Moving From Chicago to Atlanta (Sandy Springs, Roswell: property taxes, transplants, gated)

[DennyCrane]

Hello. I'm a Chicago area resident who's thinking of moving to Atlanta and was hoping to get more information from people who live there.

Job Market - I work in the Information Technology (IT) field and Atlanta shows up high on the list of cities with good IT job markets. I was wondering how true that is and what the IT market there is really like. In Chicago, IT is strong but most of the jobs are in the city. Because it's so expensive here, you can't afford to live close to where the jobs are.

Cost of Living - How is the cost of living in Atlanta, particularly the northern suburbs? One reason I'm looking to leave Chicago is because it's just too pricey. When you have to live out in the middle of nowhere just to find something affordable, that's when you know it's too expensive.

Traffic - Everyone I talk to says traffic is horrible in Atlanta. Chicago has horrible traffic as well and I'm wondering if Atlanta is better, worse, or just as bad. How is the train system and what are average commute times?

Suburbia - If I move there, I'd like to stay in the suburbs. I just like the space and quiet. City life isn't for me. What are the good and bad suburbs? I've heard a little about Dunwoody and Alpharetta, but not enough to make any decisions about where to live. I'd like to be in a suburb that's close enough to the city in case I work there or want to go downtown on the weekends. Also, which suburbs are more diverse as far as population. The last place I want to live is where it's all white. I would rather be someplace with all kinds of people. Which suburbs have a good amount of single people? I don't want to live in a suburb where everyone is married or where it's all families. What is the culture like? It would be great to live somewhere where there's lots to do and things don't close early. Which suburbs actually have sidewalks in case you want to walk your dog?

Weather - The awful weather in Chicago is why I want to move south. How is it really there? Are the summers as bad as some people say? What about the winters?

People - How are the people there? Is it easy to make friends? Are people friendly or are they stuck-up?

Any info you can provide would be great, especially in how it compares to Chicago.

[sweettea1]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

Hello. I'm a Chicago area resident who's thinking of moving to Atlanta and was hoping to get more information from people who live there.

[b]Job Market - Strong IT industry. Most companies headquartered in an area around Technology Park. If you Google Technology Park you'll get a list of them.

Cost of Living - Much better here. You can get a lot for your money. My friends who live in Deerfield and Highland Park are amazed by the difference in prices.

Traffic - Brutal. But then any major city will have this. Choose where you live according to where you work and don't spend too much time worrying about this.

Suburbia - Different than Chicago in that there are only a few 'city centers' but suburbs are very pretty. Most diverse area is Gwinnett County -- Duluth area in particular.

Weather - Summers are hot and humid but pale in comparison to the biting cold of Chicago's winters. You'll be fine. A pool and AC will cure all.

People - People are very nice. People are not nice. People are people.

Any info you can provide would be great, especially in how it compares to Chicago.

There is absolutely NO comparison to Chicago in terms of the city. Atlanta is nothing like Chicago but the weather is much better. That's about all I can say about that!

I hate to keep promoting this event, but it's really a great way to check out Atlanta and it's got so many great speakers and workshops for people who are new here or considering starting their lives here. You can PM me for additional information or check out Making It In The City, Dream Big. Pay The Rent.. It's almost sold out which is exciting -- I really think it can help a lot of people get all the scoop they need about life in Atlanta or I wouldn't keep talking about it!

[Mamato3BB's]

I lived in Chicago for awhile, so I might be able to give some insight. I don't know much about the IT job market though, but as far as cost of living yes it's much lower here. But the traffic is just as bad as people say. There are some days it's only bad and some days where it's TERRIBLE! Chicago traffic (I was a walker mostly though) wasn't anything compared to this. Suburbia is pretty much exactly like you'd expect it from what I've seen (Cobb County) and weather is nice. Of course I miss the snow, but certainly don't mind a 60 degree day in Feb! Summer was hot and humid, just like Chicago was in my opinion. People are nice. We've had an easy time meeting friends and find there are lots of people just starting out down here too.

[south-to-west]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

Hello. I'm a Chicago area resident who's thinking of moving to Atlanta and was hoping to get more information from people who live there.

Job Market - I work in the Information Technology (IT) field and Atlanta shows up high on the list of cities with good IT job markets. I was wondering how true that is and what the IT market there is really like. In Chicago, IT is strong but most of the jobs are in the city. Because it's so expensive here, you can't afford to live close to where the jobs are.

Cost of Living - How is the cost of living in Atlanta, particularly the northern suburbs? One reason I'm looking to leave Chicago is because it's just too pricey. When you have to live out in the middle of nowhere just to find something affordable, that's when you know it's too expensive.

Traffic - Everyone I talk to says traffic is horrible in Atlanta. Chicago has horrible traffic as well and I'm wondering if Atlanta is better, worse, or just as bad. How is the train system and what are average commute times?

Suburbia - If I move there, I'd like to stay in the suburbs. I just like the space and quiet. City life isn't for me. What are the good and bad suburbs? I've heard a little about Dunwoody and Alpharetta, but not enough to make any decisions about where to live. I'd like to be in a suburb that's close enough to the city in case I work there or want to go downtown on the weekends. Also, which suburbs are more diverse as far as population. The last place I want to live is where it's all white. I would rather be someplace with all kinds of people. Which suburbs have a good amount of single people? I don't want to live in a suburb where everyone is married or where it's all families. What is the culture like? It would be great to live somewhere where there's lots to do and things don't close early. Which suburbs actually have sidewalks in case you want to walk your dog?

Weather - The awful weather in Chicago is why I want to move south. How is it really there? Are the summers as bad as some people say? What about the winters?

People - How are the people there? Is it easy to make friends? Are people friendly or are they stuck-up?

Any info you can provide would be great, especially in how it compares to Chicago.

Hello Denny. I'm originally from Milwaukee and also I'm very familiar with Chicago as a lot of my family lives there and I visit often. Here's my take:

Job Market - The job market in Atlanta has been traditionally strong, which is why it has attracted so many transplants over the past few decades. There is always need for IT professionals here. Also, due to the fact that Metro Atlanta has several CBDs, there are a lot of opportunities for you to work out in the suburbs. However, whether your job is in the suburbs or city, your commute can still be treacherous if you don't live near your job or if you don't live near a major artery or transit line that will take you directly to and from work.

Cost of Living - The COL in Metro Atlanta is significantly cheaper than that of Chicagoland--especially Lake County and the North Shore. Property taxes are lower, gas prices are lower (but rising everyday), and property values are lower overall. However, many homes and properties that are centrally located in regards to jobs, schools, and services have experienced a significant hike in property values as people are growing more weary of the traffic here. Also, the rising gas prices are really reducing Atlanta's advantage of having a lower COL as residents of the metro area have one of the longest average commutes in the nation.

Traffic Atlanta's traffic is really THAT bad. Chicago has bad traffic, but at least you have the El, Metra, or Pace bus; in Atlanta you have a limited rail system, congested 16-lane highways (not separated 'local' and 'express' like the Dan Ryan, but rather all 8 lumped together on each side), and over-burdened roads that were country-lanes as recent as 10 years ago. Live close to work or close to a transit line or major road that will take you DIRECTLY to work.

Suburbia Ah, the Atlanta suburbs. Well, you really won't find peace and quiet out in the suburbs as most of Metro Atlanta's residents live in the suburbs. The suburbs are also where you will find the most traffic. Atlanta's suburbs suffer from a lack of a sense of place because most of Atlanta's suburbia isn't situated in incorporated municipalities like it is in Chicago, rather it's largely in unincorporated areas. You won't get convenient activity centers where you can stroll or walk like in Evanston or Libertyville, but rather you will be in your car most of the time. If you're single and looking to meet people, you should really check out the city. It's not as dense as Chicago and there's still a lot of greenery. However, if you wish to stay in the burbs and want to be in a diverse neighborhood, then check out Gwinnett and Cobb Counties. Places such as Duluth, Suwanee, Lawrenceville, Marietta, and Kennesaw are all really diverse where you'll see a lot of integrated communities. Also, Fayetteville and Peachtree City in the south are pretty diverse as well. Atlanta is much less segregated than Chicago.

Weather Atlanta has one of the best climates east of the Rockies. You get four seasons, but you won't freeze your tail off during winter. Also, spring is beautiful down here and it arrives really early. In face, despite the cold snap today, it's pretty much here already as I look out the window and see several trees and bushes blossoming. The summers are long and hot, but they're not too oppressive due to the high elevation. In fact, there are many times during the summer when Chicago is hotter and more humid than Atlanta. But you won't have the nice lake breeze to cool you down like you do up there.

People For the most part, the people are friendly down here and it's pretty easy to make friends. However, you need to live in the right area where you can find people around your age and at the same point in their life as you are--i.e. don't move to the burbs as a single 25 year-old. Just be active and become involved in extracirricular activities like rec. sports, dancing, book clubs, meetups, etc, and you will be fine.

Good luck!

[Biggiechri]

The Johns Creek area of Alpharetta is very diverse now!

[Love Cobb]

As a former Chicagoan living in Marietta for 15 years now, I can say that you will NOT miss the winters not one bit. I love the south and live very comfortably and we make a very good living down here. The pace is a bit slower, but I like that with having a family. I only do Chicago in the summer and Thanksgiving just before the freeze!! Best of luck and Welcome!!

[netdragon]

Believe it or not, some of ATL's Northern suburbs are more densely populated and have smaller lots than parts of the city itself and often more expensive. I'd look at East Cobb and Roswell or which will give you easy access to the best IT markets and larger lots. I'd also look at Grant Park near midtown, which has pretty large lots and is affordable.

The immediate Northern suburbs like Smyrna, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, Marietta, etc are more city-like than a lot of Atlanta but from Chicago's standards they would probably still be considered suburban. If you go one ring out -- Kennessaw, Woodstock, East Cobb, Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, etc then they are definately true suburbs. Vinings is also suburbanish and it's Inside The Perimeter but very expensive. East Cobb and Roswell isn't quite as bad but they are still pretty expenive. ITP there are other suburbanish areas with larger lots such as Bolton Rd, Grant Park and West Midtown in Atlanta which are more affordable and up-and-coming.

The IT is good here, but you'll find the most jobs in Buckhead, midtown, and downtown. There are some smaller markets like Cumberland and Dunwoody that will have many IT jobs.

You won't find as much selection in smaller suburbs like Alpharetta and Kennesaw. Roswell and East Cobb are very suburbanish, though, so you don't need to go as far out as Kennesaw and Alpharetta.

Cost of living is less than Chicago but it's quickly going up. If considering North metro, I recommend taking advantage of the poor national market now and get a house while they are still "affordable".

Traffic is rated worse than Chicago and Atlanta's rail system isn't as well developed.

Originally Posted by sweettea1

Suburbia - Different than Chicago in that there are only a few 'city centers' but suburbs are very pretty. Most diverse area is Gwinnett County -- Duluth area in particular.

Marietta (Cobb county) and Norcross (Gwinnett County) are the most diverse large areas in North metro Atlanta. Norcross is Hispanic (40.9%), White Non-Hispanic (32.3%), Black (20.8%). Marietta is White Non-Hispanic (48.6%), Black (29.5%), Hispanic (16.9%). Smyrna is next at White Non-Hispanic (53.5%), Black (27.2%), Hispanic (13.8%).

Aside from Norcross, South Cobb county (except Vinings) is the most diverse, including Southern Marietta, Austell, Smyrna, Mableton. Gwinnett county (outside of Norcross) is also pretty diverse. Central/East Buckhead and midtown are also diverse but they are very expensive and mostly high-rise. Parts of Dekalb county such as Decatur have a reputation of being diverse, but according to demographics, it's actually not as diverse as parts of Cobb County. In fact, Dekalb County is a group of segregated communities. Stone Mountain is mostly black, North Decatur is mostly white, and South Dekalb is mostly black. The South metro is even less diverse and cities are generally either mostly white or mostly black (with some exceptions such as Fairburn).

[dkraut]

DennyCrane,

You already have your answers.

but since I left Chitown for the same reasons 15 years ago, I'll add some more babble. IT market is indeed good here. Alpharetta and Johns Creek are popular IT mini Mecca's as well as nice places to live. Weather is near perfect here, traffic is as bad if not worse than Chicago. It's very different than Chicago though, you will miss a lot of things, like decent pizza, Italian beef/sausage sammiches, a beautiful city skyline/waterfront, etc. ...and of course, Da Bears!

Would I do it again? Yeah, the weather is just too nasty in Chicago. I always tell people, Chicago's a great city, they just built it in the wrong place!

BTW, I'm in IT too, send me your resume.

[bsizemore]

Hi!

Except for the IT professional, you sound just like me! I should be heading down to Atlanta myself in a couple of weeks and had the same questions! As a single female, making a move like this is scary, but it's time

The information from the people on this site was very helpful thanks for posting! Who knows, maybe we'll bump in to each other in our new city!

[CrownPrincess]

I am from Chicago and if you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle there...you can just forget it. The traffic is horrible. I long for the congestion in Chicago...at least it thins out about 6pm in Chicago...it is never ending here. Unless you intend to live acoss the street from where you work...you will be sitting in traffic. There is no direction here...just round and round in a big circle. I find myself staying home more and more because I don't feel like sitting in traffic...even if it's just going to Kroger...speaking of which...there is no comparison to Dominicks or Jewel. Overall the food is not cheaper...I find it to be more expensive. Not to mention utilities...paying for emission tests every year. I could go on and on. I never really appreciated Chicago until now.. I won't be going back because I don't like the weather. But I certainly will be leaving Atlanta.