What Are the Best and Worst Areas for Nonreligious Liberals? (Peachtree City: credit, houses)

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

What about Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Brookhaven?

I don't think there would be any/many problems. Each of these areas attracts professionals --corporate attitudes.

[DennyCrane]

Originally Posted by TakeAhike

I don't think there would be any/many problems. Each of these areas attracts professionals --corporate attitudes.

Dunwoody is conveniently located if I have to work in downtown, Alpharetta, Norcross or Vinings. Plus I know they have several MARTA stations and freeway access.

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

What about Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Brookhaven?

Well, I'm Brookhaven/Chamblee adjacent and my neighborhood is 50% gay, if that gives you any indication. I'm not implying that all gay folks are liberal, but this side of town is very live and let live in just about every way.

Now Olde Brookhaven on the West side of Peachtree (where the mansions and estates are) would be a little more conservative, yet still overall socially progressive.

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

OK, Denny, best and worst areas. My answer is mostly hearsay, but I'm giving it a shot to help this thread get on track.

Best: Decatur, Candler Park, Inman Park, et al., Midtown.
Worst: All further-out counties that are still somewhat rural and traditional (e.g. Paulding), East Cobb, West Cobb.

That's hardly an exhaustive list, but it's a start.

The OP is NOT looking for areas ITP ( Inside the Perimeter ). He stated that in the post.

Best areas OTP ( Outside the Perimeter ):

Finding a progressive area OTP is basically a hit-and-miss-proposition if you don't proceed with a bit of caution. Just blindly moving to an area OTP would not be prudent. You've got to do a bit of homework. To be quite honest, you're looking at a lot of variables.

That homework may involve looking at specific tax parcels for the owners of a potential area that has possiblities. That's a step you would take if you were thinking about buying a house, anyway.

Do look at the names of the owners and look at their backgrounds on the Internet. It may sound like a drastic measure but it's fairly easy to do.

Eight or nine Christian fundamentalist ministers living on a street would kind of warn you not to move to that street.

Eight or nine people actively involved in liberal Democratic politics would be good news. Very good news!

Dunwoody is a good bet because of its large Jewish presence. Many Jews are progressive and liberal.

If I were looking for an area to live in OTP, I would most certainly look at areas within very close proximity to progressive/liberal Jewish schools, and progressive/liberal Jewish synagogues be it Alpharetta, Roswell, Marietta, whatever.

At least here in the metro area, I think you will find a good number of Jews live within walking distance to the above venues. At least that's been my experience.

The question you are posing is difficult to answer with finite certainty, because you state that you're not looking for areas ITP.

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

Dunwoody is conveniently located if I have to work in downtown, Alpharetta, Norcross or Vinings. Plus I know they have several MARTA stations and freeway access.

I totally agree.

[DennyCrane]

Originally Posted by Zel Ya

The question you are posing is difficult to answer with finite certainty, because you state that you're not looking for areas ITP.

Actually I didn't say that. What I said in my original post was that I was looking for an answer more specific than "stay inside the perimeter." That doesn't mean I'm opposed to living ITP. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Besides demographics, my two other concerns would be cost and proximity to job centers. In my field, the jobs are concentrated in 4 areas. Downtown Atlanta, Alpharetta, Vinings, and Norcross. Obviously you pick a place to live in large part based on where you work. But thinking long term, meaning that I'm likely to change jobs every few years, I'd prefer to be as conveniently located as possible to those 4 job centers so that I don't have to move every time I change jobs. That was why I was asking about Dunwoody. It seems like it's right in the center of those 4 locations. Sure it's outside the perimeter and a little on the pricey side, but it's not being all the way out in Duluth or Cumming.

As for being ITP, Decatur sounds great except that it restricts where I could work. I could land my dream job in Alpharetta or Vinings, but commuting from Decatur looks like it could be a real pain. As important as it is to me to live in a place with other liberals who aren't very religious, it's not so important where I'm willing to hurt my career options. So you have to make trade-offs somewhere. I'm just trying to come up with enough options based on these restrictions.

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

Actually I didn't say that. What I said in my original post was that I was looking for an answer more specific than "stay inside the perimeter." That doesn't mean I'm opposed to living ITP. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Besides demographics, my two other concerns would be cost and proximity to job centers. In my field, the jobs are concentrated in 4 areas. Downtown Atlanta, Alpharetta, Vinings, and Norcross. Obviously you pick a place to live in large part based on where you work. But thinking long term, meaning that I'm likely to change jobs every few years, I'd prefer to be as conveniently located as possible to those 4 job centers so that I don't have to move every time I change jobs. That was why I was asking about Dunwoody. It seems like it's right in the center of those 4 locations. Sure it's outside the perimeter and a little on the pricey side, but it's not being all the way out in Duluth or Cumming.

As for being ITP, Decatur sounds great except that it restricts where I could work. I could land my dream job in Alpharetta or Vinings, but commuting from Decatur looks like it could be a real pain. As important as it is to me to live in a place with other liberals who aren't very religious, it's not so important where I'm willing to hurt my career options. So you have to make trade-offs somewhere. I'm just trying to come up with enough options based on these restrictions.

OK, cost and proximity to job centers.

Apartment rents have really come down. That's my impression but I own a house.

In light of the severe recession, it seems like you're a bit idealistic. I guess that's OK to a point. Dream job? Do keep in mind that the severe recession has hit Atlanta quite hard.

"I'm likely to change jobs every few years." That scenario may not play out. May? You just don't know. Worry about that later. It shouldn't be a pressing issue at this point in time.

I would think your first priority is to live in a nice apartment with weekly rates. They're all over town and some of them are in very nice areas. I think most of them have kitchenettes. You don't have a lease and you're not tied down to one.

Your second priority is to find a job. Then you can really formulate your goals and plans.

Finding an apartment you like may involve a move or two. Don't bet the farm that you will find the perfect apartment the first time. There's a lot of variables.

Too many apartments have very thin walls. Do your homework. If you can, rent an apartment on the top floor.

Dunwoody does seem to be a good a fit for you. OTP, I would concentrate on North Dekalb County, and parts of Fulton County.

Norcross has a wide range of demographic stats. Parts of it are very upscale while other parts of it are not quite so upscale.

Good luck to you.

[Newsboy]

These types of threads do nothing but promote ignorance and stereotypes. Who you are and what you believe shouldn't make one iota of difference where you live. The suggestion is that certain communities are 100 percent this or that, and others are not and nothing could be further from the truth. You will find people of every race, creed, stripe, color, belief and non-belief in every far-flung corner or inner-city ghetto of "enlightenment" throughout Metro Atlanta. There are just as many conservatives ITP as there are liberals OTP.

Stop generalize, stop hating, stop judging, stop discriminating, stop assuming, stop pointing and just live your lives already.

GEESH.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by Zel Ya

Eight or nine Christian fundamentalist ministers living on a street would kind of warn you not to move to that street.

Eight or nine people actively involved in liberal Democratic politics would be good news. Very good news!

What the hell is everybody afraid of? So much for diversity ... my god. The very people who talk about inclusion and acceptance and loving your fellow man and live and let live don't want to have anything to do with anybody different than them.

Pathetic.

I guess I'm really lucky in life because I've lived far OTP and I've lived well ITP and I just don't see people that way. HEY! Here's an idea: Why don't a bunch of "monogamous gay couples in committed long-term relationships" move to Peachtree City and buy houses next door to Ward and June Cleaver just to prove what fine, upstanding, normal citizens you are ... to bring an end to this stupidity once and for all? I guarantee you most people out there don't give a damn.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

These types of threads do nothing but promote ignorance and stereotypes. Who you are and what you believe shouldn't make one iota of difference where you live. The suggestion is that certain communities are 100 percent this or that, and others are not and nothing could be further from the truth. You will find people of every race, creed, stripe, color, belief and non-belief in every far-flung corner or inner-city ghetto of "enlightenment" throughout Metro Atlanta. There are just as many conservatives ITP as there are liberals OTP.

Stop generalize, stop hating, stop judging, stop discriminating, stop assuming, stop pointing and just live your lives already.

GEESH.

Really there are fewer conservatives ITP but whatever beliefs you hold dear there will be someone who is on the other side of the fence.

All I know is that as long as I have the 'freedom' to attend a church, for example, I will exercise that right. I have my own beliefs as do others and we still have to inhabit a finite amount of terra firma together.