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I wonder if anyone has either lived in both areas or is very familiar with them. I have a job opportunity in both cities (if we can ever sell our house in horrid MI). We visited Chattanooga last year and really liked it but have not been to Kennesaw although I've done tons of research on it and my wife has relatives in nearby Alpharette.
While I'd make a bit more money in Chatt, it appears as if my wife (as an RN) could make more in GA.
We are a christian conservative family of 5 that enjoys outdoor things and typical family fun stuff and both cities seem to have their fair share of both. If you had to choose, what city would you prefer and why?
Well, they're two very different cities. Chattanooga is much smaller, but it's a nice city and has a nice tourist/entertainment district along the river with the Aquarium and all the activities there. Kennesaw is of course a busy and pretty desirable suburb of Atlanta and brings with it the benefits (and shortcomings) of living in a large city. Overall, Chattanooga is a slower pace of life but not "slow" by any means due to it's proximity to Atlanta and Nashville as well as it's thriving tourist industry. Atlanta is more rush-rush big city. Both cities have plenty to do for a family, though Atlanta is of course a lot more mixed residentially, as opposed to what some might say is a more conservative mix in Chattanooga.
You say you could make more money yourself in Chattanooga, where your dollar would stretch just a bit more than here, but she would most likely make slightly less (depending on facility and any specialties she has), so it might even-out regarding income vs what you get. Keep in mind that Chattanooga is only around 2 hours from Atlanta, so you wouldn't be that far of a drive to visit her relatives regardless, if that's a concern.
I've lived in Atlanta for 25 years but if my job would allow for it, I wouldn't mind living in Chattanooga. I like that city and it reminds me much of my home town of Charleston, WV (on a river, in a mountain valley, etc). I miss living on the water. However, jobs don't always allow for such a move. No one but you will know which city is a good fit, but money isn't everything. You will have to decide if you want a slower paced more even-keeled way of life for the family, or, of the excitement of the big city is more to your liking. As long as you can make a living in either place, it boils down to a slower smaller city lifestyle, or a big city one, both with advantages and disadvantages. P.S... "research" helps very little here - you need to actually VISIT Atlanta/Kennesaw to get a feel for it.
Honestly, it sounds like Chattanooga might be more to your liking. Chattanooga has much more outdoor activities than Kennesaw does due to it's location in the Tennessee Valley. Also, Tennessee has no state income tax and Chattanooga's cost of living with property values are lower than Atlanta's so your dollar would go a bit farther there but like Atlantagreg said, it really boils down to wheather you want smaller, slower or bigger, faster pace of life. You're going to be living there a long time. Don't move somewhere and be miserable just because you could make a few extra bucks.
beautiful locale, actually gets tourists (kennesaw gets fat people @ the walmarts and commuters) so you get that vibe, traffic isn't overly frustrating either. and, if you must, you are still 1.5 hours from atlanta downtown.
beautiful locale, actually gets tourists (kennesaw gets fat people @ the walmarts and commuters) so you get that vibe, traffic isn't overly frustrating either. and, if you must, you are still 1.5 hours from atlanta downtown.
Yeah, everyone in Chattanooga is a buff super-model who goes kayaking on the river or hiking in the mountains. None of those toothless, fat Walmart shoppers in Chattanooga, like there are in Kennesaw. Oh...and last time I checked, you still have to drive THROUGH Kennesaw to get to Atlanta from Chattanooga, except without the extra 90 min drive.
Seriously, they are two separate areas and not really comparable. Chattanooga is a nice small city surrounded by not much, while Kennesaw is a suburb of a major metro area. You need to decide which is more your taste.
Hello. I moved back from Chattanooga to this area five years ago. Although I don't currently live in Kennesaw, I am very familiar with the area. When I saw this thread last night I waited before posting, mainly so I wouldn't sound like a Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce rep and could give you an unbiased view of the two locations. You have quite a choice here. Atlanta Greg has outlined some points well.
Chattanooga is tops on my list of favorite places to live because of the friendly people. I have never moved anywhere else and felt at home so quickly. Pair the people with the gorgeous scenery and you have a fantastic quality of life. If you can live fairly near work or don't mind the daily drive into the city, Kennesaw is also a wonderful place to raise a family. Shopping, schools and play are all close. Both Cobb County and Kennesaw have good recreation departments for your children. Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield and Red Top Mountain State Park are popular places for outdoor activities.
If possible, I would visit both areas and view them as places where you will actually live. Many people who vacation in Chattanooga only see the tourist areas and subsequently fall in love with the idea of living there. Explore the area and see where you might actually live, go to church and shop. Likewise, you need to experience the traffic and density of a major metro area first hand. I advise people to plot out a potential daily routine for Atlanta and do a dry run in both rush hours.
Your wife's work situation is another area of concern. Has she started exploring opportunities or received any tenative offers? The Atlanta job market is a tough nut to crack, recession or no recession.
Please DM me if you need more information. You are fortunate to have offers in both areas.
Last edited by antiquesmountainapache; 03-21-2010 at 02:23 PM..
[quote=antiquesmountainapache;13386417You are fortunate to have offers in both areas.[/QUOTE]
That indeed I am. I, however, am very unfortunate trying to sell a house in MI where the economy is the worst in the country. We have lowered our price time after time over the past year and nothing.
Some points for anyone to comment on, I do notice Kennesaw's crime rate far lower than Chattanooga's. Flights from ATL far less expensive. The GA aquarium bigger/better than Chatt's TN aquarium. But the friendliness of Chattanooga was great, though I have yet to visit Kennesaw to compare. And we did actually visit the neighborhoods of where we'd live and the school our kids would go to in Chattanooga. It would be near the Hamilton Place Mall.
We maybe wanted to visit Kennesaw and re-visit Chatt on our spring break, but with no offers after over a year on our house, we are rather discouraged and probably would be wise not to make any such trip until we have (if ever) a buyer. Thanks to all and keep em comin'.
That indeed I am. I, however, am very unfortunate trying to sell a house in MI where the economy is the worst in the country. We have lowered our price time after time over the past year and nothing.
You may need to take a hit (or loss) in order to realize the dream of relocation. MI is a horror story of realty on many levels. Seek the advice of local experts as there may be an issue with curb appeal, staging the home, etc as well. As a last resort there is always the option of using a service to rent the home for you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TNKY
Some points for anyone to comment on, I do notice Kennesaw's crime rate far lower than Chattanooga's. Flights from ATL far less expensive. The GA aquarium bigger/better than Chatt's TN aquarium. But the friendliness of Chattanooga was great, though I have yet to visit Kennesaw to compare.
Remember that Kennesaw as a city is much smaller than Chattanooga, but part of a much larger metro area. Kennesaw has an actual law in it's books that says all home owners must own a firearm. Now, you're not fined or anything if you don't, but it is ironic how the crime there is among the lower of the metro cities and that law is on the books. lol. Either way, yes, the crime in Kennesaw is lower than some of the other suburbs.
Many flights in Atlanta are cheaper, but how important is that? How often do you fly out? If you fly out weekly or monthly, obviously is a major consideration to make. If you take one family vacation per year - not so much. Again, while 2 hours is hardly "down the street", it's not across country either, so having to go to the Atlanta airport occasionally isn't the end of the world.
Don't pick a city over the Aquarium. The GA. Aquarium is the largest in the world based on WATER VOLUME. It has 8 million gallons of water (soon to be increased to around 10 with a dolphin exhibit). But some people actually like the more intimate habitat-themed exhibits of the Tennesee Aquarium better (plus the lower crowds). I like both facilities, but if given a choice for a "relaxing" day would actually choose the TN one myself due to the less crowded atmosphere and stuff around the river to do after you leave. That's me. I like the GA. Aquarium but hate the way it was designed regarding crowd control and some of the exhibit viewing areas. But I wouldn't make it a consideration when moving someplace for or against.
Chattanooga is indeed a friendly place. More authentically "Southern" which is good or bad depending on who you are and what you're seeking. Kennesaw is more diverse though still leans more toward the upper-middle-income suburb yuppy type than some of the other burbs in Atlanta, but if you go to the Kennesaw Costco you'll hear no less than half a dozen different languages being spoken by shoppers on any given day. More big city in attitude than Chattanooga, but still friendly overall.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TNKY
We maybe wanted to visit Kennesaw and re-visit Chatt on our spring break, but with no offers after over a year on our house, we are rather discouraged and probably would be wise not to make any such trip until we have (if ever) a buyer. Thanks to all and keep em comin'.
Remember that while you can rent your house out in MI, you can also rent HERE (or TN) as well. Many feel that's a safer thing to do until you get your feet wet anywhere. Rent a decent apartment in either place you choose. Then you'll get a feel for that neighborhood and area and city. If you wind up hating it, you can pick choice # 2, or having just rented your home out in MI, make arrangements to go back if neither works out. Takes more work and some coordination, but gives you a safety net.
That indeed I am. I, however, am very unfortunate trying to sell a house in MI where the economy is the worst in the country. We have lowered our price time after time over the past year and nothing.
Some points for anyone to comment on, I do notice Kennesaw's crime rate far lower than Chattanooga's. Flights from ATL far less expensive. The GA aquarium bigger/better than Chatt's TN aquarium. But the friendliness of Chattanooga was great, though I have yet to visit Kennesaw to compare. And we did actually visit the neighborhoods of where we'd live and the school our kids would go to in Chattanooga. It would be near the Hamilton Place Mall.
We maybe wanted to visit Kennesaw and re-visit Chatt on our spring break, but with no offers after over a year on our house, we are rather discouraged and probably would be wise not to make any such trip until we have (if ever) a buyer. Thanks to all and keep em comin'.
I'm aware that Michigan is in bad shape. Likewise, I can imagine your frustration with the house issue.
Without knowing what sets of actual crime statistics you are viewing, I'll offer the following observations. Kennesaw is part of a large metropolitan area and you are, most likely, viewing statistics for this portion of metro Atlanta. You might enjoy visiting kennesaw.org for more general information. Are your crime statistics for Chattanooga broken down by areas? If you need more information, check the Chattanooga forum for sources first.
The airport issue is the difference between living in a small city and a major metropolitan location. If your move works out, will you be flying regularly? Since you have checked out the Hamilton Place area and are satisfied overall, you should be happy with Kennesaw. The major differences will be the higher density population and faster pace.
Hopefully something will happen with the housing situation and you will be able to pursue your new employment opportunities. If your family is set on leaving the Michigan area, your wife might want to check out the license requirements for nurses in both states. Consider starting a separate thread for this question on the forum and you should receive helpful advice.
Best of luck.
Last edited by antiquesmountainapache; 03-21-2010 at 10:07 PM..
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Either way, yes, the crime in Kennesaw is lower than some of the other suburbs.
