tips:
- Specify the full name and neighborhood (e.g., “Peachtree Street in Midtown” or “Peachtree Road in Buckhead”).
- West Peachtree is a distinct street from Peachtree Street.
- Peachtree Road is the northern continuation of the main Peachtree Street corridor.
- When in doubt, ask a local which Peachtree they mean—or rely on precise addresses and GPS.
Atlanta’s Peachtree streets are more than a navigational oddity. They form a living reminder of the city’s Indigenous roots, its 19th-century origins, and the way a single evocative name can shape an entire urban identity. Whether you’re running the Peachtree Road Race, exploring downtown skyscrapers, or simply trying to find your hotel, you’re almost certainly on—or near—a Peachtree of one kind or another.
In short: there is one primary Peachtree Street, but roughly 70 variations that keep the name alive across metro Atlanta.
Aside from Peachtrees, Georgia’s largest city is full of sweet treats. Have you seen the donut shops in Atlanta? But there’s more: Our Ice Cream Guide will put a few calories on you.
Wondering what’s new? Check Out Our New Atlanta Restaurant Guide.
More from AtlantaFi.com:
Some Of the Wonderful Things To Do in Buckhead