Thinking of Moving to Atl. (Atlanta, Alpharetta: crime, job market, best schools)

[Tsmall]

Heh all we are a mid class african american family of 4...the kids are 3 and 6mos... thinking of relocating to Atl from Va area. I have a brother there and he seems to love it. For those who live out there I want to know some good counties to look into as far as #1 great school systems, safer areas, cheaper housing , job market etc.. I am still not sold on the idea I was thinking charlotte.. I would appreciate your input!

[GF72]

The best schools are in east Cobb County, north Fulton County, and two school districts in Fayette County (Star's Mill and McIntosh).

East Cobb and North Fulton are pretty expensive areas, but they are very safe. Fayette County is more affordable but just as safe.

The second tier (above average, but not excellent) school districts are in the rest of suburban areas, mostly outside the 285 loop but some inside.

The bad schools are in south Cobb county, south Fulton county, and much of Dekalb County.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by GF72

The bad schools are in south Cobb county, south Fulton county, and much of Dekalb County.

I haven't been given the impression that south Cobb schools are "bad" from others in the forums here.

[GF72]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

I haven't been given the impression that south Cobb schools are "bad" from others in the forums here.

Try searching more. We've discussed this before.

McEachern and Campbell are below average - not too bad.

South Cobb, Osborne, and Pepplebrook are terrible.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by GF72

The best schools are in east Cobb County, north Fulton County, and two school districts in Fayette County (Star's Mill and McIntosh).

East Cobb and North Fulton are pretty expensive areas, but they are very safe. Fayette County is more affordable but just as safe.

The second tier (above average, but not excellent) school districts are in the rest of suburban areas, mostly outside the 285 loop but some inside.

The bad schools are in south Cobb county, south Fulton county, and much of Dekalb County.

I would add west Cobb to the list as well. Not quite East Cobb with Walton HS, but Harrison HS and Kennesaw Mtn HS are up there, and the area is very safe.

[GF72]

Originally Posted by neil0311

I would add west Cobb to the list as well. Not quite East Cobb with Walton HS, but Harrison HS and Kennesaw Mtn HS are up there, and the area is very safe.

west cobb would be one of those areas in the "second tier" I mentioned, along with places like north gwinnett, forsyth, cherokee (in terms of schools). These are all very safe places, schools average to above average, just not quite east cobb/north fulton good

[crux]

We were delighted to leave VA behind due to cost of living. Miss a few elements of VA, but the standard of living is so much better here for my family.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by GF72

Try searching more. We've discussed this before.

Ah, patronizing. That's a nice way to start a conversation.

McEachern and Campbell are below average - not too bad.

South Cobb, Osborne, and Pepplebrook are terrible.

This is precisely why I questioned your sweeping condemnation -- some schools like Campbell aren't too bad, while others might be.

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by Tsmall

Heh all we are a mid class african american family of 4...the kids are 3 and 6mos... thinking of relocating to Atl from Va area. I have a brother there and he seems to love it. For those who live out there I want to know some good counties to look into as far as #1 great school systems, safer areas, cheaper housing , job market etc.. I am still not sold on the idea I was thinking charlotte.. I would appreciate your input!

I lived in Atlanta and Alpharetta for almost 3 years (from 1998 until 2001). I liked it, but the traffic was simply awful. I don't think I would've been happy there for longer than a couple more years. Why? I just felt it was a second-rate city in a lot of aspects. It is going through major growing pains now and then, and it has a lot of work to do.
My sister and her family live in Acworth now. My sister has lived in Atlanta since 1985. She loved the area up until 5 or 6 years ago. She's so sick of Atlanta she can't wait to leave! The traffic's terrible, the pollution is bad, the crime is getting worse in the suburbs, the rule of thumb in Atlanta is sprawl, sprawl, sprawl, the weather is sticky from April until October, a lot of areas lack good community feeling, and she doesn't want her kids growing up there really...Anyway, those are the negatives she's told me...
Atlanta is a mess. They have 5.3 million people in the metro area and water, traffic control, pollution, and sprawl are huge problems that are not being addressed as they should be.
I'd recommend Charlotte or even Birmingham, Nashville.

[LovinDecatur]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

I lived in Atlanta and Alpharetta for almost 3 years (from 1998 until 2001). I liked it, but the traffic was simply awful. I don't think I would've been happy there for longer than a couple more years. Why? I just felt it was a second-rate city in a lot of aspects. It is going through major growing pains now and then, and it has a lot of work to do.
My sister and her family live in Acworth now. My sister has lived in Atlanta since 1985. She loved the area up until 5 or 6 years ago. She's so sick of Atlanta she can't wait to leave! The traffic's terrible, the pollution is bad, the crime is getting worse in the suburbs, the rule of thumb in Atlanta is sprawl, sprawl, sprawl, the weather is sticky from April until October, a lot of areas lack good community feeling, and she doesn't want her kids growing up there really...Anyway, those are the negatives she's told me...
Atlanta is a mess. They have 5.3 million people in the metro area and water, traffic control, pollution, and sprawl are huge problems that are not being addressed as they should be.
I'd recommend Charlotte or even Birmingham, Nashville.

Rather dismissive, I think...especially coming from someone that lives 1000 miles away. Rather like me dissing the entire NYC metro area after a 3 year stint in northern NJ.