Possible move to Cartersville (Atlanta, Kennesaw: renting, houses, job market)

[bigbravesfan]

Hello. I am possibly going to be moving to the Cartersville area and want to know as much as possible about the area. I have two kids, 7 & 4, and want them to be in the best schools possible. Also, my wife is in the banking business and was curious what the job prospects look like there. I will already have a job(hence the reason for the move). Let me know what everyone thinks.....good, bad and otherwise. Thanks!!!

[clsmith15]

I live near Cartersville but don't have kids and don't know any in the Cartersville City School District. Are you moving to Cartersville proper or to Bartow County? The job market appears to be mostly in retail and jobs do seem to pay low. There are a few banks in Cartersville. I work in the tech support industry and commute to Atlanta.

Overall, I like the town very much but not for job opportunities. There's plenty of shopping and restaurants and a quaint downtown area that has a laid back, small town feel. People for the most part are friendly and polite.

[bigbravesfan]

I would like for my wife to have a job where she makes close to what she does now. She works as a book keeper at a small town bank here and makes in the neighborhood of $10 an hour. Any jobs like that exist in Cartersville?Also, to answer the other question, I prefer something in the outer lying areas but convenient to town (mall, I-75, restaurants, etc.). A house with at least 3 BR with more than 1/2 an acre would be great. Is this realistic?

[clsmith15]

I'm not very familiar with the Cartersville job market or the bookkeeping field but I think that $10 an hour would not be a problem, and as there are a lot of retail business so there probably is a demand for bookkeepers. A 3-4 bedroom house on an acre to 1/2 acre should be doable for under $200k if you are willing to purchase a resale. Now, I don't think the Bartow County schools score as high as some other schools in the metro ATL area but all my neighbors that have kids have been happy with the school system and their kids are happy and do well. I know a couple of teachers in Bartow County and they are good people and I think they are probably good teachers.

[bigbravesfan]

I would (if I am selected) be working at Allatoona Dam, so Cartersville seemed like the obvious choice for a place to live. Where else would/could you live and be reasonably close to the dam? I only drive 15 minutes to work in the mornings where I live now. I would like that to stay pretty close to what I would drive there. Also, which local schools are the best?

[irvm]

Originally Posted by bigbravesfan

I would (if I am selected) be working at Allatoona Dam, so Cartersville seemed like the obvious choice for a place to live. Where else would/could you live and be reasonably close to the dam? I only drive 15 minutes to work in the mornings where I live now. I would like that to stay pretty close to what I would drive there. Also, which local schools are the best?

I hope you're from someplace up north. You can be that
Dam Yankee everybody talks about.

Take a look in Acworth, Kennesaw, and Woodstock (about 15 miles) Woodstock may have the best school situation.

[clsmith15]

Woodstock probably does have the best schools but you're also looking at higher home prices.

[Yeahitsme]

Your best bet would be to stay in Cartersville or Acworth and maybe Kennesaw all of them will get you to the Dam in about 15 minutes or less. Kennesaw and Acworth will be a little more expensive and will give you less land. The schools in Cartersville are pretty good, Bartow County Schools are improving but still are not all that bad. Acworth schools are about the same as the Bartow County Schools (one area of Acworth is in the district of Woodland, South Central, etc, which which are in Bartow County anyway) Kennesaw area achools are pretty good too. Like most towns there are good and bad parts but since you are trying to stay in the outerl ying area you won't have a problem with that at all. I suggest looking into the Carter Grove Plantation neighborhood. It is in the South Cartersville area, close to the Dam, pretty close to Town Center Mall, a part of the Cartersville City Schools, and houses range from the lower and mid $100,000 to over $1,000,000.

Oh yeah, about the banks -- Cartersville is in the south, so you know there are a lot of churches, but it seems that there are as many banks as churches around here! And $10/hr will not be a problem.

[bigbravesfan]

That sounds like some interesting things to look into. I really appreciate the info since I will have to accept this position without the benefit of having spent any significant time in or around Cartersville. The wife and I have stopped there on our way to/from Atlanta when we go to the ballgame, but that doesn't give you a true look at the area. I will be asking lots more questions if I do in fact get the job. Thanks so much!

[psc2]

Bank jobs will not be a problem here , that I can assure you. The Cartersville City Schools are as good as any in the area and from where I live I can be at the dam in between 5 to ten minutes and I live inside the city limits of Cartersville. Are you planning on buying or renting?