Plano, Tx to Dallas is like ???? to Atlanta (Newnan, Forsyth: homes, neighborhoods)

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by davidnyc

All, thank you very much.

For a different spin:

Are there any areas that are within the perimeter that have good schools? I realize that housing prices will most likely skyrocket, the houses will be older and smaller, neighborhoods may have some urban challenges, etc..... Basically, I know some cities have a little bit of suburbia within or near the city (if you know Dallas, they have an area called Lake Highlands that fit this)

This is similar to being inside 635 in Dallas. Expect to pay much more for a house and in most areas you will want to go private school. Exceptions: City of Decatur, perhaps the Grady district in the city of Atlanta or the Lakeside cluster in DeKalb. The latter will give you more house for the money but expect to have an older, not updated ranch. Think Richardson/Lake Highlands. There is not a Highland Park comparison with a separate school system with the exception of the city of Decatur with its own well regarded school system, but it isn't the mega bucks/old money of the Park Cities. Similar in some ways, but Buckhead is the Highland Park of Atlanta and you are in Atlanta city schools and most in this area will go private, at least for middle and high school.

[davidnyc]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

but if you are the type that would only do Plano and would never consider Frisco or McKinney or Lovejoy ISDs, you would probably not be happy in these areas.

As for the above posters that say Forsyth County is the Plano of Atlanta, I will nitpick and say that Forsyth is the Frisco/Prosper of Atlanta. Roswell/Alpharetta/Johns Creek/ East Cobb is the definite Plano of Atlanta. Closer in, more established, best schools. Limit your search to these areas.

I GREATLY thank you for this specific response. I am originally from NYC, but basically want peace and quiet, good schools, etc. BUT do not like the West Plano, Frisco, Prosper etc. pretentiousness. Right now, I live in Wylie, which is transitioning from Rural to Suburban. I like it enough, but probably would like more of a neighborhood like Lake Highlands in the Dallas area. I am torn between little more urban like Lake Highlands to a little more rural like Wylie (where I live). They both have their benefits.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by davidnyc

I GREATLY thank you for this specific response. I am NOT the typical "Plano" person. I am originally from NYC, but basically want peace and quiet, good schools, etc. BUT do not like the Plano (especially West), Frisco, Prosper etc. pretentiousness. Right now, I live in Wylie, which is transitioning from Rural to Suburban. I like it enough, but probably would like more of a neighborhood like Lake Highlands in the Dallas area.

We were typing on top of each other on those last two, lol. Glad to know you aren't one of those that thinks you are guilty of child neglect if you don't put your kids in Plano schools.

In this case, also consider Sandy Springs and Dunwoody along with the Lakeside cluster in north central DeKalb if you want something with a similar feel and closer in like Richardson or Lake Highlands that also has decent schools.

Wylie is more like areas of West Cobb or far East Gwinnett... areas that were pretty rural until recently. Please know I am not saying this in a snobbish way, but Wylie is not the panache of Plano/Frisco/Prosper or East Cobb/North Fulton. Saying this, you won't be as hard to please as some. It does make it a little harder to pin point an area, but does open up a much wider field to look. If you are happy with Wylie as a town and its ISD, you would probably be happy in larger areas of Cobb and Gwinnett as well.

[davidnyc]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Wylie is more like areas of West Cobb or far East Gwinnett... areas that were pretty rural until recently. Please know I am not saying this in a snobbish way, but Wylie is not the panache of Plano/Frisco/Prosper or East Cobb/North Fulton. Saying this, you won't be as hard to please as some. It does make it a little harder to pin point an area, but does open up a much wider field to look. If you are happy with Wylie as a town and its ISD, you would probably be happy in larger areas of Cobb and Gwinnett as well.

I just moved out of Murphy (which is trying to like a mini-Southlake). We picked Wylie mostly because you get TONS of house and the commute was just a little worse. I am concerned about the lack of diversity in Wylie ISD, but we like the smaller schools compared to PISD.

It will be impossible right now to pinpoint an area in the Atlanta suburbs because I do not have a job yet, and things are so variable right now. But, what everyone is saying is helping greatly to help me narrow the search in the future.

I am very grateful for everyone's response.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

As one that grew up south of Atlanta but spent much of his youth going in and out of the area, then 15 years in Marietta followed by the last 11 in McKinney, I think I can offer some insights.

Born 2 Roll lists some good overall comparisons of the northern burbs. The overall effect is very similar to the arc of Dallas from Carrollton/Lewisville on over to Rockwall. Very similar.

But if you visit the Dallas forum and see the more nuanced differences between these areas, you will find many who think Plano is the ONLY place to raise a family within this overall wide arching area. If you fall into that category, I would say you need to limit your search to East Cobb, most specifically the Walton/Pope/Lassiter areas and North Fulton north of the Chattahoochee... Roswell, Alpharetta and Johns Creek. These are the most Planoish in feel in the Atlanta areas... somewhat established upper end suburban areas with the best regarded schools.

You will find other areas that are similar in other areas of Cobb and over into Gwinnett, but if you are the type that would only do Plano and would never consider Frisco or McKinney or Lovejoy ISDs, you would probably not be happy in these areas.

As for the above posters that say Forsyth County is the Plano of Atlanta, I will nitpick and say that Forsyth is the Frisco/Prosper of Atlanta. Roswell/Alpharetta/Johns Creek/ East Cobb is the definite Plano of Atlanta. Closer in, more established, best schools. Limit your search to these areas.

I'd say East Cobb County, North Gwinnett County or Alpharetta would be the closest match. Alpharetta tends to have more employment in the area like Plano.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

We were typing on top of each other on those last two, lol. Glad to know you aren't one of those that thinks you are guilty of child neglect if you don't put your kids in Plano schools.

In this case, also consider Sandy Springs and Dunwoody along with the Lakeside cluster in north central DeKalb if you want something with a similar feel and closer in like Richardson or Lake Highlands that also has decent schools.

Wylie is more like areas of West Cobb or far East Gwinnett... areas that were pretty rural until recently. Please know I am not saying this in a snobbish way, but Wylie is not the panache of Plano/Frisco/Prosper or East Cobb/North Fulton. Saying this, you won't be as hard to please as some. It does make it a little harder to pin point an area, but does open up a much wider field to look. If you are happy with Wylie as a town and its ISD, you would probably be happy in larger areas of Cobb and Gwinnett as well.

There is nothing inside 285 that compares to the Richardson schools. Sandy Springs schools are, considering how nice much of it is, surprisingly poor. There aren't really any good public middle or high schools inside 285. There are people on here who will tell you differently, but I went to HS in Richardson ISD and had a nephew who went to Plano HS and know what good schools are. If you really want to be inside 285, check out Decatur. It has its good points and is your best bet, but I still wouldn't put them up against the Richardson schools.

There are a number of good elementary schools. Buckhead/Morningside/Oak Grove/Druid Hills and Decatur all have good elementary schools inside 285.

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

As for the above posters that say Forsyth County is the Plano of Atlanta, I will nitpick and say that Forsyth is the Frisco/Prosper of Atlanta. Roswell/Alpharetta/Johns Creek/ East Cobb is the definite Plano of Atlanta. Closer in, more established, best schools. Limit your search to these areas.

I was about to comment that too. Forsyth's development is younger. Plano is much larger that people may realize. Forsyth County has just under 200K people. Plano itself has more than that. A little over a quarter million. To me, Plano is like PC/Sandy Springs, Roswell and Alpharetta wrapped in one. A major jobs center like Perimeter Center (and Roswell/Alpharetta have their own large share of jobs). Great schools, wealthy (heard west Plano is like stereotypical N Fulton with wealth). Instead of developing along one N/S route, it developed between 75 and the North Tollway. It's more established in the metro.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by sedimenjerry

I was about to comment that too. Forsyth's development is younger. Plano is much larger that people may realize. Forsyth County has just under 200K people. Plano itself has more than that. A little over a quarter million. To me, Plano is like PC/Sandy Springs, Roswell and Alpharetta wrapped in one. A major jobs center like Perimeter Center (and Roswell/Alpharetta have their own large share of jobs). Great schools, wealthy (heard west Plano is like stereotypical N Fulton with wealth). Instead of developing along one N/S route, it developed between 75 and the North Tollway. It's more established in the metro.

Combine John's Creek, Alpharetta and Roswell and you would have a city similar in size and scope to Plano about the same distance north of downtown. Actually all of East Cobb East of 75 and 575 is developmentally more like Plano as a whole. There are areas in central and east Plano that are not that fancy... sort of like the Canton Road/Sandy Plains part of Cobb.

[JMatl]

I have a good friend from Plano, and she swears it's $500.00 to have a mid-sized oak tree planted in her yard! She also claims it's barren prairie on the outskirts. Is this true?

I've only changed planes in DFW, and it's pretty hard to tell if this is reality. Some areas looked pretty green (I'm guessing inner city Dallas?), but it's hard to tell on a hazy day from a plane. She also loves to embellish.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by JMatl

I have a good friend from Plano, and she swears it's $500.00 to have a mid-sized oak tree planted in her yard! She also claims it's barren prairie on the outskirts. Is this true?

I've only changed planes in DFW, and it's pretty hard to tell if this is reality. Some areas looked pretty green (I'm guessing inner city Dallas?), but it's hard to tell on a hazy day from a plane. She also loves to embellish.

It's not totally barren but compared to Atlanta it seems like it. Most of the areas around Plano were cornfields or cow pastures before the suburbs came. There are a lot of old growth trees in creek bottomland, there are straight rows of trees that grew up between fields along fence lines, and there are trees in what were old homestead sites (some nice pecan groves scattered here and there) but other than that, if you want a tree, you plant it yourself. Some of the older parts of Plano and closer into Dallas will have neighborhoods that have matured to the point that they are quite leafy, but new developments are practically treeless.

The biggest difference in Atlanta and Dallas to me.