Phoenix to Southern Atlanta Suburbs - Best Places to live? (Peachtree City: for rent, homes)

[cbenthomas5]

Hello,

I have received a career advancement opportunity to relocate to Georgia. I am from the metro Phoenix, AZ area and have only been to Georgia for only two days (when I interviewed with the new company). I had the opportunity to drive around McDonough/Fayatteville/Peachtree City/Locust Grove and thought the area was incredible. The location where I would work is in south Mcdonough area code 30253. I am married with two kids ages 1.5yrs and 2 months. My wife is a stay at home mom.

I've read a few forums and spoke with a few people and understand that Northern Atlanta is best for schools and safety. With traffic, living in Northern Atlanta probably won't be possible. We are looking to rent initially (possibly 3 months - 1year) then buy.

Which areas/suburbs would you suggest? I've read great things about Peachtree City, however the commute would be about 50 minutes. We are still considering it. Fayetteville, Locust Grove, Mcdonough, and Eagles Landing are others we've heard good things about in the southern Atlanta area. We are leaning towards Fayette County (especially Peachtree City/Fayetteville) at this point but by no means are set on those. Which areas/neighborhoods would you suggest?

Our considerations -

Safety is important.

Opportunity to interact with young families.

Easiness to find family activities on the weekend.

Rent - below $1,500

Buy - below $250,000


I'm hoping you all can point us in the right direction! Any other off topic information is welcome as well! Thanks in advance!

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by cbenthomas5

Hello,

I have received a career advancement opportunity to relocate to Georgia. I am from the metro Phoenix, AZ area and have only been to Georgia for only two days (when I interviewed with the new company). I had the opportunity to drive around McDonough/Fayatteville/Peachtree City/Locust Grove and thought the area was incredible. The location where I would work is in south Mcdonough area code 30253. I am married with two kids ages 1.5yrs and 2 months. My wife is a stay at home mom.

I've read a few forums and spoke with a few people and understand that Northern Atlanta is best for schools and safety. With traffic, living in Northern Atlanta probably won't be possible. We are looking to rent initially (possibly 3 months - 1year) then buy.

Which areas/suburbs would you suggest? I've read great things about Peachtree City, however the commute would be about 50 minutes. We are still considering it. Fayetteville, Locust Grove, Mcdonough, and Eagles Landing are others we've heard good things about in the southern Atlanta area. We are leaning towards Fayette County (especially Peachtree City/Fayetteville) at this point but by no means are set on those. Which areas/neighborhoods would you suggest?

Our considerations -

Safety is important.

Opportunity to interact with young families.

Easiness to find family activities on the weekend.

Rent - below $1,500

Buy - below $250,000


I'm hoping you all can point us in the right direction! Any other off topic information is welcome as well! Thanks in advance!

I recommend areas right in Southern and Eastern Henry County. In the McDonough and Locust Grove Areas.

You should look in the following high school clusters--all are very family friendly:

Union Grove High
Ola High
Locust Grove High

[Need4Camaro]

Another consideration (depending on budget) is also the Eagles Landing district which is in the southern tip of Stockbridge. Very accessible to I-75 to go to McDonough.

Areas on Jodeco Rd around Lake Spivey are also worth looking into.

I dont recall how schools are but Fayeteville may not be too bad but it's still a decent drive to McDonough and it's all non interstate.

[Soccernerd]

Peachtree City and Fayette County are probably the nicest areas in southern Metro Atlanta. They will probably be out of your budget.

I would next suggest Griffin or Covington. Griffin will have more of a small-town atmosphere, but the schools might not be as good as other areas.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by Soccernerd

Peachtree City and Fayette County are probably the nicest areas in southern Metro Atlanta. They will probably be out of your budget.

I would next suggest Griffin or Covington. Griffin will have more of a small-town atmosphere, but the schools might not be as good as other areas.

Griffin would probably be the cheapest of all of them and there are some nice developments down there as well. I personally would NOT recommend Covington for commuting purposes.

[DoubleZ OTP]

Hello, cbenthomas5

I've read a few forums and spoke with a few people and understand that Northern Atlanta is best for schools and safety. With traffic, living in Northern Atlanta probably won't be possible. We are looking to rent initially (possibly 3 months - 1year) then buy.

Your understanding is generally correct - the northern suburbs overall are safer and have better schools. Fortunately, many of the southern suburbs are also safe, with good schools. I agree that living in the northern suburbs would not make sense for your family due to long commutes and budget constraints. I also agree that renting for a while is a smart idea - visiting a place is one thing, living there is another.

Which areas/suburbs would you suggest?

I second aries4118's recommendation based on your criteria: southern and eastern Henry County. Search for housing in ZIP codes 30252 (eastern McDonough/Kelleytown/Ola) and 30248 (Locust Grove).

Our considerations -

Safety is important.

Opportunity to interact with young families.

Easiness to find family activities on the weekend.

Rent - below $1,500

Buy - below $250,000

Southern and eastern Henry county is safe - I'd say safer than a majority of the northern suburbs, actually. Also, the schools in southern and eastern Henry County are generally good.

You will find decent opportunities to interact with young families in Henry County. Henry County is very family-friendly. McDonough hosts a variety of community events and festivals year-round.

The southside of Atlanta is not only southern geographically: it is also southern culturally, relative to the northside, as the northside is more culturally diverse due to larger transplant and immigrant populations. The southside is very religious, and this means that many social gatherings and community events will revolve around church. This could be good or bad for interacting with young families: If you are a churchgoer, meeting and interacting with young families will be easy; if you are not a churchgoer, meeting and interacting with young families on the southside will be more difficult. As you have never lived in the southern Atlanta suburbs before, the extent to which church plays a role in daily life there may be a shock to you. As far as I'm aware, metro Phoenix is less overtly religious than metro Atlanta, especially when compared to southern suburbs such as Henry County.

Housing, both for rent and to buy, can be found relatively easily in southern and eastern Henry County.

I've read great things about Peachtree City, however the commute would be about 50 minutes. We are still considering it.

I'd advise you not to consider Peachtree City. While it is the best suburb on the southside based on your criteria, the commute, as you mentioned, would be long, as there is no freeway between Peachtree City and McDonough. Besides, Peachtree City is essentially out of your budget.

Fayetteville, Locust Grove, Mcdonough, and Eagles Landing are others we've heard good things about in the southern Atlanta area. We are leaning towards Fayette County (especially Peachtree City/Fayetteville) at this point but by no means are set on those. Which areas/neighborhoods would you suggest?

Southern Fayette County, ZIP code 30215, is my next recommendation if you are not fond of eastern and southern Henry County. Compared to Henry County, however, Fayette County has fewer young families, more expensive homes, and a longer commute to work (30 minutes or more typically). Like southern and eastern Henry County, southern Fayette County has an exurban/rural feel.

I'd also avoid Eagles Landing - With the exception of the Country Club itself (which is out of your budget), it is not a great fit for your criteria. It isn't as safe, nor are the schools as good, as other places on the southside.

I'm hoping you all can point us in the right direction! Any other off topic information is welcome as well! Thanks in advance!

I spent the first 15 years of my life in Henry County, specifically in the Kelleytown area. I enjoyed my childhood and I believe that I benefited from the good schools and safe, family-friendly environment there. Although Henry County has changed a good bit since I left, it remains a good place to live and raise a family. If you have more specific questions about the area, send them my way.

Good luck in your search!

[PTC Dad]

Peachtree City is the best area on the southside based on safety and schools; however, with your budget, I would look in the Union Grove and Ola districts of Henry County. You could also consider the Whitewater district in Fayette County. It's on the eastside of Fayette County and probably only about 30-35 minutes to McDonough.

I'd also look in the Starr's Mill district of Fayette County, but homes under 250K will be limited. From my neighborhood in the Starr's Mill area to the outskirts of McDonough is about 35 minutes. Your property values should hold up better in Fayette than in Henry County, and the schools are rated higher.

My final recommendation would be Pike County. It's under the radar, so the prices are much lower, but it's growing, and has decent schools. I think the commute to McDonough from the north Pike County would be around 35-40 minutes.

Henry County Schools:
https://www.schooldigger.com/go/GA/d...20/search.aspx

Fayette County Schools:
https://www.schooldigger.com/go/GA/d...30/search.aspx

Pike County:
https://www.schooldigger.com/go/GA/d...70/search.aspx

[Clayton white guy]

PTC Dad has good recommendations. I would add that you would probably want to avoid Griffin/ Spalding County overall, although even there, you would like the Spalding High feeder pattern (west side of county) over the Griffin High feeder pattern (east side of the county)

[cbenthomas5]

Hey PTC Dad - Thanks for the great info! At this point, we are leaning much more towards PTC and will probably rent. We are finding a few homes within our budget and will take a look at them when we fly up next month.

I've heard all of PTC is pretty solid but are there places that you would recommend? Also areas to stay away from? I have heard Wynnmeade is older and not as desirable. Are there things that I should know if I lived on the East/West/North/South side of Peachtree City?

We're interested in getting a golf cart too. Do all neighborhoods have some type of access to golf cart routes? Is some don't, which areas?

[cbenthomas5]

Hi DoubleZ OTP -

Thank you for the incredible information! Very helpful! We are narrowing our search to PTC as it would be closer to the church we prefer. Our second choices are the zipcodes you provided. The info you provided has helped big time in narrowing our search especially in Henry County. Thanks again!