5 best and 5 worst places to live in GA? (Atlanta, Columbus: 2009, felons)

[JLA]

Originally Posted by xikartu

Hi everyone I'm pretty new... but I've read quite a few posts from the usual "hot heads" of the forum. Well your looking at perhaps the youngest of your group.

I have taken a LOT of time and consideration to look at ALL of the advantages and disadvantages of the second tier cities in Georgia... This is what I think.

Columbus: (I'll be honest... I hate cities smaller than 500,000 people and for me to be born from Columbus), I must say that I am disappointed in the city's lack of initiative to update some of it's most frequented establishments -- Peachtree Mall and it's failure to grasp the concept of "mixed use development", "mid-rise development", and basically "urbanization" in general. But let me tell you from personal experience in the council meetings with city officials... all they do is TALK about wonderful things they could build and plan... but NOTHING goes into action. Never had I experienced so much frustration in my life.

But in comparison to all of the other second-tier cities, Columbus ranks 2nd on the "most capable of urbanizing" for it's relatively gridded streets and layout -- though I foresee problems with the interstate as well as some of it's exit ramps. It needs to seriously consider re-doing some of the interchanges.

Augusta: Though I've never been there, just by the layout and arrangement of buildings in the city, it's just as spread out as Columbus, and I see only one mall too... but "I'm only looking at satellite images from Maps Live. (Microsoft)", but I see so many trenches and pools of what appears to be "ugly" water and marshes that completely take up space in what could be room for intown development. And the urban sprawl issue is a bit worse... way worse now that I think about it, than Columbus.

Savannah: One word would describe this city in terms of it's urban characteristics: "LOVE." It is everything a city it's size should be, and it has the potential to become even more. PLENTY of trees and greenery in relatively confined spaces, a bustling downtown area (though the midtown area could use some sprucing up), and they have far more history than ANY of the other cities... so that's intriguing, but the town itself is too small! I feel FAR from everything living in Savannah, whereas the other second tier cities, you can drive to Atlanta for whatever you can't get where you stay.

But Savannah makes up for it's distance with it's international airport. That and it's ports, make it the second most important city in Georgia.

Macon: BEAUTIFUL downtown that I have LONG envisioned for Columbus. I can still see that there are areas that need work, but all cities are "a work in progress". I am really feeling the cherry blossoms... it makes the city look SO beautiful. AND it's only an hour and a couple of minutes south of Atlanta.

As for the big A itself... it's a mess of sprawling roadways, cul-de-sacs, and massive interchanges. Even though Atlanta is trying to revitalize many parts of town, it would take a miracle to turn it into a place that moves traffic efficiently. Truthfully enough, the second tier cities have a better chance of urbanization than Atlanta. If you really drive through Atlanta, you can quickly make sharp transitions from cosmopolitan, urban, to suburban... even rural in appearance. Some parts of Druid Hills would be a good example. But it's great for people who are looking for a peace of mind INSIDE the city. That's what I LOVE about Atlanta. And I think this concept by itself is what the second tier cities need to grasp. You have to satisfy both those favoring suburban lifestyles but also make excellent accommodations for people like me, who don't want to mow five acres of land.

Strange?

[masterbucket]

Originally Posted by JLA

Strange?

I imagine it would be as the truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.

[JLA]

Originally Posted by masterbucket

I imagine it would be as the truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.

Not in this case. The statements are just plan strange. I see good things happening throughout the city. It's not perfect, but on this side of heaven it's not bad. If it were as bad as you guys say it is then the city would be shrinking not growing. I can think of several cities, come to think of it, there are some states that would love to have our problems (Michigan, Ohio and Mississippi). Why do people insist that a city is not a city unless it has a bunch of tall buildings with no design theme to tie them together (Atlanta comes to mind). Once again, strange? But I guess in this case, it's strange fiction with a twist of lemon.

[Effigy Farms]

Thanks this has been pretty helpful! I have been compiling some pros/cons to research from here

[CountryGal05]

What about Fort Valley? Is that a bad city? I like an old plantation home there.

[masterbucket]

Originally Posted by JLA

Not in this case. The statements are just plan strange. I see good things happening throughout the city. It's not perfect, but on this side of heaven it's not bad. If it were as bad as you guys say it is then the city would be shrinking not growing. I can think of several cities, come to think of it, there are some states that would love to have our problems (Michigan, Ohio and Mississippi). Why do people insist that a city is not a city unless it has a bunch of tall buildings with no design theme to tie them together (Atlanta comes to mind). Once again, strange? But I guess in this case, it's strange fiction with a twist of lemon.

I would agree that tall bldgs do not make a city but having to compare Columbus progress to bottom of the barrel states does not help the city image overall....make that lemon AND lime.

[JLA]

Originally Posted by masterbucket

I would agree that tall bldgs do not make a city but having to compare Columbus progress to bottom of the barrel states does not help the city image overall....make that lemon AND lime.

I'll take some of that lemon AND lime with a spoon full honey. Nothin' like lovely C-Town.

[Grew up in GA 123]

I grew up in Georgia and no longer live there but I am thinking of moving back, I wanted some information on where the jobs are in in the North Georgia area if any one wants to input. I also have a small child and want a family oriented town, low crime, good childcare options.

Let me just say I have lived and been to most of metro atlanta and other parts of georgia I will write a list of some pros and cons of some of the areas that I would be concerned about if I was looking to move to Georgia.

First of all my picks for metro atlanta places to live would depend on what your into but I think family oriented -Paulding county and Carrol county are your best bets. Carrollton has West Georgia and is a nice area but also country. Want more city life? Midtown in Atlanta has many bars, nightlife, and more business associated group of people.

Douglas County and Douglasville and Lithia Springs use to be very nice places to live, and very personable plus close to Six Flags and Atlanta, but in the past 10 years it has grown dramatically and so has the crime rate. I have elderly family members who have had cars' stolen and cars' broken into right in there driveways. It is ridicoulous, you would have never heard of things like that 10 years ago. However these areas do have many conviences and shopping.

Cobb county is a toss up you have areas that are very nice next to areas that are not so nice. I had fun in Cobb county there was a lot of things to do around there not just shopping they had alot of activities. However, Cobb and Douglas county schools have major highschool drop out rates. I know many people who dropped out of schools in both Cobb and Douglas, unless they went to a private or christian school. Make sure you thoroughly check the daycares too, heard bad things about them-are the teachers qualified to work with children, do they do activities with the children throughout the day?. For older children Cobb county does have a lot of parks and soccor fields through out the county. They also have running and biking trails and adult sport leagues which are widely popular.

Smyrna has run down bad areas but they have really grown recently trying to turn that around they have a new small village that has popular nightlife.

Kennesaw is nice they have anything you could possibly want from shopping and restraunts. The only thing is Kennesaw is crowded! Traffic and homes. There are apartments and condos everywhere. It is crazy.

Powder Springs is an older town, not very big like Kennesaw but they have drug problems I have heard.

Augusta is one of the most un-kept places I have seen everything is ran down. It reminded me of some bad parts of Washington DC I have seen.

Dallas Georgia has changed a lot it is one of the nicest places around the metro area west that I have seen. New shopping areas restraunts and not a lot of apartments yet, still mostly suburban homes.

College park is ran down too, well at least most of the apartment complexes I have seen.

Buckhead is really nice but it is also very expensive.

Alpharetta is similiar to Buckhead, nice but richy rich in most areas.

Rockdale county I have heard has Std problems (that has always been an on going rumor) -Google it.

Winder is very nice small town atmosphere but you may have to commute far for work opportunities.

Conyers is growing and still spread out for now, haven't been there in a while though.

Cedartown is a smaller town and still has bad crime problems.

Buford is very diverse last time I was there I saw an overwhelming Mexican population and related shopping and restraunts.

Gwinette is a very busy area LOTS of traffic but also lots to do.

Wanting to Retire? ellijah is very pretty with mountain landscape and also is slightly growing with new shopping centers. Helen is also a very pretty area.

Well this is some things I would want to know hope it helps someone else.

[DisgustaTruth]

Ah come on.. Washington, DC has cleaned up quite a bit over the years. I would say that Augusta is more reminiscent of areas I have seen in Detroit.

[jake from lawrenceville]

Stunned about the man having guns pulled on him in Thomaston. I almost moved there because of the Mayberry appeal.