Best Surrounding City to Move to (Atlanta, Savannah: fit in, lease, low crime)

[simplydc3]

I'm moving back to GA from SC. My girlfriend and I moved to SC (my home) and our lease will be up soon so we decided to GA. I went to college in Marietta so I know some areas well. I also stayed in Smyrna. I'm doing a house search and i'm getting too many results because I don't have a specific city picked yet. The price really doesn't matter because I have a VA home loan. We also have 2 friends who are together looking for a house in the same place we move to.

I don't want to be too far into GA. I don't want to be too far from the SC line but I don't want to be too far from downtown ATL, or where everything is.I don't want to actually live in the city though, and i've seen that crime is very high these days too so something with low crime would help, and good schools.

[runnergrl]

Maybe Kennesaw, Canton or Woodstock...since you are already familiar with that area(it is north of Marietta in and around I-75.) These areas are considered more or less part of suburbia Atlanta.

I can recommend a couple ofsmall towns off of 85 NE of Atlanta too....Athens, jefferson (smaller town...low key), and Hoschton...these are not part of the suburbia...at least not yet.

These are good school areas as well....with the exception of Athens...I havent heard good things about their school system.

[Saintmarks]

What is your part of SC? Are you in the upper part where 85 is your main route to Atlanta or in the central or southern parts where 20 is your route? Since you want to be close to the SC line but near Atlanta, I would look at towns that are in close proximity to these interstates.

Since the GA/SC line (the Savannah River) is at a northwest to southeast angle, the driving time to SC on 20 is considerably longer than on 85, so if 20 is your primary route, being near Augusta and the line still puts you at quite a drive, at least 2 hours or more from Atlanta, wheras you could be in Toccoa or Elberton on the SC line off of 85 and much closer to Atlanta.

From your post, it seems you want to be east of Atlanta and past the suburbs. This puts Cobb county out of your search it would seem.

[TakeAhike]

Toccoa, Lavonia, Hartwell. I think the SC/GA line is just beyond Hartwell's city limits.

If you wanted to be about 1 hr from Atlanta you could consider Buford and Suwanee/north Forsyth county.

[simplydc3]

I want to be closer than 1 hour to Atlanta. 85 is my main route to ATL...i live in Anderson SC. Thank you all for your posts

[Saintmarks]

Do you want suburban or something close that still feels small town? Commerce, Jefferson, Winder would fit in the later, Buford the former.

[Georgia]

Less than 1 hour to Atlanta.
I-85 off Exit 126 Braselton turn right off 85 South by Chateau Elan. Good Areas.
I-85 off Exit 120 Buford / Dacula turn left off 85 south Hamilton Mill area left or right on 124 you have Dacula or down to 324 to Dacula / Auburn.
Area is less than 1 hour to Atlanta and less than 90 miles to Anderson County SC.
Good Schools in Dacula / Braselton / and Mill Creek plus everything at your fingertips.
30019 and 30011 have low crime rates and home to the majority of the Gwinnett County Police Force and Gwinnett Sheriff Deputies.

[simplydc3]

Ok cool. I didn't even think about Gwinnett. I always thought it was too far away from the Atlanta night life. I haven't seen anyone mention Decatur, Marietta, Smyrna, or any of those though.

[LovinDecatur]

Originally Posted by simplydc3

Ok cool. I didn't even think about Gwinnett. I always thought it was too far away from the Atlanta night life. I haven't seen anyone mention Decatur, Marietta, Smyrna, or any of those though.

Probably because of your stated intention to stay relatively accessible to the SC line. Marietta and Smyrna are on the wrong side of Atlanta for that, and Decatur does not have the best access to interstates.
All things considered, I think that the suggestion of Suwanee, Buford and the NE Gwinnett communities was a good one. Reasonably close to Atlanta and SC.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by simplydc3

Ok cool. I didn't even think about Gwinnett. I always thought it was too far away from the Atlanta night life. I haven't seen anyone mention Decatur, Marietta, Smyrna, or any of those though.

<I don't want to be too far into GA. I don't want to be too far from the SC line but I don't want to be too far from downtown ATL, or where everything is.I don't want to actually live in the city though, >

???
Marietta and Smyrna would give you a more direct route to Atlanta and the night life but are considerable distance from the SC/GA line, as is Gwinnett county which is considered a major part of metro Atlanta. Buford, Dacula, Lawrenceville are family oriented communities and traffic is a major concern. If you plan to visit the attractions in the city regularly you would want to live much closer in.

Decatur is considered 'Intown' and is a family oriented, albeit progressive community. Only a few minutes from downtown.

There are plenty of shops and restaurants/bars in the Gwinnett/Buford/Mall of GA area, FWIW.