Atlanta vs Dallas (Austin, Mart: amusement park, houses, preschool)

[getsamir]

I am planning to move from Kansas to either dallas or Atlanta. I have looked around on the forms, where both cities are at the same par in most cases with some ups and down, which made decision very tough.

I am 34 years old with wife and two kids at age 4 years and 1.5 years.

In my case, what are recommendations ?

Thank you
SP

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by getsamir

I am planning to move from Kansas to either dallas or Atlanta. I have looked around on the forms, where both cities are at the same par in most cases with some ups and down, which made decision very tough.

I am 34 years old with wife and two kids at age 4 years and 1.5 years.

In my case, what are recommendations ?

Thank you
SP

Whats important to you in a place to live?

[FarNorthDallas]

There are many threads comparing and contrasting Atlanta and Dallas. You might want to search for them to help you decide.

I've lived in both places and like them both. Generally, I think the public schools are better in the Dallas area, than the Atlanta area. My Atlanta relatives either use private school or homeschool. Georgia does offer free preschool for 4-year-olds for all students and Texas doesn't offer that. Georgia also has the HOPE college scholarship program and Texas does not have that. Texas has the top 10% rule which means if you graduate in the top 10% of your class you get automatic entrance into any Texas public college (not free education, just admitted). At UT-Austin, the most popular school, it's top 8%. It's the primary way to get into UT-Austin and Texas A&M.

Currently the economy is better in Dallas than it is in Atlanta.

Traffic is bad in both places, but probably a bit worse in Atlanta. Houses in Atlanta seem to offer more space around them. Dallas houses are close together. Atlanta houses have basements and Dallas houses do not. Atlanta has way more trees throughout the entire area and Dallas is mostly prairie.

Both Dallas and Atlanta have a Six Flags amusement park and big water parks. Both have professional sports. Atlanta has the Georgia Aquarium, CNN's HQ and Stone Mountain. Both cities have big airports, but Dallas' airport is more centrally located and Dallas has Love Field, too, which is where Southwest Airlines flies out of.

Atlanta beats Dallas as far as location in the USA - better weekend and nearby vacation destinations, including Florida, the Atlantic coastline, Orlando, North Carolina, Myrtle Beach, Savannah.

Atlanta has a big African-American population and Dallas has a big Hispanic population. Atlanta has a lot of colonial type architecture. Houses in Dallas use a lot more brick than the Atlanta houses which seem to be more siding or stucco.

[bnewton2]

great feed back

[scyogi]

Ditto with FarNorth on his post. I have lived in both, I prefer Atlanta just because my fam is located there. I would personally pick the city where employment is. I have friends in Atlanta (2 actually) that have been out of work for way more than 18 months. Dallas economy is much better off. The Dallas area & suburbs are lovely though. (really, they are!)

[JaidenBikerbear]

I'd go with dallas because it is a little bigger than atl and it is not that hard to get a job there.Economy is pretty good .I like atlanta too .Atlanta has some of Dtown's features too like great transit.Dallas and atl have great transportation(DART and MARTA).If you ask me though I think Dallas is a bigger and better city.I hope I helped.(GOOD LUCK!!!!!!)

[loves2read]

the post was in March of 2010--I think the person has decided

[artsyguy]

It depends on what you and your family enjoy. You didn't state preferences or likes.

[Canine*Castle]

Originally Posted by loves2read

the post was in March of 2010--I think the person has decided

That's definitely not necessarily so. I still haven't made up my mind where I'm going when I retire and won't until that day happens.

It's okay that people "bring back" old posts. Do remember that new people to the forums don't realize it irritates some of the old posters to do so. Why, I don't know. Old posts may be just what a new person needs or will help an old poster decide, learn, or whatever about something or some place. That's just my opinion. I enjoy reading older posts and if someone doesn't, he or she can pay attention to the little clock icon and avoid ever having to click on the thread.