Doraville's housing stock reflects its mid-century origins. Many neighborhoods are made up of modest ranch and split-level homes built between the 1950s and 1970s, originally to house workers from the nearby General Motors plant. Lots tend to be compact, and mature trees line many streets. Around the Assembly redevelopment and the MARTA station, newer construction has added townhomes, condominiums, and apartment buildings, creating a more mixed, walkable residential pattern near transit. The blend of established single-family blocks and newer attached housing gives the city a range of home types unusual for a municipality of its size.

Doraville's residential core consists of older, tree-shaded subdivisions developed around the General Motors plant, with streets that still reflect the company-town era. Around the former plant site, the Assembly district is emerging as a mixed-use neighborhood of studios, offices, and residences clustered near a central park and the MARTA station. The Buford Highway corridor forms the city's commercial spine, lined with international restaurants, markets, and small businesses that serve the wider Atlanta region. Residential streets fan outward from that corridor toward the city's edges, which border Chamblee, Dunwoody, and unincorporated DeKalb County.

Buford Highway defines much of Doraville's daily life and regional reputation. The corridor is a destination for diners from across metro Atlanta, with restaurants, bakeries, and groceries representing cuisines from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. The city is home to a notably diverse population, and its cultural life reflects that mix through markets, festivals, and community institutions. The transformation of the Assembly site has added film and media production to the local economy, bringing a creative-industry presence alongside the established commercial fabric. Compact and well-connected, Doraville offers a lively, food-centered everyday culture minutes from Atlanta's core.

Public education in Doraville is provided by the DeKalb County School District, one of the largest districts in Georgia. The city also operates its own library, which provides local educational programming in collaboration with the county. DeKalb's schools draw from a diverse student population reflecting the international character of the Buford Highway corridor. Families in Doraville have access to the district's full range of elementary, middle, and high schools, along with nearby private and charter options across DeKalb County.

Doraville is one of metro Atlanta's better-connected inner-ring cities. The MARTA Gold Line's northern terminus is Doraville station, providing direct rail service to Buckhead, Midtown, and downtown Atlanta, along with connecting bus routes. Interstate 285 and Interstate 85 intersect at the city's edge, giving quick highway access around and through the region, and Buford Highway and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard serve as major local arteries. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is reachable by rail or highway. The combination of a heavy-rail station and two interstates makes the city a practical base for commuters.

Doraville maintains a system of city parks and recreation programs through its Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs department. The Assembly redevelopment is planned around a central park with an amphitheater, adding public green space at the heart of the former plant site. The city's compact footprint puts residents close to regional recreation, and its rail and highway connections make destinations across metro Atlanta readily accessible. Local parks provide playgrounds, sports fields, and community programming for residents throughout the year.