New to Metro Atlanta. Fill me in. (Macon, Sandy Springs: middle-class, best suburbs)

[Southern Soul Bro]

Hi guys,


I'm from Macon and have lived there most of my life. Of course, I'd visited Atlanta (mostly Southern Suburbs and Downtown) throughout life, but basically "living" here for a couple months has been a totally didnt story. I took a position in the metro and have an apartment in Roswell with my girl and have fallen in love! So I have some questions about the metro.


1) Which suburb, if any, would you consider the best all around "premier" suburb?


2) Roswell, Marietta, Alpharetta, Sandy Springs? Are any of these "better" than the other to you? Or does it not really matter much?



2) Which suburban areas are currently are the next to "boom?" I work in Paulding some days. I'm African American and I see MANY other AA's around Hiram than I expected. Are Hiram and Dallas, "booming" per se?


3) Which parts of the metro have the least going for it or would you avoid moving to, and why?


4) Is South Fulton, Clayton as bad as I've heard?

[citidata18]

Originally Posted by Southern Soul Bro

Hi guys,


I'm from Macon and have lived there most of my life. Of course, I'd visited Atlanta (mostly Southern Suburbs and Downtown) throughout life, but basically "living" here for a couple months has been a totally didnt story. I took a position in the metro and have an apartment in Roswell with my girl and have fallen in love! So I have some questions about the metro.


1) Which suburb, if any, would you consider the best all around "premier" suburb?


2) Roswell, Marietta, Alpharetta, Sandy Springs? Are any of these "better" than the other to you? Or does it not really matter much?



2) Which suburban areas are currently are the next to "boom?" I work in Paulding some days. I'm African American and I see MANY other AA's around Hiram than I expected. Are Hiram and Dallas, "booming" per se?


3) Which parts of the metro have the least going for it or would you avoid moving to, and why?


4) Is South Fulton, Clayton as bad as I've heard?

1. Alpharetta.

2a. First Alpharetta, then Sandy Springs, then Roswell and lastly Marietta

2b.

Dawson County is the most likely candidate. As Forsyth County is rapidly reaching full build out, developers and transplants are now starting to set their sights further north for cheaper real estate and lower taxes since it is still within commuting distance of Alpharetta

Coweta County is a sleeper. For one, it has extremely good (and improving) I-85 connectivity after it was windened to 4 lanes a decade ago. Two, it has great proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson. Three, it has pretty impressive healthcare infrastructure for a exurban county with the CTCA and what's poised to become a Trauma Center (Piedmomt Newnan). Four, it has arguably the 2nd most walkable and vibrant town square in Metro Atlanta (Newnan). Not to mention, also has decent (and slowly improving) schools and low crime.

However, there are 2 things holding it back. One, while it's slowly establishing its own sphere of commerce and tourism organically, in the mean time it's far away from virtually all of the "Atlanta" amenities. It's not near any outlet malls, zoos, theme parks, upscale shopping malls, etc. But also, more importantly, it's far away from the white collar job centers (besides Downtown Atlanta and Delta at the Airport).

However, it does have several of the largest industrial megasites in the state that aren't even close to build out and a fair amount of land zoned for Class A office development. If it can ever score a corporate HQ relocation(s) or a massive auto / aerospace assembly plant, Coweta County's going to really explode.

That said, the locals in Coweta County (it's still a "good ol' boys" type of place) are well aware of this and are actively doing everything they can to stunt its growth potential in order to keep ut from "Turning into Atlanta," unlike the Northern Suburbs and Henry County which have embraced the growth.

Butts County is another sleeper. A 23 million sq ft. industrial park was recently proposed there near their I-75 exit. And as Henry County continues to fill in along I-75, developers will start looking southward for real estate.

Paulding County is weird. It has better accessibility to the white collar job centers in Cobb County, the mountains and Lake Altoona, but it has poor highway connectivity (no interstate for example). It should continue to experience steady growth though for the aforementioned reasons.

3. South Fulton and Clayton Counties. They lack high-paying jobs, the schools are mediocre, they lack half-way decent retail / restaurants and the crime rate is high.

I also not a fan of the I-20 suburbs (Villa Rica, Douglasville, Conyers and Convington). They're the least diverse and slowest growing of all in Metro Atlanta.

4. Yes. See #3.

[sedimenjerry]

^ a lot of good info.

I love Alpharetta (and north Fulton in general). Great schools, a lot of jobs. Easy access to 400. Without traffic, you can be downtown in ~30 minutes (at least I can) and on the flip side you can be in the foothills in ~30 minutes. They've added a lot of stuff in downtown Alpharetta so it actually feels a centralized town instead of just sprawl (ahem, Johns Creek).


There's still a lot of room in northern Forsyth, but it's definitely mid-boom. Even Dawson County is already starting its boom I feel like. The area around GA-53 and 400 is actually almost 7 miles from the true city center of Dawsonville, but that area has already seemed to replace it as "Dawsonville" (basically, a ton of people say they're going to Dawsonville when really they're going to the outlet mall up there or all the other shops). I just drove from up that way and it was insane just how much traffic there was but it's only ~30 miles from Alpharetta.

Coweta County is interesting. For as long as I can remember, Fayette County has been the crown jewel of the southside with Coweta County just kind of forgotten about. It actually has some good schools, particular in the NE part of the county. It's adjacent to Peachtree City so it gets a lot of people that have a decent amount of money, but are still priced out of PTC. Excellent access with I-85 cutting through (which is rarely congested it seems). But, other than the airport, it's not that close to major jobs centers other than warehouse/distribution centers. Newnan to downtown Atlanta is over 35 miles. Alpharetta is about 25 miles. And downtown is basically the farthest major job center from Alpharetta. Midtown, Buckhead, and Perimeter Center/Sandy Springs are all closer plus all the jobs in N Fulton. Newnan is just too far from the action.

[PTC Dad]

I think John's Creek, Milton, Alpharetta, East Cobb, Suwanee (both Gwinnett and Forsyth), parts of Cumming, and Peachtree City are the best suburbs overall. They all have excellent schools and very low crime.

On the Southside I'd say Peachtree City, Southern Fayetteville particularly the Starr's Mill area, and NE Coweta (Northgate area which encompasses northern Newnan and Sharpsburg) are great places to live. Senoia is also on the upswing, and has a really nice downtown thanks in part to the Walking Dead TV show and close proximity to southern Peachtree City.

I'm biased, but I think Peachtree City is the most unique suburb. It was masterplanned and of course has over 100 miles of multi-use paths that double as golf cart paths. Part of the master plan includes 5 villages, 3 lakes, and 3 golf courses. There is also a tennis center, amphitheater, BMX park, skate park, soccer, baseball, and LAX complexes. Besides these there are also a swimming and basketball complex, roller hockey rink, community garden, and numerous parks and ponds.

[DoubleZ OTP]

1) Which suburb, if any, would you consider the best all around "premier" suburb?

Generally speaking, anywhere along the 400 corridor. One could make arguments for a number of places being the most "premier", depending on one's preferences:

Sandy Springs - Essentially an extension of Buckhead. Old money. Professional. Lots of kids go to elite private schools. I'd argue that SS has the most "premier" home values and prices; south of 285, west of Roswell Road, and east of 400 (most of the city), one can almost exclusively find large estate homes on 1 acre+ wooded lots valued near $1 million, or more. The area between the 285 & 400 interchange and Perimeter Mall, also known as Perimeter Center or just "Perimeter", is "urban" with tall office towers, corporate headquarters, F500 employment, and a MARTA station; I'd say that SS can claim the most "premier employment" and the most "premier accessibility", and therefore, the most "premier location." Central Sandy Springs (the Roswell Road corridor), however, is home to many dilapidated apartment complexes and is not considered a very nice part of town; for many, this corridor knocks SS down the ladder a rung or two.

Dunwoody - Essentially could be called "East Sandy Springs". See above. Also old money, also professional. Basically like Sandy Springs in every way, but less at the top, less at the bottom, and more in the middle: upper-middle class all around. Shares the "premier employment", "premier accessibility", and "premier location" titles with Sandy Springs.

East Cobb - Home to the stereotypical American Dreamâ„¢ and stereotypical Suburbiaâ„¢. Popular with transplants who relocated to the Atlanta office for a promotion and want to live in a the best possible place to raise their growing families. All households in East Cobb are gainfully-employed upper-middle class churchgoing married couples with two and a half kids and a dog; every house has a SUV in the driveway and the best lawn in the neighborhood; big houses, excellent schools, swim meets, tennis competitions, prosperity, and safety are enjoyed by all. Or so they say . For me, East Cobb is the most "premier place to raise a family." It is important to note that East Cobb is a massive unincorporated area of Cobb County with a Marietta mailing address (although some of it has a Roswell address); some people may claim that Marietta is the most "premier" suburb of Atlanta when those people are actually referring to East Cobb. Within East Cobb, subdivisions closest to the Chattahoochee River and furthest from 75 are considered the most desirable (the Walton, Pope, and Lassiter High School districts, in that order).

Western Roswell (west of Highway 9/Alpharetta St) - Basically an extension of East Cobb; could be called "East East Cobb" . It has nearly all of the same characteristics that make East Cobb so desirable, it just doesn't have East Cobb's reputation. Western Roswell is often overlooked because eastern Roswell drags Roswell as a whole down in rankings and statistics (eastern Roswell is a perfectly fine place to live, it's just not "premier" and the Holcomb Bridge Road corridor is like the Roswell Road corridor in Sandy Springs).

Alpharetta - New money. Booming. Urbanizing. Home to the Atlanta metro area's tech sector (and lots of other jobs). Rapidly developing, both literally, and figuratively: its identity is quickly evolving into something more than "just another suburb of Atlanta". Think of what Fort Lauderdale is to Miami, what San Jose is to San Francisco, what Fort Worth is to Dallas, or what St. Paul is to Minneapolis - that's what Alpharetta is becoming to Atlanta. Alpharetta is becoming a destination in and of itself. Alpharetta has the most "premier future". Since the opening of Avalon in 2014, I'd say that Alpharetta also has the most "premier amenities" with lots of upscale shopping, dining, etc. New townhomes between Avalon and City Center are selling for upwards of $1 million.

Milton - Rural and rich. A country cousin to Alpharetta. With the exception of the area closest to 400, Milton has a mandatory minimum lot size of 1 acre, a policy designed to preserve its rural vibe and control its growth. Nearly all homes in Milton are relatively new, massive, 5000+ square foot estates with at least a 3-car garage (gotta have space for the toys!). It's the only suburb, besides parts of Sandy Springs, with Buckhead levels of wealth. A six-figure income is the baseline in Milton, poor people don't really exist there (there is a small middle class though). Several golf/country clubs. Milton has the most "premier real estate" and the most "premier stereotypical-overt-displays-of-wealth."

Johns Creek - Alpharetta's nerdy sibling. Upper-middle class everywhere. Johns Creek has more STEM degree holders per capita than any other place in Georgia. The best schools in Georgia are in Johns Creek; education is highly valued. Lots of kids go to Ivy League schools, Tech, Emory, etc. Johns Creek has the most "premier public schools". Johns Creek has a high percentage of foreign-born residents, especially from Asia; among the "premier" suburbs, it is the most ethnically diverse and caters to immigrants best with excellent specialty restaurants and stores (such as H-Mart).

Southern Forsyth County - Essentially an extension of Johns Creek. I live here. This area could be called "North Johns Creek". It's like Johns Creek but it's growing more quickly, has more new construction homes, has even more STEM degree holders, and has an even higher percentage of foreign-born residents. It does not yet have the established reputation of Johns Creek. One could say that southern Forsyth county is where a more modern version of East Cobb's American Dreamâ„¢ can be found. Compared to Johns Creek, it is perhaps even wealthier and even more educated with even better schools; it certainly shares the most "premier public schools" title with Johns Creek. The area is growing so quickly that the data can't keep pace. It also has specialty restaurants and stores catering to new Americans (such as Patel Brothers).

Decatur and Brookhaven are among the "premier" suburbs of Atlanta as well, but personally, I consider these two to be urban neighborhoods of the City of Atlanta, functionally.

2) Roswell, Marietta, Alpharetta, Sandy Springs? Are any of these "better" than the other to you? Or does it not really matter much?

The above passage covers the differences in the "vibes" of each "premier" suburb. I suppose it depends on which aspects of a place you deem "premier"

2) Which suburban areas are currently are the next to "boom?"

I will interpret this question to mean places that are not currently booming, but will be soon:

1) Dawson County, specifically the southeastern portion near 400, Lake Lanier, and the North Georgia Premium Outlets. Most national retailers and restaurant chains have opened locations in this area within the past 5 years in anticipation of a growth spurt. Direct access to booming Alpharetta via 400 helps Dawson County's prospects

2) Coweta County. With lots of new jobs on the way, affordable housing, decent schools, and quick access to the Airport (and the future Airport City), Coweta County is poised for growth.

3) Jackson County. Its location, equidistant to employment centers in Gwinnett County, Gainesville, and Athens, will set Jackson County up for growth.

I work in Paulding some days. I'm African American and I see MANY other AA's around Hiram than I expected. Are Hiram and Dallas, "booming" per se?

"Booming" is not an accurate description of Paulding County's growth, in my opinion. Paulding does not have direct access to a freeway, and its public schools are mediocre to poor, both of which hinder its growth. Its population is steadily increasing; I'd describe its growth as "steady" (that can be a good thing). Paulding's AA population is growing quickly, and its white population is stagnant.

3) Which parts of the metro have the least going for it or would you avoid moving to, and why?

1) The Interstate 20 suburbs (western suburbs and eastern suburbs): Villa Rica, Douglasville, Stonecrest, Conyers, Covington. These suburbs have poor access to jobs, declining public school quality, declining tax revenues, and relatively slow population growth. They are affordable, however, and anybody who moves to "I-20 suburbs" likely does so solely because they are affordable. Many households moving in from out of state are lower-middle class families who have been priced out of expensive northeastern cities and risked poverty by remaining there.

2) Henry County. I used to live there. It's on a downward spiral, masked by the illusion of relatively robust growth. It's transitioning into "Clayton County 2.0." It was the only county in the southeastern United States to have a foreclosure rate above 5% during the great recession, due to an oversupply of new, cheaply built homes marketed toward low-income individuals who probably shouldn't have been given home loans and who certainly wouldn't qualify for most home loans today. This was due to Henry County's "allow anything" approach to development. Even after the foreclosure crisis, Henry County hasn't learned much and still approves nearly any development in the name of short-term tax revenue increases. It is just now beginning to realize the long-term effects of its lax "anything goes" approach; Henry County now has not only an abundance of cheap, deteriorating housing: it also has rapidly declining public school quality, white flight, rapidly declining incomes, a dearth of well-paying jobs, and the worst midday traffic anywhere in Georgia.

4) Is South Fulton, Clayton as bad as I've heard?

Yes and no. It's probably not as bad as you have heard; it's no Detroit or southside Chicago. Clayton County is certainly working-class, and parts of South Fulton are too. Swaths of South Fulton are solidly middle-class, specifically areas near and between South Fulton Parkway and Camp Creek Parkway. A lot of people group some parts of southern Fulton County, such as Union City/Fairburn (avoid: not nice) with the nicer, middle-class areas (Camp Creek area), probably because both places are ~ 90% AA residents.

Personally, I believe that Clayton County's prospects are decent due to its close-in location. I don't think South Fulton's prospects will either decline or improve significantly.

[NorthAtlanta]

1. Alpharetta
2. Alpharetta
3. South Fulton. Some pockets south of I20
4. Depends on what you are talking about but generally yes

[Citykid3785]

In general, some of the best areas are:

Alpharetta
East cobb
West Roswell
Portions of Marietta
Woodstock
Sandy springs

All of the above have their pros and cons depending on what you are looking for, so I don't think there is one right answer. While johns creek is affluent, I think it lacks the highway access, proximity and identity of some of the best burbs.

And while I haven't been to the entire metro, I'll agree with others that I don't generally care for the I-20 burbs, or places like mcdonough and locust grove that have heavy semi traffic due to being heavily in distribution centers.

[Patrick4096]

Originally Posted by Southern Soul Bro

Hi guys,


I'm from Macon and have lived there most of my life. Of course, I'd visited Atlanta (mostly Southern Suburbs and Downtown) throughout life, but basically "living" here for a couple months has been a totally didnt story. I took a position in the metro and have an apartment in Roswell with my girl and have fallen in love! So I have some questions about the metro.


1) Which suburb, if any, would you consider the best all around "premier" suburb?


2) Roswell, Marietta, Alpharetta, Sandy Springs? Are any of these "better" than the other to you? Or does it not really matter much?



2) Which suburban areas are currently are the next to "boom?" I work in Paulding some days. I'm African American and I see MANY other AA's around Hiram than I expected. Are Hiram and Dallas, "booming" per se?


3) Which parts of the metro have the least going for it or would you avoid moving to, and why?


4) Is South Fulton, Clayton as bad as I've heard?

1) Probably Johns Creek, Alpharetta, East Cobb, or Peachtree City.

2a) It depends on what you are looking for. Sandy Springs and Marietta are closer to the city of Atlanta and tend to be busier, as Sandy Springs has easy access to the MARTA train. Roswell and Alpharetta have better schools and are typical suburbias.

2b) South Forsyth, North Gwinnett, Woodstock, and Henry County.

3) I would avoid moving to a lot of the areas of the southside (with the exception of Coweta and Fayette counties). I would also try to avoid Rockdale County and some parts of Norcross.

4) Clayton: The southern tip of Clayton isn't too bad. Also, the Lake Spivey and Jodeco area seem good, but the rest of the county is bad. Also, public schools in the area are not doing well.
S. Fulton: Outside of the perimeter, it is actually rural. But it isn't doing well either.