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I've been posting on the GA site but I wanted to get some info. We are a family of 8 moving from Hawaii to the mainland. We have narrowed it down to Washington or Georgia. We have sold our business so we will will be coming with money, around $ 70,000 which is not a lot but it's something. I have applied in both places and have gotten calls for interviews from both. But more calls from Seattle. Seattle pay scale for an Office Manager is WAY above that of Georgia and only I would have to work. However, it is super cheap in Georgia. We could move there with no job and buy a house, plus survive for a year. Seattle is more expensive. We would not survive without jobs there for long.
My kids range in ages from 15-4. We are native Hawaiian and I know that the transition would be easier in Seattle as there is a strong Hawaiian population there. We also have a TON of friends that live there and are really happy. We are not sure how Georgia would take to minorities as my husband could definitely pass for a Mexican, or East Indian depending on which region we go.
I really need a neutral party to give us some insight as all of our friends want us to move to Seattle.
Every non Hawaii local (including native seattlites) we ask about Seattle have only negative things to say about it and tell us to steer clear. BUT every single Hawaii local we ask LOVE it there and cannot say enough about how wonderful it is. Not sure what's up with that.
Either way, both places are cheaper than Hawaii. Seattle is cheaper in it's real estate (I've been researching) and gas. But comparable in everything else to Hawaii. Georgia is cheaper all the way around.
We are moving for our kids, for more activities, travel (getting off the rock is way too expensive), and better schools.
I've been posting on the GA site but I wanted to get some info. We are a family of 8 moving from Hawaii to the mainland. We have narrowed it down to Washington or Georgia. We have sold our business so we will will be coming with money, around $ 70,000 which is not a lot but it's something. I have applied in both places and have gotten calls for interviews from both. But more calls from Seattle. Seattle pay scale for an Office Manager is WAY above that of Georgia and only I would have to work. However, it is super cheap in Georgia. We could move there with no job and buy a house, plus survive for a year. Seattle is more expensive. We would not survive without jobs there for long.
My kids range in ages from 15-4. We are native Hawaiian and I know that the transition would be easier in Seattle as there is a strong Hawaiian population there. We also have a TON of friends that live there and are really happy. We are not sure how Georgia would take to minorities as my husband could definitely pass for a Mexican, or East Indian depending on which region we go.
I really need a neutral party to give us some insight as all of our friends want us to move to Seattle.
Every non Hawaii local (including native seattlites) we ask about Seattle have only negative things to say about it and tell us to steer clear. BUT every single Hawaii local we ask LOVE it there and cannot say enough about how wonderful it is. Not sure what's up with that.
Either way, both places are cheaper than Hawaii. Seattle is cheaper in it's real estate (I've been researching) and gas. But comparable in everything else to Hawaii. Georgia is cheaper all the way around.
We are moving for our kids, for more activities, travel (getting off the rock is way too expensive), and better schools.
Any insight would help. Thank you!
Hello!
Well I have been in Seattle for four years and prior to that I lived in Cobb County GA (I took grad classes at Kennesaw actually). Georgia is significantly cheaper. Gas, food, housing. That area has some excellent schools and the quality of life is good. But make sure you look online for homes in the areas with good schools because home prices are definitely higher. When we were moving to Georgia we were excited about the housing costs compared to the East Coast...but in the school districts I wanted homes were significantly higher priced than we had originally budgeted for. Something to think about. It is definitely a driving culture and a chain store/big box store and Christian culture. Sports for kids are big.Traffic is bad so live close to work. Plus research the Hope Scholarship...basically if your kids do well academically they can go to GA state schools almost tuition free. Summers are really really hot. Lots of Pollen for allergies. Get a house in a subdivision with a pool club!!! Kennesaw area due to the college tends to be somewhat diverse. I think you will be fine. Life was easy in Georgia.
So I will say Seattle is more my cup of tea. I like the walkable neighborhoods, the culture, the water and mountains. Way nicer nature wise than Georgia...you can't even compare. It is very expensive to live here and raise kids. Harder to connect with people. Quirkier. Traffic is about the same as Atlanta area. My family fits in better here and I'm too tired to move again!
Well I have been in Seattle for four years and prior to that I lived in Cobb County GA (I took grad classes at Kennesaw actually). Georgia is significantly cheaper. Gas, food, housing. That area has some excellent schools and the quality of life is good. But make sure you look online for homes in the areas with good schools because home prices are definitely higher. When we were moving to Georgia we were excited about the housing costs compared to the East Coast...but in the school districts I wanted homes were significantly higher priced than we had originally budgeted for. Something to think about. It is definitely a driving culture and a chain store/big box store and Christian culture. Sports for kids are big.Traffic is bad so live close to work. Plus research the Hope Scholarship...basically if your kids do well academically they can go to GA state schools almost tuition free. Summers are really really hot. Lots of Pollen for allergies. Get a house in a subdivision with a pool club!!! Kennesaw area due to the college tends to be somewhat diverse. I think you will be fine. Life was easy in Georgia.
So I will say Seattle is more my cup of tea. I like the walkable neighborhoods, the culture, the water and mountains. Way nicer nature wise than Georgia...you can't even compare. It is very expensive to live here and raise kids. Harder to connect with people. Quirkier. Traffic is about the same as Atlanta area. My family fits in better here and I'm too tired to move again!
Good luck!
Thank you so much for your insight. So, life was easy in Georgia but hard in Seattle? But quality is better? Life is SUPER hard in Hawaii, we want easy BUT better. If that is even possible. We were looking in East Cobb and Kennesaw and yes, the good school districts. It is still MILES cheaper than Hawaii. We hooked up with a realtor in GA so she's been sending us updates. How do you like the weather in Seattle?
is it possible for you to visit GA as well as Seattle before making the decision?
the climates are quite different, we have family in GA who moved away from PNW they couldn't stand the weather plus it's cheap to live in Georgia. Like you already found out however there is a big Hawaiian population here in Seattle so obviously it's not an issue for many.
In both GA and WA things can be quite different price and culture wise in the more rural parts compared to the metro areas, what part of Seattle would you be looking at?
Lived in Atlanta for 8 years and just moved to Seattle a few months ago (also grew up in Western Wa). Maybe you can try making a list of whats important and rank your list and then list the pros and cons as you know them. Kennesaw as already mentioned is definitely very suburban but it may be a great fit. Lots of activities for kids, its not dirt cheap but will be quite affordable compared to Seattle. Nothing like Seattle but you will have some outdoor opportunities with Kennesaw mountain and as mentioned lots of sports for the kids. Is being by the water important to you? Obviously except for summer trips to SC or the FL panhandle you won't get that in Kennesaw. Then again you will get more tropical beaches like you are use to when you do those driving trips versus flying somewhere from Seattle to get it. It will be more of an indoor, pool type place during the summer months but still with four seasons (albeit a very short winter). Today it was 85 in Atlanta (20 degrees above normal). If your an outdoor family Seattle offers so much, ocean, mountains, islands, camping etc. Seattle offers great family regional travel if your into the outdoors, can't beat it.
Professional jobs in Atlanta are pretty good but can't beat 3% unemployment in Seattle. Once you get outside of Atlanta and a few neat communities like Decatur its super suburban, chains, not very unique. Again, may be fine for you but Seattle offers the chance to find some more unique small towns/areas. Commuting from Kennesaw to most major job centers won't be fun but people do it everyday. Then again unless you work on the eastside Issaquah to Seattle will offer similar challenges.
Overall Atlanta is more diverse than Seattle with large communities of people from just about anywhere in the world. Just down the road in Marietta is a very large brazilian community among others and overall the metro is very heavy in hispanics and asians It will be less diverse in Kennesaw than closer in but you will be fine there.
Good luck. We have a friend in Atlanta who is from Hawaii.
is it possible for you to visit GA as well as Seattle before making the decision?
the climates are quite different, we have family in GA who moved away from PNW they couldn't stand the weather plus it's cheap to live in Georgia. Like you already found out however there is a big Hawaiian population here in Seattle so obviously it's not an issue for many.
In both GA and WA things can be quite different price and culture wise in the more rural parts compared to the metro areas, what part of Seattle would you be looking at?
Hello, we are looking at Issaquah, East Highlands Renton, and Sammamish or Redmond.
Lived in Atlanta for 8 years and just moved to Seattle a few months ago (also grew up in Western Wa). Maybe you can try making a list of whats important and rank your list and then list the pros and cons as you know them. Kennesaw as already mentioned is definitely very suburban but it may be a great fit. Lots of activities for kids, its not dirt cheap but will be quite affordable compared to Seattle. Nothing like Seattle but you will have some outdoor opportunities with Kennesaw mountain and as mentioned lots of sports for the kids. Is being by the water important to you? Obviously except for summer trips to SC or the FL panhandle you won't get that in Kennesaw. Then again you will get more tropical beaches like you are use to when you do those driving trips versus flying somewhere from Seattle to get it. It will be more of an indoor, pool type place during the summer months but still with four seasons (albeit a very short winter). Today it was 85 in Atlanta (20 degrees above normal). If your an outdoor family Seattle offers so much, ocean, mountains, islands, camping etc. Seattle offers great family regional travel if your into the outdoors, can't beat it.
Professional jobs in Atlanta are pretty good but can't beat 3% unemployment in Seattle. Once you get outside of Atlanta and a few neat communities like Decatur its super suburban, chains, not very unique. Again, may be fine for you but Seattle offers the chance to find some more unique small towns/areas. Commuting from Kennesaw to most major job centers won't be fun but people do it everyday. Then Aagain unless you work on the eastside Issaquah to Seattle will offer similar challenges.
Overall Atlanta is more diverse than Seattle with large communities of people from just about anywhere in the world. Just down the road in Marietta is a very large brazilian community among others and overall the metro is very heavy in hispanics and asians It will be less diverse in Kennesaw than closer in but you will be fine there.
Good luck. We have a friend in Atlanta who is from Hawaii.
Wow! GREAT info! I tried to do the pros and cons list but it came out pretty even which is where the confusion lies. We are very outdoorsy and one thing I was concerned about was how hot the summers would be in Atlanta. We would not want to be indoors on a beautiful day but if the heat is unbearable that would be a bummer. We definitely are not looking to buy a house with an HOA just for the pool. But I am assuming they have public pools. I have done EXTENSIVE research on both places including COLA, demographics, extra curricular activities, education, college and such.
We were thinking of visiting both places but I don't really want to spend so much to "visit" We will definitely visit Seattle since it's just a plane ride away from Hawaii and fairly inexpensive. Atlanta on the other hand...not so much. We just want to get away from the struggle in Hawaii. All we do is hustle and we don't have time to really live. This is our #1 priority. We would hate to move to Seattle and be in the same boat as we are now. Seattle's prices seem to jive with the salary amounts. People in Seattle get paid more than in Hawaii and Hawaii is more expensive! Does not make sense to me.
Seattle feels like a Hustle to me these days. Especially with kids. Many people have commented that the cost of activities for kids is about double here what it is in other places around the country. You have a lot of kids and I'm just not sure how you would pull that off in Seattle.
If it was just adults moving I'd say either place could work, but if you want to avoid the hustle and have lots of kids I'm going to vote strongly for GA.
Thank you so much for your insight. So, life was easy in Georgia but hard in Seattle? But quality is better? Life is SUPER hard in Hawaii, we want easy BUT better. If that is even possible. We were looking in East Cobb and Kennesaw and yes, the good school districts. It is still MILES cheaper than Hawaii. We hooked up with a realtor in GA so she's been sending us updates. How do you like the weather in Seattle?
I find the weather challenging at times but I love the access to nature. The summers are amazing. No humidity and abundant perfection. So if you like sunshine you need to have patience.
I wouldn't say life is harder in Seattle but it is definitely more expensive across the board. We always laugh that we paid twice the price for half the house! We went from suburb to city life by choice so little things like finding parking or a random traffic fiasco were unwelcome distractions.
I grew up in the Northeast. We used to joke about our friends that moved South and raved about the size house you could get for your money....but then going out to eat meant a fancy dinner at Olive Garden. But yeah our house was pretty sweet. Our master bathroom was bigger than our kitchen here! We had 4500 square feet on half an acre and a pool all for under $500K.
East Cobb schools are extremely well run and efficient. In five years we never had a bad teacher or even a mediocre teacher. Have had some issues with Seattle Schools but that's another post.
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