Charlotte vs. Atlanta (Sandy Springs, Roswell, Marietta: neighborhood, high school, university)

[bgNCATL]

Originally Posted by mike7586

Charlotte has 8 million people in a 100 mile radius? How is that possible when NC's population is 9.2 million and SC's population is only 4.5 million? I'm pretty sure it is 6 million in a 100 mile radius, and that would then include High Point, Greensboro, Winston Salem, Spartanburg, Greenville... those areas are their OWN metro areas and have nothing to do with Charlotte. I would hardly label it an "urban area". Just drive north or south on 85 to those cities and there is A LOT of country in between.

Atlanta has 5.5 million people in it's METRO AREA. If you combine Fulton and Dekalb County alone you pretty much have the actual Charlotte metro area (5 Counties) right there (1.7 million). Also, Charlotte has 200,000 more people than Atlanta because Charlotte city limits are HUGE and the city has annexed a large part of Mecklenburg County. There are still farms in the city limits of Charlotte. Please stop exaggerating and just realize that Charlotte is over 30 years behind Atlanta and it isn't growing as fast either. If you want to get defensive and take it as a negative, fine, but it's the facts.

LOL, I totally agree with this. I was born and raised in Greensboro, NC and trust me when I say it has absolutely nothing to do with Charlotte. Once you get past kannapolis, Gastonia, Mooresville, and Rock Hill, you are pretty much out of the Charlotte metro. Hell a 100 mile radius is also adding in some of Raliegh and all of Columbia South Carolina LOL! Anyone can go to Google earth and see this.

[darkone]

I recently drove from the northeast to Atlanta, driving through NC, including Charlotte. I found North Carolina to be a clean, pleasant state on the whole, including the metro areas. However Charlotte is a small metro area. There are no two ways about that. I think that people there should look more toward Baltimore and St. Louis as metro areas to compare/compete with. The Atlanta area is on the level of DC and Philly size-wise.

That being said, I also feel that Charlotte is a more livable city currently.

[am2]

Originally Posted by AtlantaGuy21

Im so tired of these Charlotte vs Atlanta threads its crazy same stupid facts keep being brought up. Charlotte is not on the level with Atlanta for people to be on here comparing the 2. Charlotte has years to catch up with Atlanta

not in terms of population but Charlotte has just as many fortune 500 companies and is growing faster. I think Atlanta's growing days are done. It will continue to grow but not nearly as fast as it did in the 90s and 00s. Charlotte and Raleigh will see enormous growth.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by am2

1) not in terms of population but Charlotte has just as many fortune 500 companies and is growing faster.

2) I think Atlanta's growing days are done. It will continue to grow but not nearly as fast as it did in the 90s and 00s. Charlotte and Raleigh will see enormous growth.

1. Um, no.


2. That's just wishful thinking on Charlotte/Raleigh's (and your) part.

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by am2

not in terms of population but Charlotte has just as many fortune 500 companies and is growing faster. I think Atlanta's growing days are done. It will continue to grow but not nearly as fast as it did in the 90s and 00s. Charlotte and Raleigh will see enormous growth.

I think I'm with aries on this one. Sounds more like wishful thinking to me.

Besides, on what do you base your prediction? Is it because Atlanta has already had its 'time' for growth and now it's Charlotte's? If so, that's pretty shaky. Some cities stop growing for various reasons and then there are some cities that have grown for decades and just keep on growing (Chicago, LA, New York, e.g.).

By the way you may be right about the days of breakneck growth being behind us, but if that's the case, believe me it will affect Charlotte just as much as Atlanta. Though I have no doubt Charlotte will continue to grow, I think its growth will continue more or less to mirror that of Atlanta and other Sunbelt cities, more or less.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by WilliamM

I think I'm with aries on this one. Sounds more like wishful thinking to me.

Besides, on what do you base your prediction? Is it because Atlanta has already had its 'time' for growth and now it's Charlotte's?

You may be the way be right about the days of breakneck growth being behind us, but if that's the case, believe me it will affect Charlotte just as much as Atlanta.

What people seem to forget (or choose to forget) is that Atlanta is the hub/capital of a mega-region known at the American South...which in a lot of ways functions like a country. Now, Atlanta will always see growth and will always be significant.

It's important to think of Atlanta along the same lines as a Seoul, a Sao Paulo, a Mexico City, a Johannesburg, or a Bogota.

[AtlantaGuy21]

Originally Posted by am2

not in terms of population but Charlotte has just as many fortune 500 companies and is growing faster. I think Atlanta's growing days are done. It will continue to grow but not nearly as fast as it did in the 90s and 00s. Charlotte and Raleigh will see enormous growth.

Alright this is something that you have to be dreaming about in your sleep lol Atlanta ranked third in the nation among cities with the most Fortune 500 headquarters, behind New York and Houston. Charlotte stilll looks like Atlanta in the 1980s

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by aries4118

What people seem to forget (or choose to forget) is that Atlanta is the hub/capital of a mega-region known at the American South...which in a lot of ways functions like a country. Now, Atlanta will always see growth and will always be significant.

It's important to think of Atlanta along the same lines as a Seoul, a Sao Paulo, a Mexico City, a Johannesburg, or a Bogota.

Well said. The only thing I'd add is that it's also important to keep in mind the vast size of the United States and the fact that although it has great rural stretches, the country has for a long time been characterized by its great cities. The South was to some extent an exception for obvious reasons (New Orleans could almost be said to have been the failed capital of the Louisiana "nation") but has over the last half century begun to make up some ground. That trend is not going to go away.

What may happen however is that in the future regions will play less and less of a role and instead we will see an increasing polarity between the haves and have-not among cities, the cities that are best equipped to survive under the conditions of globalization. And in this respect, I think Charlotte and Atlanta are well positioned to continue to dominate their region.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by WilliamM

Well said. The only thing I'd add is that it's also important to keep in mind the vast size of the United States and the fact that although it has great rural stretches, the country has for a long time been characterized by its great cities. The South was to some extent an exception for obvious reasons (New Orleans could almost be said to have been the failed capital of the Louisiana "nation") but has over the last half century begun to make up some ground. That trend is not going to go away.

What may happen however is that in the future regions will play less and less of a role and instead we will see an increasing polarity between the haves and have-not among cities, the cities that are best equipped to survive under the conditions of globalization. And in this respect, I think Charlotte and Atlanta are well positioned to continue to dominate their region.

Thanks.

But remember, Atlanta dominates the region--as the de-factor hub/capital/primary city.

The secondary southern cities are Charlotte, Nashville, Raleigh/Durham, and New Orleans.

The tertiary cities are Memphis, Birmingham, Jacksonville, Richmond, Norfolk Area, and Louisville

[Mgyeldell]

I think you can compare Charlotte to Atlanta they have many of the same features

Just like Atlanta Charlotte has torn down most of its projects
Charlotte is basing the style of its light rail system of of MARTA design
Charlotte has only one major loop around the city limits and not the suburbs just like Atlanta
Both cites have strict grids downtown but then have major thouroghfares going thru the city.
Both located in the Piedmont with one mountain located within 20 minutes of the city limits.
Both have horrible traffic
both have rivers located at the city limits.

Comparing neighborhoods

Atlanta to Charlotte
Buckhead to SouthPark
Bankhead to West Charlotte
West End to NoDa
Inman Park to Dilworth
Ansley Park to Plaza Midwood
Midtown to Uptown(Downtown)
AUC to Biddleville
Thomasville to Derita
Bolton to Eastland

You could even compare some suburbs

Atlanta to Charlotte
Marietta to Gastonia
Alpharetta to COncord
Kannapolis to Roswell
Buford to Davidson or Cornelius
Fayetteville to Fort Mill SC
Kennesaw to Kings Mountain
Riverdale to Monroe
LaGrange to Hickory
Sandy Springs to Huntersville


Compare Schools (Universities and High Schools)

Atlanta to Charlotte
GSU to UNC Charlotte
Clark Atlanta to Johnson C. Smith
Atlanta Tech to CPCC
Grady High to Harding University(High School)

Other Stuff you can compare

Atlanta to Charlotte
Grady to Charlotte Medical Center
Emory to Presbyterian
Six Flags to Carowinds
I-20 Traffic to I-85 Traffic
Spaghetti Junction to I-485/I-77 interchange
Freedom Pkwy to Independece Freeway
Langford Pkwy to Brookshire Freeway
Five Points to Charlotte Transportation Center
Phillips Arena to Time Warner Arena
Rich's to Belk
Kennesaw Mountain to Kings Mountain

Charlotte can compare with Atlanta, but Atlanta is bigger and has grown alot faster than Charlotte. And Atlanta has a better cultural base in the city than Charlotte does. Atlanta is just a level above Charlotte.


and just for a little info Charlotte is just as much of a sprawled out mess that Atlanta is, alot of people say Charlotte could get there in 30 years; its already there. Compare South Charlotte to North Fulton and see the similarities.