Charlotte versus Atlanta? Feedback on either needed please.

ellery · #1 10-26-2009, 11:04 AM

I did a sort of search on this topic, sorry, but haven't come up with anything (my computer at work doesn't like this site for some reason and it takes 10 minutes to load pages).

At some point in the not so far off future (maybe next summer at the earliest but who knows, may still be longer than that) DH is thinking about us relocating. The two choices he's come up with (based on his work needs) are Charlotte or Atlanta. I'd personally prefer Charlotte just because DH has family there and I'm more familiar with the city (won't stop me from getting lost, but at least the sites will be familiar as I drive by 3 times). Pretty much anywhere will be better for me workwise than where we are now, and will likely be better for our family (#2 is due in the spring) as this is not a very family friendly town.

Anyone who has lived or is currently living in either city have any feedback for me?

Thanks!

Yoga0829 · #2 10-26-2009, 11:31 AM

I've lived in Charlotte for 10 years and love it! Personally I could never live in Atlanta. Way too much traffic and too expensive. That said, there are definitely "preferable" parts of town in Charlotte. I like uptown, Dilworth, Myers Park and South Park. Ballantyne is OK but it's more of a "suburbia" feel and more traffic. Plaza Midwood is OK but parts of it are still a bit sketchy. If you have specific questions about Charlotte feel free to ask, and good luck with your decision. :-)

Kerri · #3 10-26-2009, 11:33 AM

Charlotte - cause you could still live in South Carolina and commute in!

LadyWild · #4 10-26-2009, 11:46 AM

I live in Atlanta. North of the city in Kennesaw. I've lived here my whole life. The only thing that really is awful about Atlanta is the traffic. The traffic can be terrible. During morning rush hour (7am-9am) everyone is moving into the city from the suburbs. During the evening rush hour (3:30 - 6:30), everyone is moving out of the city. So, if you choose Atlanta, be careful where you choose to live. The closer to the city the more expensive the homes, but the shorter the commute. The further away, cheaper, but traffic is no fun.

The good things...there is always something to do. We have great museums, parks, an awesome aquarium, tons of events, etc.

jem927 · #5 10-26-2009, 11:49 AM

I have not lived in Charlotte, but have heard and read wonderful things about it.

I absolutely loved Atlanta when I was there, but now that I have moved back to Florida, there is no way I would go back to the traffic, higher prices, state income tax, etc.... It's a great place to visit, but I would definitely think twice about moving back there. The city has alot to offer, but it can be trying at times. A big consideration when moving there (especially since you have a family) is where you will live. If you live in the 'burbs (more affordable housing, better schools, etc), the commute time can be outrageous. At one point, I lived 10 miles from downtown and it would sometimes take an hour and a half to get home in the afternoon - usually it would take at least 45 minutes. If you live "in" the city, you are going to be paying substantially more for housing, and personally, I don't know that I would want to raise my childen in the downtown environment.

Charlotte, on the other hand, from what I have been told is large enough to "support" if you will some larger companies (banks come to mind), but still has the feel of a small town. I have been up there a couple times for work, and really enjoyed the downtown area. Granted that was a few years ago so it may have changed.

Hope this helps. If you have any specific questions about Atlanta, please feel free to ask away.

Jamie

KLynn · #6 10-26-2009, 12:04 PM

I live in Atlanta, inside the Perimeter. Asking about living in Atlanta is a really wide-open question, because the different parts of town are just that -- vastly different. Schools vary widely, both in the city and in the suburbs. Suburban schools are not all great. You have to really do your research if public schools are the choice for you. That said, there are tons of options for private schools, as well as home-schooling.

The traffic can be a nightmare, but again - it just depends on your life. We chose to live intown in a much smaller house to avoid the traffic. It rarely affects me because I can travel neighborhood roads to most the places I go. But, our house is small. We could have double the square footage (or more) if we moved farther out, but that was not the value choice we made.

I will admit I am not terribly familiar with Charlotte. I think in some ways it is comparing apples and oranges. Atlanta is a BIG city (think Denver, Seattle, Dallas -- not quite Chicago or NYC...), whereas Charlotte is more of a medium-big city. They are in two different categories, and a bit hard to compare, really.

Atlanta is not the easiest place to live, but it does offer a lot. I honestly think the better choice would be the city where you can create the life that most supports your values (be it house, culture, commute, whatever...). I sometimes think I would love to move to a smaller city...and may someday if given the opportunity! But for now, we are enjoying taking advantage of all a big city has to offer - and there is a lot here!

MaryMac · #7 10-26-2009, 03:49 PM

I just thought I would add that I have a good friend who has a home both places and they prefer Charlotte. They moved to Charlotte about ten years ago from NY and loved it. Both kids went to school there and they are now off to college and beyond. When her husband got a new job in Atlanta this past year, they decided that Charlotte was more for them and she is staying there. Eventually they will retire there.

cchhbb · #8 10-26-2009, 05:29 PM

I live in the Atlanta area and really find it hard to answer your question due to the vast land area that is Atlanta. I live just outside the perimeter and my DH's commute is about 20 minutes for 10 miles. My children go to the neighborhood school which is applying for a national blue ribbon school award this year so public education can be good in GA.

Do you know where your DH's office would be located? That would help to narrow things down a little.

Cheryl

krhm · #9 10-27-2009, 08:38 AM

First, congrats on baby #2!!! How exciting!

I'm north of Atlanta, and agree that it's hard to talk about the area in general because it is so huge. You can be anywhere within a 50 mile radius and still say you are in the Atlanta area, but there is a vast difference between, say, Decatur and Sandy Springs.

We moved here for a job for DH, and have always been outside of the perimeter and north of the city. We are in a great school district but also one of the most expensive areas (which bites because we don't make a lot of money!!). Neither of us has ever worked downtown, so we don't deal with the interstate/commute traffic. I love being able to take advantage of the city when we want to, and ignoring it the rest of the time! My FIL was just here for a visit and he is always amazed at how much we have available to us, within a very short distance.

But after 11 years, I am ready for a change, so I'm not in love with this place. No one has mentioned the heat, which is a problem to me in the summers. If you do need to change jobs, you have more options here, to be sure, but the traffic and distance are major considerations. I'm job-searching, and there are some great opportunities 20 miles away, but that 20 miles would mean a 90 minute commute, easily.

The area is incredibly diverse; there are so many ethnic groups here and that is a plus for us. I love it that I can have authentic Thai food for lunch and then authentic Turkish food for dinner. Admittedly, I have to drive for the privilege and pay for the privilege, though!

Atlanta's real estate market has not bounced back like some areas. It's still one of the cheapest big cities to live in, and you and DH could certainly find some awesome deals right now.

There are seemingly no limits on building. There are strip malls, chain restaurants, etc, everywhere and very little unique, personal businesses in my area. We moved to our current location because it was relatively rural and un-developed. Within 6 short years, every single stretch of open field or wooded lot has been converted into new neighborhoods, and new shopping centers, etc, which was not what we wanted at all.

Depending on your political/religious affiliations, Georgia is an interesting place. The Atlanta area leans a little more to the left, but drive two hours in any other direction and you are in a completely different place. Politics for the entire state are definitely affected by that.

That's all I can think of right now. But feel free to ask questions!

Kari

ellery · #10 10-27-2009, 10:52 AM

I wanted to thank everyone for the feedback so far. At this point it's still just a fuzzy idea about moving, so I don't know really what DH is thinking as far as areas and whatnot. He works for a family business, so it will really be a function of what they feel is best for the business, combined with how emphatically his wife defends her position, as to where we end up.

Pretty much the feedback has confirmed my thoughts as far as which city would feel better for me. I think if we were child-free, it wouldn't really matter too much, but I'd prefer to be somewhere with family and support around for raising DS and #2-to-be, and that's Charlotte. In my field I'd most likely end up working in the city, and I'm a single parent during the week, and I have to be able to get to daycare on time to pick up the kid(s) and Atlanta traffic is infamous.

I'll probably ask more questions when it becomes more of a real thing, but I mostly just wanted to feel things out and get some feedback before DH and I talked about it some more.

Thank you!

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