Mcdonough or Columbus (Atlanta, Blue Ridge: travel, jobs, medical)

[whitehors8]

Originally Posted by Tjstole

My family and I had all but decided to move there, (we've made a few visits) but are a bit apprehensive now, mostly concerned about the traffic (I75 north and south from Atlanta) and the super fast growth. We've started checking out Newnan and surrounding area online, and even the Augusta area. But we really do like McDonough and think the real estate prices very reasonable, we're just afraid of making a mistake. What area school district are you in? We were interested in the Ola Middle and High Schools for our teenage daughter. Any further info would be appreciated.

I also live in McDonough and love it there. We live in the Union Grove school district and it is a really good school district that has been established for a while. Ola high school is new so I'm not sure what it is like. But if you would like more information on Union Grove I'd be happy to pass on what I know. We also have a second home in our subdivision for sale that we bought for our son but he got promoted and was obligated to stay in Florida. So if you're interested in either let me know.

[mamamarie]

Crime rate is going up in Henry County has someone said in another post in a different thread. We live in Henry County (near Stockbridge/McDonough) and we are moving. As stated in a previous thread... many people from Clayton County and moving to Henry and bringing the crime with them. (Look on Atlanta board for more info)

[aprildeonna]

I am moving to Mcdonough soon (by the way I really appreciate all the info you give!), I have question....Where I live we have a lot elementary schools, most of them very close together, but what determines which school you attend depends on what streets you live on. Is it like that there? Or can you register your child in any school within the district?

[ATLCOL1]

Columbus for me.

[Hyun-Soo]

Columbus! The Best!

[jtmony]

I live in Hampton, which neighbors McDonough. Minus the traffic on 75, I would say it's a great place to live. Homes aren't extremely expensive, although I would stay away from some builders. Please do your research. There are a number of foreclosures in the ATL area, and homeowners currently living in the surrounding counties (Henry is not as bad as the counties bordering Atlanta...like Fulton, Cobb, Dekalb and the likes) are losing value at a very fast pace. It's very common now for a home sold in June for $500,000, to now sold for $400,000. Channel 2 actually reported on a guy last night in this situation and the fear is that the prices will continue to decline for some time to come.

The one poster that reported on Columbus is right. I'm in the military and outside of Ft. Benning, the city has nothing in the way of an economy. If the job market is your driving force, ATL would be the better choice. If you decide the ATL area, please research your desired county. Some counties have a standard slot on the even news when it comes to crimes.

[jtmony]

I don't believe you're going to be able to run from crime. It's just not possible. I don't believe Henry county to be all that bad. Where Henry and Clayton county border one another, the crime is a little higher. The crime is normally crime against people who know each other. Take a look at ajc.com | Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Click on the different counties. Also, compare the different schools in Columbus and Henry county. I believe the site is GreatSchools.com. Good Luck

[JLA]

For a city its size Columbus has an excellent economy. You have got to have some type marketable skill or else you are doomed. I am formally military (Air Force), I exited the military with a marketable skill (electronics) and I found a job, actually I had several job offers in the Columbus area, that all paid well. If I were to go in the military now, I would enlist in a field that is easily transferable to the civilian sector. I would not trade Columbus for McDonough. Good schools, low traffic and decent jobs if you have a marketable skill. Otherwise I would not come to Columbus, Atlanta or anywhere else in GA, because you are going to have a very difficult time. You need to remember this is GA, it's a right to work state and the employer has the upper hand, so if you do not have a decent skill you are at the mercy of the employer. Once you step outside of the protected zone call the Base (Fort Benning), you enter the real world and the military is not the real world. If I can find a job anywhere within a 30 - 45 minutes drive of Columbus I would consider that as local, this would include Auburn, Opelika, La Grange, West Point or any area that is nearby. If you have no skill and you want to work, then you will most likely be working the service sector and they typically do not pay well and that's everywhere in GA. The Columbus area has been fortunate so far as far the housing market, it's slow, but not nearly as bad as other cities in the state. If you come to Columbus think regional and do not narrow your vision to just Columbus, that's like moving to Atlanta and saying I will only work in Atlanta proper, you are doomed to fail. This is a large area with many available jobs and many more to come, some are civil servant working at Fort Benning, but most are strictly civilian jobs with no connection to Fort Benning at all. I wish you well with whatever choice you make.

[jam 5]

if i was you i would move to the columbus area because its a great small city to live in and plus we dont have bad traffic here either in columbus our traffic is slow and quiet here in columbus and thats a good thing so you dont have to worry about being late for work or being in a traffic jam

[jam 5]

but its all up to you but many people put columbus down all the time on here saying that its lame and boring here but if your a person who likes to live in big citys with lots of things to do with heavily traffic then columbus will not be your place to live because columbus does not have heavily traffic at all our traffic is slow quiet and calm here in columbus so you dont have to worry about traffic jams or being late to work because our roads highways and interstates here in columbus are always clear with no traffic on them and theres never any traffic jams here in columbus either