Relocating from Chicago to Athens? (Atlanta, Savannah: for rent, condos, house)

[OPRF]

Youthful, educated senior couple considering relocating to warmer climate. Athens keeps popping up as a great place to retire. How great is this city really for seniors?

[jeoff]

Originally Posted by OPRF

Youthful, educated senior couple considering relocating to warmer climate. Athens keeps popping up as a great place to retire. How great is this city really for seniors?

I would think it is pretty good, especially if you can find a neighborhood that suits your needs. If you like older homes, and walking to restaurants and the university, the Five Points area all the way up to the new Medical School--but these are among the most expensive in the area. I think there may be condos downtown also. Being close in to the University and the old downtown area would get you close to arty stuff and a variety of inexpensive, but nice restaurants. If you would like to live in a place that is more secluded, but still do stuff intown --you can probably find that pretty inexpensively, about 15 minutes away from the University. If you prefer a golf course--Jennings Mill is about 10 minutes from the university and has homes and condos. If you want subdivisions--look around Timothy road, or look in Oconee County. These are the most expensive options--there are nice inexpensive neighborhoods all over-- for cheaper stuff you might look at homes off College Station Rd., Barnet Shoals Rd. and also Lexington Rd. If you want older homes, but are on a budget, and don't mind dealing with a place that has a less pristine reputation, then you could look into the area just east of downtown. Watkinsville is an old downtown that is nice, and is about ten minutes from the University.

[FromGA]

This thread that I started about Athens has a lot of information in it:
https://www.city-data.com/forum/georg...s-georgia.html

If you let us know your price range for renting or buying, people can give you better guidance.

[cwkimbro]

It is a great city! It is a matter of visiting and deciding if it is for you.

It is a small city, but there isn't much it economically beyond the college. This means it is a bit economically depressed, but it also means most of the old town center is geared towards nightlife, restaurants, bars, and boutiques. It isn't like Madison, Wi or Austin, TX where there is a large business center beyond the college. The town is entirely catered to students. There are decent parks, a greenway trail, and a large botanical gardens. This also causes housing to be very affordable, so you can get a decent house for less. This is a main selling point on all of those ranking lists for retired people. It is also why college towns nation wide rank high.

The downtown is right across the street from oldest part of the college. This town grew up around the college, not vice-versa.

To enjoy Athens as a retired person the things you would have to like or not mind are:
-Tons of college students. This includes the frats, the pseudo-intellectuals, and the drunk kids
- College football gamedays. The city will exist for two purposes only: Football and making money off of fans. It will be gridlocked and traffic can only go the way they temporarily route it.
- There are tons of small town festivals often anchored by the college with college students. They are great free events, but don't expect professional talent.
- There is an annual small band festival in the summer
- There is a huge music scene in alot of small bar-ish venues. Expect alot of partying college kids and loud music
- There is an annual cycling race at night called the Twilight Criterium. It is a great fun event to enjoy.
- Especially in the summer when it isn't busy the college campus is very traditional and an enjoyable, picturesque place to walk through or read a book.

Other things to consider. On the exurban areas of town are high end residential developments for retirees. This will be to the west of town going towards Atlanta. Probably marketing to old UGA fans. They are more separated from the city and are quiet destinations themselves.

Metro Atlanta, Gwinnett County in particular, is 45 minutes to an hour away. This is where you will find major shopping destinations, a minor league baseball team, minor league hockey, and a large concert arena with many performances during the year. Of course, Atlanta is just down the road with more.

Now there are plenty of single-family home neighborhoods on tree'd lots that are distant from the college/student elements of the city. If you need to find a house away from it all you can. The key thing to know is to make use to the features of the town is that they will be full of students and will market towards students, for better and worse.

The question for you to figure out is what you're looking for, what you want, and if you can deal with some of the baggage of a college town.

[OPRF]

Thanks. Our son lives in ATL so we wanted something that would put a buffer zone between us.
Town sounds a lot like Bloomington, IN where I went to grad school. Will be visiting soon and am appreciative of your input.

[FromGA]

Everything cwkimbro says is right. Except for one thing -- it is not just the university. It is not a college town like say (probably, and I am guessing) Athens, Ohio. It is a college town, but it is a hub for the surrounding counties (it has two major hospitals). It even has a bedroom community in Oconee county. There are even some long standing industries in Athens, and a new one in Caterpillar. I have always thought it is a great retirement spot for Atlanta folk. If your son lives in Atlanta, it might be a great retirement spot for you. But yes, it is certainly not an Austin, TX type place. But then, is Austin TX in lists of places to retire?

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by FromGA

Everything cwkimbro says is right. Except for one thing -- it is not just the university. It is not a college town like say (probably, and I am guessing) Athens, Ohio. It is a college town, but it is a hub for the surrounding counties (it has two major hospitals). It even has a bedroom community in Oconee county. There are even some long standing industries in Athens, and a new one in Caterpillar. I have always thought it is a great retirement spot for Atlanta folk. If your son lives in Atlanta, it might be a great retirement spot for you. But yes, it is certainly not an Austin, TX type place. But then, is Austin TX in lists of places to retire?

For the OP's sake, I'm standing by my words, but let me elaborate. to prevent confusion and bridge this gap.

In the town you won't notice much business activity. There are a couple of small regional bank offices and a few other small office buildings. It isn't a typical city. Most things are geared to the college.

The industries he is talking about are on the outskirts of town, they exist, and are real but are also more industrious and hidden on the outskirts. There is a rock quarry, some manufacturing facilities (including pharmaceutical manufacturing), and there are some regional warehouse distribution facilities. In many cases, you wouldn't know they were there unless you went looking for them. They don't change the town center much. There is also a small hub of government offices and research facilities, such as USDA and the EPA. You'll see research facilities geared towards natural resources, farming, and poultry.

But he is right. It isn't a small town with a college. It isn't an Athens, Oh or a Bowling Green, Oh.

I would characterize it as Bloomington x 2, but non-college populations and business are dispersed away from the town center. You won't see all the businesses Austin and Madison have in the center of town. In fact downtown Athens is spatially smaller than Bloomington's downtown, but it is much more compact and built-out (fewer surface parking lots) and looks like a 1800s town center.

I don't want to short-sell Athens' industry, but I want to make sure I'm describing what life is like around town as a resident.


One more thing for your research. Google Sandy Creek Park, The State Botanical Gardens of Georiga, and the Georgia Museum of Art.

Other ideas to consider.

- Lake properties near Lake Altoona and Lake Lanier. Lake Hartwell near Clemson, SC.
- Mountain properties near Dahlongea or Dawson
- Distant Atlanta suburbs with a high amount of Amenities. Atlanta is a big place, just living on the opposite side of town will let you keep some distance. Places like Peacthree City are really nice, but more expensive.

It is a bit further away, but I also find Chattanooga to be an interesting city. Its more of a big city on a small scale, than Athens. It is right in the middle of some small mountains and on a River. There are lots of small regional tourist places near by (lookout mountain, See RockCity, Tennessee Aquarium, and several small museums and a charming downtown)

You could also escape further away to the coast near the beaches or Savannah, a very high-character historical town center.

[deacongirl]

I would consider Asheville.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by deacongirl

I would consider Asheville.

I second this suggestion.

With Asheville's location in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the great mountain climate and scenery that comes with it, Asheville and mountainous Western North Carolina is an excellent place for retirees.

[FromGA]

What Athens could offer over Asheville and Chattanooga -- possibly access to Atlanta airport (there are Athens/Atlanta shuttles), Atlanta for entertainment, any University of Georgia programs/facilities for retirees.

What Athens could offer over metro Atlanta -- can get to a real downtown atmosphere (not just a suburban town center that you can now find in metro Atlanta) in under 15 minutes from most places in Athens/Clarke county. Plus Athens now has quite a bit of suburban amenities -- to include Trader Joe's, Dicks Sporting goods, Aldi, etc.