What is Atlantas BEST/WORST Suburb?

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by miaj34

Well, you guys have me a bit worried now. I moved down to Atlanta from Indiana. We stayed in Woodstock for about a month while we were looking for a place. Roswell is really nice and looks good but I find the people in that area a bit standoffish and I found Acworth to be okay. Woodstock...its okay as far as the houses but I didn't really feel comfortable there.
I do not know much of the actual city of Atlanta. I think that most of these areas that people have been bashing have some good and bad. I was thoroughly warned by a guy I was seeing before I moved here that I should stay in the northern suburbs..i.e. Roswell, Woodstock and areas surrounding. But I see why now. From what I can gather, a lot of people here just go by what they see on the tele and their perceptions are not based on actual facts or experience.
We found a house in a nice part of Jonesboro and I actually like it. There is a big Lake by our house and a very nice park nearby for my small son to play. So I am kind of confused as to why people see Clayton County as so bad. I can see that when you first come off of 75 it looks a bit industrial but once you drive down a bit, it seems to get better. Granted we have only been in the area for about a week but so far it hasn't been bad. I will give the area a year and if its bad we will move but I just think that some of the reasonings for what makes an area bad or not that have been given in this post don't really hold alot of water.

Thank you for this logical and factual post. Many people in the northern suburbs have developed a specific perception of everything below I-20, and they will not be enlightened - period. It's frustrating at times for those of us who know the truth. All I can say is that if they want to live in ignorance of the world outside of their traffic-clogged, over-malled utopia...then be my guest.

[mmenomen]

miaj34

We found a house in a nice part of Jonesboro and I actually like it. There is a big Lake by our house and a very nice park nearby for my small son to play. So I am kind of confused as to why people see Clayton County as so bad.

There are plenty of threads about Clayton County and if you read them, people tell you to stay away from the area, particularly if you have school aged children: the Clayton County public schools lost its SACS accreditation (first county-wide school system in 40 years to do so) in 2008, and this is due to many actions of the inept School Board members who were elected by the voters of Clayton County. The result of this mess has been plummeted home values in the area, maybe 50% less than just a few years ago and a huge exodus of children from the public schools, over 3,500 I last read. Clayton county is in pretty bad shape just from the public school issue alone. You can read the other threads that go into other detail than just the public schools.

I am very familiar with many areas below I-20 and the north side as well and I would tell people with small children to avoid Clayton County for several reasons, the public school issue is the number one reason. If you have other plans for your child (private / home schooling) then it might be OK, but otherwise, avoid it. Despite that, I hope you like your new home and enjoy the area.

For the Southside, Fayette, Coweta and Henry counties would be much better choices if you plan to use public schools. Fayette county has the best test score reputation as a whole as compared to the surrounding areas on the southside.

[saphron]

depends on what you like,
If you like the urban feel and can deal with high prices and homeless with long drawn out stories about why you should give them money. Downtown area has lots of condos move in ready that need tenants. My brother live there and it not too bad just tell the homeless to leave you alone and be prepared to pay lots in rent. The Downtown has Turnerfeild if you like baseball and your close to lots of restaurants and overpriced shops, and IKEA to buy your cheap furniture but is kinda a cool place. There is the High museum of art and some areas that local artist bought and built up.
If you prefer much more urban like gangs and being mugged and would desperately like your car robbed or taken I would suggest anywhere in SW atl. Even the cop kill people there. They shot a 90 year old woman after they broke in to her house on a snitches word that she was dealing drugs. Don't worry Grandma had a pistol, that's why they shot her.
Buckhead is the yuppie paradise. Just north of the downtown. It is the more snobby full of those people you always hated in high school who always looked good. Well on Friday and Saturday nite you can catch up with them in there yuppie attire and fall down drunk at any of the great taverns or restaurants in which Buckhead is known for. Don't worry they haven't change since high school.
I live in Kennesaw, which is a little urban but a lot more college. Kennesaw state University stock this little city with plenty of the fast and the furioustypes on daddy's paycheck in rice rockets to drive too fast in. But it is cheap compare to atl prices in apartments and transportation. Also the gridlock traffic is a little easier to deal with.
Acworth was county before country was cool, but it is cheap and small town feeling next to a big city. Has some really great prices on homes but if you work in atl watch out for the commute.
Marietta is nice. The downtown area has a Gone with the Wind museum and I would describe it as small town feeling. Marietta is huge and spans a lot of territory so you can find places that fit your style easily. Also it is cheaper than metro atl and traffic is rough but nothing compared to downtown/ buckhead area. We have Kennesaw Mt here which is a persevered civil war battle site complete with reenactments in the summer.
Gwinnett, aka little Mexico, I live there when i first moved to Atlanta. They have a huge gang problem that involves illegal aliens with guns walking suburban areas that just 20 years ago were middle class neighborhoods. the house across the street from where I was living was falling apart and a family of 12 moved in including their grandma two adult sons, both of their wives and all their children. They did not believe in curtains and you could watch breast feeding any time of the day. It is really close to the to Bufford hwy which is kinda a cultural hub of Mexican, Korean, Chinese etc. There is Stone mt. which is the largest exposed piece of granite on earth to visit.
Atlanta is Republican and you will just have to like it or find away to deal with it. the people hear are not interested in "Change". the entire area is peppered with historical houses and this is the home of the Daughters of the Confederacy.
The most important thing to think about when moving to Atlanta is your commute. Move where your work is and as close to your work as possible. You could spend up to 4 hours in unpredictable traffic a day if you don't do this. I not kidding. My boyfriend who live with me in Kennesaw took a job close to gwinnett (duluth to be exact) at least an hour and a half drive every morning and every night on the way home. If a major accident happens it could be longer. Atlanta make its shedule around traffic and the two rush hours last 2 hours on good day. From Kennesaw it takes me 25 minute to get to the airport, without traffic, it could be up to an 90 minute when there is traffic.

[mshare]

This is somewhat of an incomplete question. Everyone has different criteria and one person's definition of a "bad" suburb might be equal to another's perfect suburb. Provide more specifics on what is important to you and you'll likely get a more complete answer.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by saphron

Atlanta is Republican and you will just have to like it or find away to deal with it. the people hear are not interested in "Change". the entire area is peppered with historical houses and this is the home of the Daughters of the Confederacy.

I'm not certain what the poster means 'Atlanta is republican...'

There are some historical homes but I can't think of any from the pre-Civil War period.

[LovinDecatur]

Originally Posted by TakeAhike

I'm not certain what the poster means 'Atlanta is republican...'

There are some historical homes but I can't think of any from the pre-Civil War period.

I have a hard time believing that poster has ever set foot in Atlanta, TAH.
Atlanta Republican? LOL that'll be the day.
The antebellum homes in the city can probably be counted on one hand. The Lemuel P. Grant house in Grant Park (1856) is the only one that immediately comes to mind.

[TakeAhike]

'Buckhead is the yuppie paradise. Just north of the downtown. It is the more snobby full of those people you always hated in high school who always looked good. Well on Friday and Saturday nite you can catch up with them in there yuppie attire and fall down drunk at any of the great taverns or restaurants in which Buckhead is known for. Don't worry they haven't change since high school.'
This is also puzzling. The last I heard there was little nightlife in Buckhead at present due to the ongoing construction of the upscale shopping project.

[cincinnatiatlanta]

looking to move to atlanta. looking at sandy springs,morrow,college park which is best for a family of four kids 9-13 and husband that works as a handy man? I am a nurse so know it will not be hard to find work, Any suggestions?