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Looking for my ATL CDers to play neighborhood matchmaker for us.
Our family is contemplating a move to Atlanta and I wanted to get your input on good neighborhood matches for us. We’re coming from Texas. We love a lot things about the Atlanta area—the big trees, the proximity to mountains/outdoor activity, and the overall vibe. My company has a big office in the area and a move has become a real possibility recently.
Some things about us:
- My office is in the Norcross area
- Open to either suburbs or in the city. I’m used to 1 hour commute. Would prefer no more than 1 hour
commute.
- Budget: 500 – 800K-ish.
- We have kids and would like to send them to good schools—high preference for public schools. We’re
Caucasian but have no issues with diversity. I grew up in a lot of diversity and think its good to have
exposure to folks from different backgrounds
- I see a lot of country clubs in the suburbs—I’m not really interested in a country club
community. When I think of country clubs, I think of ‘snobby’ and ‘cliquey.’ This is my perception—
maybe I’m off base
- Son plays soccer/daughters do gymnastics—will be signing them up when we move.
- Politically in the center, maybe with a little bit of a libertarian streak, but honestly don’t care much re
politics. Current neighbors are way too political…Maga Republicans … enough already please.
- Want single-family home with some yard.
- Home doesn’t need to be new construction.
I’d love to hear some neighborhood suggestions from you guys. We’ve lived both in the city of and in suburbs and are open to explore both lifestyles in ATL.
I appreciate your insights!
You actually have many good options to be commuting to that particular area.
Just in case you know the Dallas area, Atlanta's favored quarter is also to the north. Forsyth Co. is kind of like a Frisco. Alpharetta is kind of like Plano. Norcross/Duluth is kind of like Garland. I-285 and GA400 is Perimeter Center and is Atlanta's largest edge city.
Across the river in North Fulton you have Roswell, Johns Creek and then further out Forsyth County. This is the line of upper/upper middle class growth leading out of the city's richer side. Schools are top tier and it's very shiny and new as it mostly wasn't developed until they completed the intown leg of the GA400 freeway in the '90s.
However, it is snobby cliquey. You'll get a ton of private school folks that use it just for the mere purpose of doing it. The suburban shopping amenities tend to be more polished, newer, and large regional activity centers.
Within Gwinnett County you have many great options, but you'll want to look at each high school zone separately. Gwinnett in the '80s-'90s was essentially like Forsyth Co. is considered today. It was mostly top-tier suburban growth. What has happened since is it has grown to about 1 million people and also includes the largest industrial submarket of warehouses with heavy demand on I-85. So the latter half a million added to the county have been largely working class, so Gwinnett tends to be a little more socioeconomically diverse on the nicer side of town.
Gwinnett is also the international quarter of Atlanta. Over 25% of the population was born out of country. There is a particular large amount of Mexicans and Asians, including Koreans, Chinese, Indians, and Vietmanese in heavy amounts between them all.
Two general areas of Gwinnett that I think would be a good option would be the Parkview or Brookwood school clusters across I-85 from Norcross. It is a less busy suburban area that is almost entirely single family homes, very stable, well respected schools, upper tier but down to earth, etc.. Most people locate to this area to be in a leafy less, busy area. I would give an edge to Brookwood.
If you go north from Norcross down Peacthree insutrial Boulevar (PIB) you will find Duluth, Suwanee, Buford, and Sugar Hill. This is a upper middle class area that is well liked and a bit newer. It isn't as expensive as Johns Creek/Forsyth, but it's fast growing well-liked area in a good commute to Norcross. This area is a little busier than the Parkview-Brookwood corridor in that it is very near I-85 and there is much growth near the freeway. There are more businesses, warehouses, offices, and apartments. Yet the housing in the area runs more affluent.
Many of the city centers on that strip have redeveloped new downtown centers that are small and really nice. School districts to consider in this corridor are Buford City, North Gwinnett, Peacthree Ridge, Duluth, and Lanier.
I would highlight Brookwood and North Gwinnett as the standouts of this pack.
There are other nicer schools in Gwinnett further away, so ask if your housing search takes you somewhere else.
One last thing... we have lots of unincorporated land, but all land is in a zip code names after a city. City names aren't best for a house hunt. I'd stick to house hunting by high school district. We have many cities where the zip codes cover extremely nice to not quite as nice areas and several cities are split by different school districts. What often makes the school nicer or not is the amount of apartments closer to I-85 increases transient populations that move more often.
The region is very hilly and mountains are generally to the north.
You actually have many good options to be commuting to that particular area.
Just in case you know the Dallas area, Atlanta's favored quarter is also to the north. Forsyth Co. is kind of like a Frisco. Alpharetta is kind of like Plano. Norcross/Duluth is kind of like Garland. I-285 and GA400 is Perimeter Center and is Atlanta's largest edge city.
Across the river in North Fulton you have Roswell, Johns Creek and then further out Forsyth County. This is the line of upper/upper middle class growth leading out of the city's richer side. Schools are top tier and it's very shiny and new as it mostly wasn't developed until they completed the intown leg of the GA400 freeway in the '90s.
However, it is snobby cliquey. You'll get a ton of private school folks that use it just for the mere purpose of doing it. The suburban shopping amenities tend to be more polished, newer, and large regional activity centers.
Within Gwinnett County you have many great options, but you'll want to look at each high school zone separately. Gwinnett in the '80s-'90s was essentially like Forsyth Co. is considered today. It was mostly top-tier suburban growth. What has happened since is it has grown to about 1 million people and also includes the largest industrial submarket of warehouses with heavy demand on I-85. So the latter half a million added to the county have been largely working class, so Gwinnett tends to be a little more socioeconomically diverse on the nicer side of town.
Gwinnett is also the international quarter of Atlanta. Over 25% of the population was born out of country. There is a particular large amount of Mexicans and Asians, including Koreans, Chinese, Indians, and Vietmanese in heavy amounts between them all.
Two general areas of Gwinnett that I think would be a good option would be the Parkview or Brookwood school clusters across I-85 from Norcross. It is a less busy suburban area that is almost entirely single family homes, very stable, well respected schools, upper tier but down to earth, etc.. Most people locate to this area to be in a leafy less, busy area. I would give an edge to Brookwood.
If you go north from Norcross down Peacthree insutrial Boulevar (PIB) you will find Duluth, Suwanee, Buford, and Sugar Hill. This is a upper middle class area that is well liked and a bit newer. It isn't as expensive as Johns Creek/Forsyth, but it's fast growing well-liked area in a good commute to Norcross. This area is a little busier than the Parkview-Brookwood corridor in that it is very near I-85 and there is much growth near the freeway. There are more businesses, warehouses, offices, and apartments. Yet the housing in the area runs more affluent.
Many of the city centers on that strip have redeveloped new downtown centers that are small and really nice. School districts to consider in this corridor are Buford City, North Gwinnett, Peacthree Ridge, Duluth, and Lanier.
I would highlight Brookwood and North Gwinnett as the standouts of this pack.
There are other nicer schools in Gwinnett further away, so ask if your housing search takes you somewhere else.
One last thing... we have lots of unincorporated land, but all land is in a zip code names after a city. City names aren't best for a house hunt. I'd stick to house hunting by high school district. We have many cities where the zip codes cover extremely nice to not quite as nice areas and several cities are split by different school districts. What often makes the school nicer or not is the amount of apartments closer to I-85 increases transient populations that move more often.
The region is very hilly and mountains are generally to the north.
I would probably get a house in Peachtree Corners or Duluth or in that area, and have an easy, low-stress, back-roads commute to your office. Avoiding the madness that is the freeways.
Once upon a time, I lived and worked within Gwinnett, and it was the best. I would recommend living fairly near work.
If you would like to live close to your job in the Norcross area, the Norcross 30071 and Peachtree Corners 30092 zip codes likely would be a very good area to consider.
Norcross 30071/Peachtree Corners 30092 is an amenity-rich area with a historic downtown village area (Downtown Norcross) built around a historic stop on a busy freight railroad line that has exploded into what is now a prosperous sprawling inner suburb of the Northeast Atlanta metropolitan area.
Norcross 30071 is largely a historic railroad/resort town with a busy walkable historic downtown village area (Downtown Norcross) of shops and restaurants and many older and historic homes.
Peachtree Corners 30092 is the late-20th Century/early-21st Century suburban part of the area that is a more typical suburb that is dominated by lower-density development (lower-density development that is considered to be almost medium-density by the standards of a metro Atlanta and North Georgia region where extremely low-density development is exceedingly commonplace).
P’tree Corners has multiple shopping areas located along the GA-141 Peachtree Parkway/Medlock Bridge Road corridor (a major commuter route that traverses between Central Atlanta’s major Uptown commercial district of Buckhead and the North/Northeast metro Atlanta outer suburb of Cumming), including:
> A cluster of retail development at GA-141 and Holcomb Bridge Road that includes a Dick’s Sporting Goods store, a Target, a Publix grocery store, an Aldi grocery store, a T.J. Maxx department store and an L.A. Fitness...
> The Forum Peachtree Corners (formerly “The Forum on Peachtree Parkway”), an upscale open-air village-like shopping development that features a Trader Joe’s grocery store and a Belk department store amongst numerous other smaller shops and restaurants...
> Peachtree Corners Town Center, a new open-air mixed-use development that features a Sprouts Farmers Market healthy grocery store, a CMX CinéBistro dine-in movie theater, shops, restaurants, bars, apartments and townhomes built around a town green community gathering area.
The Forum Peachtree Corners and Peachtree Corners Town Center developments effectively serve as the official downtown area of Peachtree Corners, which is a suburban bedroom community that did not really exist until about 1980 and did not incorporate as a municipality until about 2010-2011.
Peachtree Corners also features an Ingles grocery store (a regional chain of mid-scale/upper mid-scale suburban/exurban/rural supermarkets based out of the Asheville, North Carolina area) and a Lidl grocery store (a German-based chain of discount grocery stores attempting to rival discount grocer Aldi along the Eastern Seaboard).
P’tree Corners also features a large amount of local open space and outdoor recreational land at sites like Holcomb Bridge Park, Simpsonwood Park, Jones Bridge Park, Medlock Bridge Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Garrard Landing Park/Johns Creek Environmental Campus and the Jones Bridge Unit of the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area...
(Garrard Landing Park and the Jones Bridge Unit of the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area are both located just across the Chattahoochee River in North Fulton County.)
That local open space and outdoor recreational land in the Norcross 30071/P’tree Corners 30092 area is in addition to the area being located only about an hour or so from the southernmost reaches of the very beautiful and highly scenic Blue Ridge Mountains region of North Georgia, Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee... A very popular and greatly beloved mountain wilderness region which can be relatively very easily accessed from the North/Northeast metro Atlanta suburbs by way of major radial routes like GA-141/GA-400/US-19 and I-985/GA-365/US-23.
The Norcross 30071/P’tree Corners 30092 area also features a couple of large soccer parks at Pinckneyville Park (which features 5 soccer fields) and West Gwinnett Park (which features 3 soccer fields and an indoor/outdoor aquatic complex).
The Norcross 30071/P’tree Corners 30092 area is served by the schools of the Norcross High School/Paul Duke STEM High School cluster of the Gwinnett County Public Schools system.
Norcross High School is a school that historically has has very high (above-average/excellent) academic ratings. Norcross High School continues to be a public high school of excellent quality, though the academic ratings of the school are experiencing significant pull from the very large number of transient students and families living in the large amount of rental dwellings (apartments and rental homes) and more affordable housing in some parts of the area.
Paul Duke STEM High School is a new high school (opened August 2018) with a STEM-focused curriculum that is available to students who live in the Norcross HS/Paul Duke HS cluster (the Norcross 30071/P’tree Corners 30092 area) or students who live in other parts of Gwinnett County who want a STEM-focused/oriented high school/college preparatory education.
Both Norcross High School and Paul Duke STEM High School serve an exceedingly diverse (both racially/ethnically and socioeconomically diverse) student population which very noticeably pulls on the academic ratings of two schools of excellent quality that receive much support from the Norcross 30071/Peachtree Corners 30092 community.
(About 63% of students at Norcross High School come from low-income households, while about 68% of students at Paul Duke STEM High School come from low-income households.)
The Norcross 30071/P’tree Corners 30092 area that the Norcross HS/Paul Duke STEM HS cluster serves is an area with an ultra-diverse population that ranges from predominantly White and Asian upscale neighborhoods with $1 million homes in areas closer to the Chattahoochee River to predominantly minority working-class areas closer to major roadways like I-85, GA-140 Jimmy Carter Blvd/Holcomb Bridge Rd, Peachtree Industrial Blvd, US-23/GA-13 Buford Highway and Peachtree Corners Circle.
Racial and ethnic minorities currently make up about 53% of the population of the City of Peachtree Corners (30092) and about 77% of the population of the City of Norcross proper (Norcross 30071).
The Norcross 30071/Peachtree Corners 30092 area is a great option to consider if you very much desire to live in an amenity-rich area that would give you a very short (exceedingly short) commute to and from your office in the Norcross area.
Looking for my ATL CDers to play neighborhood matchmaker for us.
Our family is contemplating a move to Atlanta and I wanted to get your input on good neighborhood matches for us. We’re coming from Texas. We love a lot things about the Atlanta area—the big trees, the proximity to mountains/outdoor activity, and the overall vibe. My company has a big office in the area and a move has become a real possibility recently.
If you’re looking for big trees and a close proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains, then the North/Northeast metro Atlanta suburbs (much of which spreads over the lower and mid-level Piedmont and Southern Appalachian foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains region) is the right place to look with its easy and direct access to the Blue Ridge Mountains region north of the greater Atlanta city/metro region.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoo2000
My office is in the Norcross area
The location of your office in the Norcross area gives you and your family numerous living options to consider in a part of the greater Atlanta metropolitan area and region that is loaded with high-quality suburban amenities.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoo2000
Open to either suburbs or in the city. I’m used to 1 hour commute. Would prefer no more than 1 hour commute.
It’s good that you desire to keep your commute to and from your place of work to an hour or less. Though, the sometimes tricky thing about the North metro Atlanta suburbs is that the region does not enjoy anywhere near as many multi-lane arterial and alternative routes as large major Texas metropolitan regions like Houston and Dallas may enjoy the use of... Which is why newcomers often have been strongly encouraged to not live too terribly far from their places of work, if and when might be possible.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoo2000
Budget: 500 – 800K-ish.
The lower-end of your housing budget ($500k) potentially may not be enough to get you and your family into a detached single-family home in a desirable area within a desirable commuting distance of your workplace in Norcross in what seemingly has been an insanely competitive housing market over the past two-and-a-half years in the more desirable parts of the North metro Atlanta suburbs and exurbs.
The upper-end of your housing budget ($800k) should go pretty far into getting you and your family into a detached single-family desirable area within at least a somewhat fairly reasonable commuting distance of your job in the Norcross area.
Though, be forewarned that, even with the recent pullback in home prices from their historic highs of the past 2+ years, much of the North metro Atlanta housing market (particularly in the most competitive areas with the highest-rated schools and most suburban amenities in North Fulton and South Forsyth counties) remains noticeably competitive in terms of home price and competitiveness for available housing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoo2000
We have kids and would like to send them to good schools—high preference for public schools. We’re Caucasian but have no issues with diversity. I grew up in a lot of diversity and think its good to have exposure to folks from different backgrounds
The North/Northeast metro Atlanta suburbs (particularly where you will likely will be concentrating your search for housing in Gwinnett, North Fulton and Forsyth counties) feature some of the highest-rated public schools in the entire Southeastern U.S.
It’s a really good thing that you and your family have no issues with diversity and seem to be comfortable with diversity because the North/Northeast metro Atlanta suburbs (particularly Gwinnett, North Fulton and Forsyth counties) are amongst some of the most diverse communities in the country.
Gwinnett County is a jurisdiction that has transitioned and transformed from being a predominantly-white (roughly about two-thirds white) area about 2+ decades ago to an increasingly predominantly-minority (currently roughly about two-thirds racial and ethnic minority) community today.
Nearby Forsyth County reportedly currently has the nation’s fastest-growing Asian population (along with a very fast-growing Hispanic/Latino population), while the Atlanta metropolitan area as a whole is home to a continuously fast-growing Black population (the largest metropolitan Black population in the country outside of New York) that is attracted to the Atlanta area by its status as the leading relocation destination for African-Americans in other parts of the country.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoo2000
I see a lot of country clubs in the suburbs—I’m not really interested in a country club community. When I think of country clubs, I think of ‘snobby’ and ‘cliquey.’ This is my perception— maybe I’m off base
That is a good observation that the metro Atlanta suburbs (including and particularly the North/Northeast metro Atlanta suburbs) has a good amount of country clubs.
But, while very noticeable, the country club culture is not anywhere near as dominant or even as prominent of a feature of North metro Atlanta suburban life as you seem to think.
A more dominant/prominent (and much more in-demand) feature of North Atlanta suburban life are swim-tennis communities which feature private community swimming pools as a major social centerpiece of what are generally highly socially active suburban neighborhoods.
Swim-tennis communities are popular with newcomers to the very expansive suburbs of a large major metropolitan area like Atlanta because swim-tennis communities (with their frequent community events, gatherings and family-oriented activities) often give families (both adults and children) robust opportunities to meet their neighbors and quickly make new friends and become part of a community after moving to a strange new city.
Many country clubs and golf communities (golf-tennis-swim communities) may often feature some of the most active neighborhood and community social apparatuses, which often appeal even to people who don’t like and/or don’t play golf.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoo2000
Son plays soccer/daughters do gymnastics—will be signing them up when we move.
Signing your son up for soccer and signing your daughter up for gymnastics most likely will not be a problem in a region in the North/Northeast metro Atlanta suburbs that is a hotbed for youth sports, including soccer and gymnastics.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoo2000
Politically in the center, maybe with a little bit of a libertarian streak, but honestly don’t care much re politics. Current neighbors are way too political…Maga Republicans … enough already please.
You really shouldn’t have much problem being what appears to be an apolitical centrist with a libertarian streak in a North/Northeast metro Atlanta suburban region that has become much more centrist and moderate as the population of the area has exploded and continued to diversify.
Nearby North Fulton County and much of South Forsyth County has become much more politically centrist and moderate as Alpharetta has continued to emerge as a major suburban hub of tech industry jobs and activity in the Southeastern U.S.
Like numerous other metro Atlanta suburban counties over the past decade or so (including Cobb, Douglas, Henry, Rockdale and Newton counties), Gwinnett County has transformed from being a Republican-suburban stronghold (before about 2016) to being a Democratic suburban stronghold.
If you do happen to expand your housing search out beyond Gwinnett, North Fulton and South Forsyth counties into exurban and rural North and Northeast Georgia, you will get into areas where you will be more likely to see much more demonstratively right-of-center political activity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoo2000
- Want single-family home with some yard.
- Home doesn’t need to be new construction.
Finding a detached single-family home with some yard probably shouldn’t be a problem in a metro Atlanta suburban region where detached single-family homes on larger land lots has long been the dominant housing option.
Though, the increased density of development has generated much more housing density (all the way down to attached Northeastern-style townhomes in many areas) in areas where the population continues to explode in North/Northeast metro Atlanta suburban communities like Gwinnett, North Fulton and South Forsyth counties.
Also, if older and more mature homes on larger land lots become part of your housing search, you might want to be aware that many larger yards in North Georgia may be likely to contain many more trees and woods than you might find on similar large land lots in Texas.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoo2000
I’d love to hear some neighborhood suggestions from you guys. We’ve lived both in the city of and in suburbs and are open to explore both lifestyles in ATL.
I appreciate your insights!
In my previous post, I suggested Norcross 30071/Peachtree Corners 30092 as a quality area to consider if you just simply wanted to have an extremely short commute to and from your job in Norcross.
But if you most desire to live an area with the absolute highest rated and most highly regarded public schools, while still being within a one-hour commute (each way) between home and your job in Norcross, areas that you could probably consider are:
> The North Gwinnett High School cluster in the Suwanee area of North Gwinnett County (highest-rated high school in Gwinnett County and one of the highest-rated in the state of Georgia)
> The Peachtree Ridge High School cluster in the Duluth/Suwanee area of Gwinnett County (... good public school with an ultra-diverse student body located in an area with many robustly active swim-tennis communities... but, last I heard, has a block-scheduling system that does not appeal to every student)
> The Buford City Schools district in the city of Buford in North Gwinnett County (... Buford City Schools is a very highly rated and very highly regarded small city schools system that is independent of the larger Gwinnett County Public Schools system)
> The Duluth High School cluster (...excellent quality school that experiences many of the very same socioeconomic challenges to academic ratings that Norcross and Paul Duke STEM high schools experience... though, Duluth has an highly active community gathering and event spot in the Duluth Town Green that is very appealing to both new and existing residents)
> The Brookwood High School cluster in south-central Gwinnett County (highly diverse)
> The Parkview High School cluster in Lilburn in southwestern Gwinnett County (highly diverse)
> The Chattahoochee High School cluster in North Fulton County (...Chattahoochee HS has a reputation for fostering a very socially inclusive and well-rounded learning environment)
> The Johns Creek High School cluster in North Fulton County (...Johns Creek HS has a reputation for having a competitive social environment in some social circles)
> The Northview High School cluster in North Fulton County (...Northview HS, where Asian students make up about 60% of the student body, has a reputation for having a highly competitive and rigorous academic environment that has been criticized for being too focused on academics at the expense of students social development in the past)
> The Lambert High School cluster in South Forsyth County (...very highly competitive academic environment)
> The South Forsyth High School cluster in South Forsyth County (...very highly competitive academic environment).
There are other highly-rated and higher-rated school clusters in the greater North/Northeast metro Atlanta suburbs that I will not recommend because of the likely traffic congestion issues that you would experience in commuting between those areas and your job in Norcross on the area’s largely highly inadequate road network.
The aforementioned school clusters may be likely to present enough commuting challenges to you, if you have to:
A) Use GA-141 P’tree Parkway/Medlock Bridge Road to commute to and from work during peak traffic hours
B) Cross through an I-85 interchange during a commute during peak-traffic hours
C) Use I-85 to commute to and from work during peak-traffic hours
D) Use PIB (Peachtree Industrial Boulevard) to commute to and from your job in Norcross for an extended distance (like probably from anywhere farther than Duluth) during peak traffic hours.
We're near Newtown Park in Johns Creek and love it here. Diverse, majority minority with whites being the largest demographic. Homes are in your price range, although you'll find more homes much higher than 800 than below 500k. Politically I believe the area leans slightly left. We're in the Johns Creek High School cluster, which as many have mentioned is the most socially competitive. Great academics, but not consumed by academics like Northview High School.
To Norcross from here you're looking at about a 15 minute commute. Maybe 25 max with some local traffic. You have so many great choices for neighborhoods in the area including in North Fulton County and Gwinnett County. I think Johns Creek is the equivalent to a Plano, TX. Slightly older but great schools and a little closer to the city than new parts of Frisco. Alpharetta/ southern Cumming is the most like the newer parts of Frisco, but the commute to Norcross would not be fun. Suwanee and Buford offer newer/new housing but your commute will be 30+ local.
Looking for my ATL CDers to play neighborhood matchmaker for us.
Our family is contemplating a move to Atlanta and I wanted to get your input on good neighborhood matches for us. We’re coming from Texas. We love a lot things about the Atlanta area—the big trees, the proximity to mountains/outdoor activity, and the overall vibe. My company has a big office in the area and a move has become a real possibility recently.
Some things about us:
- My office is in the Norcross area
- Open to either suburbs or in the city. I’m used to 1 hour commute. Would prefer no more than 1 hour
commute.
- Budget: 500 – 800K-ish.
- We have kids and would like to send them to good schools—high preference for public schools. We’re
Caucasian but have no issues with diversity. I grew up in a lot of diversity and think its good to have
exposure to folks from different backgrounds
- I see a lot of country clubs in the suburbs—I’m not really interested in a country club
community. When I think of country clubs, I think of ‘snobby’ and ‘cliquey.’ This is my perception—
maybe I’m off base
- Son plays soccer/daughters do gymnastics—will be signing them up when we move.
- Politically in the center, maybe with a little bit of a libertarian streak, but honestly don’t care much re
politics. Current neighbors are way too political…Maga Republicans … enough already please.
- Want single-family home with some yard.
- Home doesn’t need to be new construction.
I’d love to hear some neighborhood suggestions from you guys. We’ve lived both in the city of and in suburbs and are open to explore both lifestyles in ATL.
I appreciate your insights!
It is important to note that much of the Atlanta area consists of unincorporated land, so despite your office being in the Norcross area, it is most likely not located in the incorporated city of Norcross, which is quite small. The Norcross mailing address area covers a huge area of 3 different ZIP codes, each of which are distinct from one another:
30092 is the northernmost of the Norcross ZIP codes, covering the area south of the Chattahoochee River and north of Peachtree Industrial Blvd (PIB). 30092 is basically coterminous with the incorporated city of Peachtree Corners. If your work is in a information industry -- in particular, technology -- it is likely that your office is here. If so, you'll want to live somewhere with easy access to PIB or Peachtree Parkway.
30071 is the central Norcross ZIP code, covering the the area south of PIB and north of I-85. 30071 includes nearly all of the incorporated city of Norcross as well as some surrounding unincorporated areas. If your work is in manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, distribution, or similar, there's a good chance that your office is here. If so, you'll want to live somewhere with easy access to PIB, Buford Highway, or I-85.
30091 is the southernmost of the Norcross ZIP codes, covering the area south of I-85 and north of Lilburn. 30091 is entirely unincorporated. If your work is in logistics, warehousing, distribution, or similar, there's a good chance that your office is here. If so, you'll want to live somewhere with easy access to I-85.
The moral of the story here is that "Norcross" covers a huge area: essentially everywhere between Doraville, Duluth, Johns Creek, and Lilburn. If you're able to provide the name of a landmark, intersection, or neighborhood near your office, that would be especially helpful, as we can help you to avoid a long and miserable commute as much as possible.
Anyway... without knowledge of the specific location of your office, my first pick in your neighborhood matchmaker draft is the North Gwinnett High School cluster (Suwanee):
- Homes with yards in budget: Absolutely. There are lots of single-family homes with yards available within your budget. I know you don't care about new construction, but most homes here are on the newer side (late 1990s or newer). Most homes are quite large (2,500+ sq ft) and are in nice suburban neighborhoods. You'll save about $50k - $100k in comparison to a similar home west of the Chattahoochee River, primarily due to the greater distance to Alpharetta (lots of jobs/amenities there).
- Acceptable commute to Norcross: Yes. One benefit of the North Gwinnett cluster is its proximity to both PIB and I-85, so it doesn't matter what part of "Norcross" the office is in for commuting purposes. Without traffic, your commute will be between 20 and 30 minutes. However, this isn't a reverse commute by any means, and you'll be traveling with some traffic most of the time. I would expect a rush hour commute of 30-45 minutes, and possibly up to an hour if there's an accident on PIB or I-85. Your commute will always be less than 1 hour.
- Good public schools: Certainly. The schools in this cluster are among the highest-rated in Atlanta, Georgia, and the United States.
- Diversity: Definitely. Gwinnett County is just as diverse as Fort Bend County (and arguably more integrated/less segregated as well). The Suwanee area (where the NGHS cluster serves) is primarily White and Asian (particularly Korean) with smaller Black and Latino populations. Also, Suwanee is primarily upper-middle class with small lower-income populations. In short, Suwanee is one of the less-diverse parts of Gwinnett County, but it's still extremely diverse by Georgia and United States standards.
- Country club neighborhoods: A couple: River Club, which is among the most exclusive and wealthy neighborhoods in the entire Atlanta area (home to several Atlanta Falcons football players) and Edinburgh/Bear's Best, which is larger but slightly less exclusive. From my experience, the residents of these communities tend to be only somewhat snobby and cliquey. These communities are more "new money" than "old money." That being said, the vast majority of families do not live in neighborhoods like this, and "snobby" or "cliquey" is definitely not the overall vibe I get from this part of Suwanee. Riverside and Level Creek Elementary Schools have more "country club" kids, so perhaps you would want to choose Roberts Elementary or Suwanee Elemetary.
- Soccer and gymnastics nearby: Yes. For soccer, UFA (United Futbol Academy) and AFU (Atlanta Fire United) are huge soccer clubs nearby. I'm not familiar with the youth gymnastics scene, but there appears to be several gymnastics organizations in the area.
- Politics: Very middle-of-the-road. Suwanee is slightly-red area of somewhat-blue county, if you know what I mean (though both are becoming "bluer"). Republicans in this part of Gwinnett County tend to be more of the center-right Mitt Romney/George Bush variety and less of the the MAGA/Trump variety. Likewise, Democrats tend to be more moderate/pragmatic and less "progressive." Your libertarianism will be accepted and perhaps even encouraged here.
Other school clusters that I feel meet most of your criteria and might be good fits include the following:
- Parkview High School in Lilburn/Stone Mountain (Gwinnett County)
- Brookwood High School in Snellville (Gwinnett County)
- Chattahoochee High School in Alpharetta/Johns Creek (North Fulton County)
- Part of Norcross High School in Peachtree Corners (Simpson ES -> Pinckneyville MS -> Norcross HS or Paul Duke STEM HS)
- Part of Chamblee High School in Chamblee and Brookhaven (DeKalb County), specifically Montgomery and Ashford Park ESs. Look in to this one if you desire a somewhat more "urban" setting.
And maybe...
- The Duluth, Peachtree Ridge, Lanier, Seckinger, and Mill Creek clusters in Gwinnett County
- Buford/Buford City Schools in Buford (Gwinnett and Hall Counties)
- The Johns Creek, Centennial, Alpharetta, and Northview clusters in North Fulton County
- The Denmark, Lambert, and South Forsyth clusters in Forsyth County
- The Dunwoody and Lakeside clusters in DeKalb County
I think Peachtree Corners near Bush Road or North Berkeley Lake Road will probably be ideal, with very short commute times (5 minutes). Although houses there can be in the 7 figures. The small Berkley Lake area right next to there is also excellent. You'll be near both the Forum and Peachtree Corners Town Center area https://goo.gl/maps/yy16am6BrnUEGBxS9.
From there, you can look north on both Medlock Bridge road/Peachtree Parkway (141) and Peachtree Industrial Blvd (PIB). For 141, there's John's Creek, areas close to Alpharetta, and then Cumming. For PIB, there's Duluth, Suwanee, Sugar Hill, and Buford. On the Gwinnett side, you'll get more bang for your buck for the houses, along with above-average schools and more diversity.
Holy smokes! I love CD. You guys are amazing--really good feedback. Lots to think about and explore on my end.
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