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My husband has an opportunity to take one of two promotions this spring and we have made endless pro and con lists and they come up about even every time. We would love to get some input here from locals! We are moving from Seattle, my husband is from London originally (has lived in Seattle with me for the last 5 years). We are attracted to the these two cities for totally opposite reasons which is really frustrating!
Our annual income will be around $150K and our housing budget will be around $400K in either city - Although we intend to rent at first to get a feel for the area. Rental we would like to keep it under $2000 a month to keep saving money!! We are a 30-something family of 3 (hoping to family of 4 in the next few years). We are liberal minded, pretty laid back people that want to find a group of friends for our family and hope to establish a sense of community since we will be living so far from any of our friends and family.
We like the idea of Atlanta because we hear its a family friendly city (or at least suburbs), the cost of living there would allow us to buy our dream home with a big yard in a swim/tennis club setting that seems great to raise kiddos, The weather will be a drastic improvement over Seattle - even with the humidity - just some sun more than 50 days a year would be great! My husband will work near Phipps, so we have looked at homes in the Dunwoody and Buckhead areas, but are also open to further out suburbs like Marietta - but have no idea what kind of areas these are really, any suggestions? of course we are looking for safe, good schools, a community to get involved in, etc like everybody else. My husband liked the idea of using Marta if he can.
We are attracted to Boston because it feels like home to my husband, we like the suburbs closer to the city like Brookline and the feel of the city but would live an opposite life there than we would in Atlanta, more like a brownstone or smaller home and would likely get rid of one of our cars and live more of a pedestrian urban lifestyle. Of course there is the snow to consider too! But we love love love cape cod and being near it would be a bonus!!!
Thanks for any thoughts/ideas to help us make a very big choice here!!!!
Having lived in both, I would recommend Atlanta on a 150k per year income. Boston is my favorite city in the country, but it is very expensive and the winters can be brutal.
I like Boston; however, you will definately get more bang for your $$$ in Atlanta. In addition, the amount you save could easily afford you all a nice trip to Cape Cod often. You could even travel the world by living here and saving the $$$ you would otherwise spend on taxes in Boston.
Atlanta has some beautiful, urban and walkable areas: Ansley Park, Inman Park, Grant Park, Decatur, Virginia Highland, Atlantic Station and Buckhead just to name a few.
Beautiful areas that are family friendly include: Decatur, Avondale Estates, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, East Cobb, Alpharetta, Vinings, Johns Creek, Peachtree City and much more.
Visit both cities first and then make your decision.
Last edited by BeyondInfinity; 10-18-2011 at 11:25 AM..
You've pretty much already answered your own question.
Do you want your kids to grow up in a suburban landscape going to soccer games and being a little bit sheltered, or would you rather have them grow up with more urban sensibilities with a broader knowledge of culture at the expense of the shelter of a suburb?
I have no kids, I can't comment on that. Even if I did, it's up to you, only you can decide what values you want instilled in your children.
I don't know what Boston is going through, but I often call Atlanta the new Detroit. This city has always been a lagging indicator, it took the housing boom a long time to hit here...but when it did, it hit hard. Jobs are very difficult to find here. Crime is rising. We ranked DEAD LAST out of 100 metro areas for job loss. Bars, clubs, and cultural events are getting much harder to find. There's no real reason for young college grads to move here, so the city is losing its young vibe. The only people really attracted to Atlanta anymore are people who are attracted to the hip hop culture since we do still have a reputation for that.
Maybe all of this is going on in Boston too, I don't know. I do expect Atlanta to lag behind the rest of the country when the economy does pick up and take a little extra time to get moving again. Personally, I would choose Boston, but that may be because I have lived here for a very long time and the thought of a new city is starting to sound interesting.
It's hard to go to the internet and ask advice on such a personal decision. I assume most people here are going to tell you Atlanta is better. If you cross-post the question to the Boston board, people will probably tell you Boston is better.
In the end, you may just have to ask yourself whether you would rather deal with frigid winters or brutal summers. In your original question, you already seem to understand the differences between the cities very well, so just think about which lifestyle you are more interested in. It may also be worthwhile to consider which city is more "open ended," meaning which one would it be easier for you to get to in the future if you decide you made a mistake with your decision.
Thanks for the replies so far! We hope to hear more! Yes we know the decision is not one to be made on the internet, but more input gives us more to consider especially since we go back and forth almost every day and time is running out to make a decision. I think hearing local experience is helpful. I see value in what both cities have to offer our family and am having a hard time choosing which we value more! To Testa50, you can find lots of family friendly housing in nice urban suburbs at that price point - it just does not compare at all to housing in Atlanta - more like 1300-1800 sq ft, older, more urban, often multi-family, but that said also very nice. That is how we lived in London and it was fine. Atlanta just offers these crazy beautiful homes and neighborhoods that we would not encounter in Boston so its a big draw! I hope others stop by this post to offer more input, it really is helpful! Please continue to write things you love and hate about Atlanta (and Boston if you have experience!!)
Have you visited Atlanta? I'm just wondering, because you may not be aware of the following:
Most of those beautiful palatial homes you see for $400k are in the suburbs. If your husband works near Phipps, he probably won't want to make the commute, unless he works off hours. You would still be able to afford a home near Phipps for $400k, but it's going to be more modest than the big beautiful homes you are probably looking at. Also, around Buckhead, there are some good elementary schools, but the high school leaves a lot to be desired. Almost everybody who can afford to sends their kids to private school.
If he wants to take MARTA, you will have some options in Sandy Springs. However, Buckhead is close enough to Sandy Springs that most people making that commute don't take it. You should visit Atlanta and try riding MARTA. It's public transportation, yes, but it doesn't operate with the efficiency that you may expect if you are used to urban areas with quick and reliable public transit.
Based on your personalities, I would expect you would find more people you have things in common with in Boston. It's true there are some smart, liberal, and open minded people in Atlanta. They just aren't as common here as they are up North. You'll still find a bit of old southern culture around. If you think that's charming, it could be a benefit. If it will drive you crazy, maybe not.
As much as I would love to see a six figure earning family relocate to Atlanta, I just think the experience here wouldn't be as much to your liking as a big liberal city like Boston. You are an international family with a husband from one of the world's most cultured cities and you live in the liberal Pacific northwest....I just don't see you guys digging Atlanta unless you are sick of that whole routine and want a big change.
On the other hand, things to love about Atlanta include great restaurants, plenty of outdoor recreation, close to mountains, close to Florida, every suburban amenity and most urban amenities, very family friendly.
In closing, I would say that if you're ready to abandon the city life and want to settle down and have the whole suburban existence with a house, kids, dog, etc. then Atlanta is a pretty good place to do that. BUT, if you are still a bit hip and trendy and want to keep your finger on the pulse of hip things like music, peformances, art, and so on, I think Boston has more of that to offer.
I really think you are going to have to decide whether you want to raise your kids in a suburban or urban situation. If the answer is urban, then I would pick Boston....with the caveat that you're going to spend a lot of money for that lifestyle in housing. If you want to do the urban thing in Atlanta you're going to spend that extra money for education...and with 3/4 kids thats gonna get really expensive over the years. You simply can't send your kids to City of Atlanta schools unless you want to be charged with child abuse.... If you choose to move to Atlanta, I think your best option is the Sandy Springs/Dunwoody area with quick access to the Marta train straight to Phillips. The Riverwood High School district in Sandy Springs is pretty good, because they've made it a charter school....with an IB program. Some really great neighborhoods in Sandy Springs....but it ain't Seattle. I lived in Portland, Or. for a few years and really miss the water and the Pacific Northwest....we simply can't compete with that....Boston can. Atlanta is a great city for making money and raising a family...but the Chattahoochee River can't compete with Boston Harbor or Puget Sound. Also, if you move to Atlanta you are going to have to get used to racial black/white issues which drive the city....something you didn't have to deal with in the Pacific Northwest and wouldn't have to deal with as much in Boston. In Atlanta it is omnipresent. Good luck with your move.
P.S. -- We have a pretty large British ex-pat population here with a very active British/American Business Group that your husband may want to join to feel at home at bit. They have lots of social events like "Pub Night" and golf tournaments.
Well, the difference is young and old. Atlanta is a young city, very sprawled, car-oriented, low cost-of-living, cheaper homes (especially now), probably lower taxes, sunny, very little snow, best natural wonder is Stone Mountain. Atlanta has a fairly high altitude so we get four seasons albeit the summers are long and we can get warm spells any time. And it can get surprisingly cold here although Boston has us beat there. The coldest I recall was -5 F. Hottest 105 F
Boston is an old city so it has a feel more familiar to Europeans. Walkable with more public transit. Although I've heard it has miserable weather. But it's known for its culture and universities. And they have the ocean.
So in terms of
cost -> Atlanta
housing -> Atlanta
culture -> Boston
weather -> Atlanta
walkability -> Boston
A poster above characterizes it right. It's a choice between a suburban or urban life.
Last edited by MathmanMathman; 10-18-2011 at 07:19 PM..
Do you want your kids to grow up in a suburban landscape going to soccer games and being a little bit sheltered, or would you rather have them grow up with more urban sensibilities with a broader knowledge of culture at the expense of the shelter of a suburb?
I have no kids, I can't comment on that. Even if I did, it's up to you, only you can decide what values you want instilled in your children.
I often hear people talk about things like "the broader knowledge of culture" and "more urban sensibilities" that you supposedly get in cities versus the sheltered life of the suburbs.
Yet somehow the suburbs continue to produce many of our greatest artists, scientists, inventors, thinkers, writers and other movers and shakers.
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- just some sun more than 50 days a year would be great! My husband will work near Phipps, so we have looked at homes in the Dunwoody and Buckhead areas, but are also open to further out suburbs like Marietta - but have no idea what kind of areas these are really, any suggestions? of course we are looking for safe, good schools, a community to get involved in, etc like everybody else. My husband liked the idea of using Marta if he can. 
