L.A. to ATL MOVE

26M. I'm moving from LA to ATL at the beginning of September for work. I'm from the south and lived in Houston/Dallas before, so I'm familiar with the culture.

I won't have a car for the first 6 months. I want to get settled and stack, then purchase a nice used car.

My office is in Chamblee, but I like being social/bars/lounges, and based on research, it looks like a lot of social things are in buckhead/midtown.

Work is my priority, so I want it to be a short commute to the office but still convenient to social things (uber/train). Would prefer a walkable area too. Making $100k, but my budget is <$1800.

Also, are apartments super strict about credit score? Or any recommendations that focus more on income than credit? My parents shot my credit when I was younger, and I'm still in the process of rebuilding.