Moving to Northwest GA

[blondie2009]

Hoping for... accepting of biracial families, good schools, safe environment.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by blondie2009

Hoping for... accepting of biracial families, good schools, safe environment.

You need to visit and see for yourself.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by TakeAhike

Cartersville is about 20 miles from Atlanta.

Did Cartersville move recently?

Cartersville is exit 290 off 75, while downtown Atlanta is in the 240's. Let me grab a calculator really quick.....

Looks more like 40+ miles to me, and that's not counting the distance from the interstate to the house.


I live in Holly Springs, which is a 36 mile commute to downtown Atlanta, and it takes me 40 minutes in the morning, and just under an hour in the afternoon. I work 6am-4pm, though, and would be looking at a commute that's 20-30 minutes longer if I worked a more 8-5-ish schedule. If your husband wouldn't mind the commute, Cherokee County offers great schools and affordable homes/rentals.

You haven't mentioned a budget- how much are you looking to spend, and what are you looking to get for that $$? That will affect where you want to live quite a bit.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Did Cartersville move recently?

Cartersville is exit 290 off 75, while downtown Atlanta is in the 240's. Let me grab a calculator really quick.....

Looks more like 40+ miles to me, and that's not counting the distance from the interstate to the house.


I live in Holly Springs, which is a 36 mile commute to downtown Atlanta, and it takes me 40 minutes in the morning, and just under an hour in the afternoon. I work 6am-4pm, though, and would be looking at a commute that's 20-30 minutes longer if I worked a more 8-5-ish schedule. If your husband wouldn't mind the commute, Cherokee County offers great schools and affordable homes/rentals.

You haven't mentioned a budget- how much are you looking to spend, and what are you looking to get for that $$? That will affect where you want to live quite a bit.

lol, Bob--maybe Cartersville is about 20 miles from Marietta?

As the thread progressed different suggestions were made to the OP--including Marietta. I think that stuck in my head.

[blondie2009]

Well, my husband will be visiting the area this weekend. I am in San Antonio, TX right now. As for as how much we are wanting to spend, we would like to stay under $900. Obviously, we would like as nice of a community as we can get for that price. I have been searching different sites for apartment homes and came across a few and one that sticks in mind is Glen Park??? Do you know anything about this complex and area? Sorry to have so many questions but trying to find the right place. Thanks again from all the input!

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by blondie2009

Well, my husband will be visiting the area this weekend. I am in San Antonio, TX right now. As for as how much we are wanting to spend, we would like to stay under $900. Obviously, we would like as nice of a community as we can get for that price. I have been searching different sites for apartment homes and came across a few and one that sticks in mind is Glen Park??? Do you know anything about this complex and area? Sorry to have so many questions but trying to find the right place. Thanks again from all the input!

It looks like 'Spacelord' knows a lot about Smyrna. You could DM him.

I posted this link yesterday---lots of FYI on Smyrna--the apts are in zip code 30082>>>>
http://www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...2-30080-a.html

[blondie2009]

Thanks so much "TakeAhike" you have been truly helpful! I will take another look at that zip code for apartment homes. Thanks again!!

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by blondie2009

Thanks so much "TakeAhike" you have been truly helpful! I will take another look at that zip code for apartment homes. Thanks again!!

I think you have to see it for yourself to really know if an area is right for you.

There was some discussion about 'bad' areas---IIRC, South Cobb Drive was mentioned several times and posters pointed out that within a few miles there were good and bad areas. This seems to be true throughout Atlanta to greater and lesser degrees. Sometimes progress is made and a 'bad' area begins to improve---some threads go back a couple of years--and unless you happen to get a response from someone who sees the trends with regularity---then I don't think anything you find online is worth much.

http://www.smyrnacity.com/

Teasley Elementary was mentioned on the above site as an award winning school. Posters have previously recommended this school---it is in zipcode 30080. You could look for apts/homes to rent in this zip code if the school seems to be what you hoped to find.

[Yeahitsme]

Originally Posted by TakeAhike

I live in NE Atlanta so I don't have a great deal of first hand FYI about Smyrna. I am a native and have some secondary knowledge of different parts of town. I lived near Cumberland Mall at one point in time and know how to navigate around Smyrna and Marietta. I've read a number of posts --such as those in the link I found for you.

The responses provided gave some excellent FYI for anyone contemplating a move to this part of Atlanta. There are numerous threads such as this in the CD archives.

Go to the top of the page--click 'Search' ---and then 'Advanced Search'---enter keywords such as 'Smyrna' and click 'Atlanta' forum. The system will retrieve threads with the keyword(s).

I know that Cartersville is quite a drive even if you are not coping with rush hour traffic. Several posters explained that this commute is brutal and advised you to explore other options.

I've actually forgotten what you originally hoped to find. A more rural area, IIRC--good schools, safe and convenient shopping???

http://www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...questions.html

Post #10 has good information.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...-dunwoody.html

Yeah the Cartersville drive will not kill you but no one would suggest it. There are MANY people in Cartersville that work, or have worked in the past (including me), in the Sandy Springs/Buckhead area and some even in Downtown. So, it is okay to do BUT I wouldn't recommend it. It is all about what type of place you choose to live in and how much a long communte bothers you. It will take 45 minutes to an hour to get to your job in moderate traffic you can add maybe 30 minutes on if traffic is heavier.

Cartersville is at the crossroads of Suburban Atlanta and rural NW GA. Two completely different areas. You get the best of both worlds and sometimes the worst of both worlds. Cartersville is fine BUT once you start heading North or west in the county it is a major difference and gets very rural!!! So if you are looking for a diverse more laid back but still suburban feel Cartersville should be your choice. As long as the hour long commute (sometimes longer, sometimes shorter) does not bother you!

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by blondie2009

Okay, so need more advise. We are being told that Smyrna is closer. Does anyone have any information or input on Smyrna? Schools, diversity, communities??? Thanks so much!

Smyrna is right next to the I-285 loop on the northwest side of Atlanta, and it's just to the south of Marietta, just west of Vinings, and just north of Mableton.

You can find some info about demographics, etc., here on City Data:

http://www.city-data.com/city/Smyrna-Georgia.html

The City of Smyrna has been talked about a lot on these forums, but mainly in the Atlanta forum because it's a suburb of Atlanta.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/searc...rchid=20921637

I lived in a rental house in southeastern Smyrna for almost a year, and now I live just a few hundred yards south of that city.

I think it's a nice area, but it tends to vary quite a bit depending on where in the city you are ... I get the impression that the southern half is somewhat more expensive than the northern half.