Rome GA (Atlanta, Marietta, Acworth: appointed, high crime, house)

[contactthelees]

We are retired and looking for a place to move to halfway between Chatanooga and Atlanta and Rome popped up. Would Rome, in your opinion, suit an active, retired couple who like good food, exploring and meeting new people.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by contactthelees

We are retired and looking for a place to move to halfway between Chatanooga and Atlanta and Rome popped up. Would Rome, in your opinion, suit an active, retired couple who like good food, exploring and meeting new people.

Rome has some very positive qualities (including two beautiful private Christian university campuses, some low mountains amidst Southern Appalachian foothills topography, some low mountain/foothills hiking trails, three large rivers and a historic downtown area with some potential) that would make it a nice place to visit every now and then.

But the city has some decidedly provincial qualities (relative social, physical and logistical isolation being one of them) along with a deeply socially conservative culture, some post-industrial characteristics and a high poverty rate in some areas (including a high crime-generating 25% poverty rate within the city limits of Rome proper) that might not necessarily make it the most ideal place to live for newcomers, including retirees.

If you are looking for a more attractive locale to move to as an active retired couple who likes good food, exploring and meeting new people, Chattanooga (with its ongoing urban revitalization/renaissance, tourist attractions, impressive natural beauty and scenery of the Tennessee River Valley, neighborhood restaurants and bars and immense outdoor recreational amenities) likely would be a good area to target for relocation.

Asheville, North Carolina (with its impressive urban and outdoor recreational amenities as a small bustling city in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina) might also be a very good option for you to consider.

Southeastern Tennessee (Fort Loudoun Lake, Tellico Reservoir, Douglas Lake, Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville, the TN side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee National Forest, Maryville, Knoxville) potentially might be one of your most attractive options as a retirement relocation destination because of the numerous beautiful lakes, hills, mountains, outdoor recreational infrastructure, numerous restaurants and attractions in a largely visitor and tourist-oriented region that features a noticeably large population of retirees... This truly can be a fun area to live in with Western North Carolina (which includes Asheville, the casino at Cherokee, the NC side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Nanathala National Forest wilderness area) just over the Tennessee-North Carolina state line.

The Northwest metro Atlanta suburbs and exurbs (Marietta Square, Woodstock, Canton, Acworth, Jasper, Dawsonville) potentially might would be an attractive option but worsening traffic congestion and crowding and some crime is a problem in the area (especially in Cobb and South Cherokee counties).

Though, IMHO (in my humble option), the aforementioned Southeastern Tennessee region (Fort Loudoun Lake, Tellico Reservoir, Douglas Lake, Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville, the TN side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee National Forest, Maryville, Knoxville) most likely would be the best Southern Appalachian uplands area for an active retired couple to target for relocation because of all of the numerous things to do in the area and because of the robust social networking opportunities, including with other active retirees.

[Citykid3785]

I’ll second B2R. We spent a day in Rome and were pleasantly surprised. It’s a jumping off point for several state parks, in the foothills of the mountains, with 2 universities. From a shopping standpoint, downtown was bigger than I expected. There is a gentrifying part of downtown with restaurants and breweries that we stopped at.

That said, it’s still not at the point that I would recommend it for someone looking for an active area. There were a lot of blighted, dying strip malls as well, without the industry of a dalton to prop it up. Maybe in 10-20 years perhaps?

[y8tiger]

I heard Weiss Lake to the West of Rome has become a popular retirement spot.

I imagine it is similar to Hiawassee, GA which has also turned into a popular retirement destination.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by y8tiger

I heard Weiss Lake to the West of Rome has become a popular retirement spot.

I imagine it is similar to Hiawassee, GA which has also turned into a popular retirement destination.

But the OP does not seem to be just simply looking for a retirement spot in an isolated area.

The OP seems to be looking to move to an area with a large population of active retirees that they can explore numerous amenities.

From that standpoint, Southeastern Tennessee (with its large population of retirees in an area of numerous top-notch outdoor recreational amenities, metropolitan amenities, attractions and activities) seems to be the best fit for an active couple like the OP and their significant other, if the entire Eastern Tennessee/Western North Carolina/North Georgia Southern Blue Ridge/Appalachian Mountains region is included as part of their relocation search.

[OneDawg]

Asheville is far better than Rome

[y8tiger]

Originally Posted by OneDawg

Asheville is far better than Rome

Asheville, NC was on my Top 3 along with Greenville, SC and Huntsville, AL.

I ended up in Huntsville and eventually other Family members followed suit.

My Mother gave Rome a lot of serious consideration before deciding on Huntsville as well.

[Citykid3785]

I was disappointed by Asheville, perhaps because it’s so hyped. I’m even a hipster at heart.

But it’s expensive, lack of corporate jobs, lots of run down strip malls from the 60s. We encountered lots of aggressive homeless downtown. I guess I was just expecting more after all the hype?

Alton brown of food network fame owns a house on lake Weiss. It’s affordable by modern day lake home standards

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Citykid3785

I was disappointed by Asheville, perhaps because it’s so hyped. I’m even a hipster at heart.

But it’s expensive, lack of corporate jobs, lots of run down strip malls from the 60s. We encountered lots of aggressive homeless downtown. I guess I was just expecting more after all the hype?

Alton brown of food network fame owns a house on lake Weiss. It’s affordable by modern day lake home standards

You should have checked out Hendersonville. It's evolving into a wonderful blend of aging hipster priced out of or disenchanted with Asheville and seniors along with a healthy but not overwhelming tourist destination. The town of Brevard SW of Hendersonville is even more appealing to folks like myself and close enough to all the area has to offer (20 mins to Hendersonville and 40 minutes to Asheville).

[OneDawg]

[quote=Citykid3785;63912120]I was disappointed by Asheville, perhaps because it’s so hyped. I’m even a hipster at heart./QUOTE]

Never said it was cheap. Hendersonville was hyped as a retirement mecca about two decades ago. We didn't think much of it. Trying to outdo the Villages in Fla but with taller hills. Returned to western NC-TN-GA border.