Could Atlanta be in the running for second Amazon headquarters? (Mableton: lofts, student loans)

[Otakumaster]

All I know is if they choose NYC, Boston, and especially DC ( and maybe PA) the 100k average salary they are proposing would be peanuts to anyone relocating there if they are looking for top talent.

Yeah, Yeah, Atlanta is expensive too if you are trying to live in Virginia4thward and be in Grady's district or something, but even as prices rise here it is reaching if not flat out lying to act like 100k average wouldn't go much further in this metro and thus be much more attractive to good talent.

[SAAN]

Originally Posted by Otakumaster

All I know is if they choose NYC, Boston, and especially DC ( and maybe PA) the 100k average salary they are proposing would be peanuts to anyone relocating there if they are looking for top talent.

Yeah, Yeah, Atlanta is expensive too if you are trying to live in Virginia4thward and be in Grady's district or something, but even as prices rise here it is reaching if not flat out lying to act like 100k average wouldn't go much further in this metro and thus be much more attractive to good talent.

Most people seem to be making a living off 30-50K in metro ATL, so 100K would be very good.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Forhall

https://www.ajc.com/news/local/see-h...hEa9ZIwa1YbPO/

The city of Atlanta is doing okay but the rest of those cities are rated 50 or (way) below. And what about the rest of metro Atlanta? It's not likely that all 50,000 Amazon employees will live in the COA.

[jhtrico1850]

Originally Posted by Otakumaster

All I know is if they choose NYC, Boston, and especially DC ( and maybe PA) the 100k average salary they are proposing would be peanuts to anyone relocating there if they are looking for top talent.

Yeah, Yeah, Atlanta is expensive too if you are trying to live in Virginia4thward and be in Grady's district or something, but even as prices rise here it is reaching if not flat out lying to act like 100k average wouldn't go much further in this metro and thus be much more attractive to good talent.

https://www.recode.net/2018/4/30/173...ng-salary-tech

Compared to other tech companies, Amazon's $100k isn't that great. Facebook median pay is $240k, Alphabet (Google) is $197k, Netflix is $183k, and Twitter is $161k.

$180k pulls $9.3k after tax a month in California, while $100k pulls $6k in Georgia. But accounting for housing, $180k in San Francisco only goes $700 further than $100k in Atlanta. The gap narrows further if you consider the insane housing in San Francisco.

https://www.rentjungle.com/average-r...o-rent-trends/
Average rent for 2BR is $4.4k in San Francisco, so you have $4.9k after housing in taxes in Atlanta.

https://www.rentjungle.com/average-r...a-rent-trends/
Average rent for 2BR is $1.8k in Atlanta, so you have $4.2k after housing and taxes in Atlanta.

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by Otakumaster

All I know is if they choose NYC, Boston, and especially DC ( and maybe PA) the 100k average salary they are proposing would be peanuts to anyone relocating there if they are looking for top talent.

Absolutely. This is the #1 asset Atlanta has in this competition. The true cost of attracting talent and employment will be much higher if they want to base in any of those cities.

Originally Posted by SAAN

Most people seem to be making a living off 30-50K in metro ATL, so 100K would be very good.

People that are accepting 100k+ jobs are not going to live where 30-50k people live.

Unless you're looking for one bedroom places, even 100k barely cuts it to live in desirable intown Atlanta areas.

[mslhu]

From the RFP: "Please note that the actual average wage rate may vary from the projected wage rate depending upon prevailing rates at the final location."

Obviously $100k in Atlanta goes much further than $100k in NYC. But it won't be $100k if Atlanta gets it.

[Otakumaster]

Originally Posted by mslhu

From the RFP: "Please note that the actual average wage rate may vary from the projected wage rate depending upon prevailing rates at the final location."

Obviously $100k in Atlanta goes much further than $100k in NYC. But it won't be $100k if Atlanta gets it.

If the average isn’t 100k for Atlanta then they definitely won’t get top talent here.

Bottom line is they going to have to pay if they are serious about getting and keeping good people, but they won’t have to pay nearly as much here as the forementioned.

[Otakumaster]

Originally Posted by tikigod311

Absolutely. This is the #1 asset Atlanta has in this competition. The true cost of attracting talent and employment will be much higher if they want to base in any of those cities.


People that are accepting 100k+ jobs are not going to live where 30-50k people live.

Unless you're looking for one bedroom places, even 100k barely cuts it to live in desirable intown Atlanta areas.

The reality is most of those employees probably won’t live in the city and of those that do most aren’t going to the most expensive places in the city.

Everyone seems to think that all these folks are going to try to live in Virgina4thward .

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by citidata18

I don't disagree with your points, but if there's any truth to the "no gays, no way" stance that Amazon is rumored to have taken, Pennsylvania will still be one of the states off the list for not passing legislation to protect LGBT rights, regardless.

I'd disagree. As long as the state isn't seen as being hostile to LGBT rights by proposing/passing religious liberty or "bathroom" bills, they are pretty much safe IMO.

True. If Newark gets, it will mostly be due to its proximity to NYC and the generous incentives.

That being said, if proximity to NYC's going to be the one of the main draws (versus living Newark / NJ proper), then housing affordability would again become an issue.

Not really; NYC is so huge and expensive already, Amazon isn't going to make much of a splash in that regard.

[Forhall]

Originally Posted by jhtrico1850

https://www.recode.net/2018/4/30/173...ng-salary-tech

Compared to other tech companies, Amazon's $100k isn't that great. Facebook median pay is $240k, Alphabet (Google) is $197k, Netflix is $183k, and Twitter is $161k.

$180k pulls $9.3k after tax a month in California, while $100k pulls $6k in Georgia. But accounting for housing, $180k in San Francisco only goes $700 further than $100k in Atlanta. The gap narrows further if you consider the insane housing in San Francisco.

https://www.rentjungle.com/average-r...o-rent-trends/
Average rent for 2BR is $4.4k in San Francisco, so you have $4.9k after housing in taxes in Atlanta.

https://www.rentjungle.com/average-r...a-rent-trends/
Average rent for 2BR is $1.8k in Atlanta, so you have $4.2k after housing and taxes in Atlanta.

Housing may be cheaper in Atlanta, but that's only relevant if you rent. If you buy, getting a higher salary and putting it towards a more expensive house is still preferable to a lower salary and a cheaper house, because it means you're building more equity. The same home may cost 4x as much in San Francisco, but that also means that person is getting 4x equity. After a 30 year mortgage the person selling the 2 million dollar home is much better off than the person selling the 500k home.