Cleanest Air: Alpharetta, Johns Creek or East Cobb? (Atlanta, Roswell: low crime, home)

[peteyw33]

My wife and I are considering relocating to the Atlanta Metro area. We have a young son and after doing a lot of research we have concluded that the best schools seem to be in the Johns Creek, Alpharetta, East Cobb and Roswell areas. All are also low crime. But I'm wondering about air quality in the areas. I like fresh, clean air without lots of CO2, haze, etc., pollen doesn't affect me as much as man-made pollutants. Can anyone tell me which of the above towns the absolute best breatheable air? Or can you recommend another town with great schools, low crime and better air? I work from home so commute times are not an issue. Thanks.

[BobKovacs]

Considering that all of those towns are in close proximity to each other, I doubt you'll find large differences in the air quality. Maybe if you head out into the far outskirts of Forsyth County or Cherokee County it'll be a little better, but not much.

[ramblinwreck17]

Atlanta has some of the worst air-quality in the country. I would say it's a little better on the northside and the areas you are looking as opposed to the southeast. But, overall it's poor here.

[GF72]

they are all about the same

[matt8325]

all the towns you mention have horrible air quality in the summer, as does most of metro atlanta, just make sure you bring a mask and you'll be ok

[Saintmarks]

You don't need a mask, that's a little far fetched.

The humidity and heat of the Southeast have always produced haze in the summer. The Smokey mountains got their name for this. Not saying that the city of Atlanta and its congestion don't play a part, but I actually think it is better than what I remember when I was a kid, even with the growth and congestion since then. But i might be getting senile in my old age

At any rate, to echo those above, the areas mentioned are so close and so much the same, I can't see that there would be anything different one to the other.

[atlantagreg30127]

Metro Atlanta pretty much has bad air all over - there are no communities closer in that are going to have a significantly better quality of air than any other. The smog "drifts" here, so there are days that Cobb or Rockdale Counties can even have worse air than the inner city. Another day it will be somewhere else.

For those who suffer from allergies or respiratory problems, Atlanta (anywhere in the metro area) might not be the best bet.

Some suggested reading:

Report: Atlanta among cities with worst air | ajc.com (http://www.ajc.com/health/content/metro/stories/2008/05/01/websmog_0501.html - broken link)

Expert: Improving air quality now will be harder | ajc.com (http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/printedition/2008/03/20/ozone0320.html - broken link)

2008 Atlanta Smog Forecast Results

A handy air quality widget for the metro area: Atlanta Air Quality - Yahoo! Widgets

[PeteyNice]

I don't know. Everyone always says that Atlanta is terrible for allergy sufferers but I have found the opposite to be true. When I lived in NYC, I accounted for all of Sudafed's profits for September/October. Here, nothing.

Just to echo what others have said for the OP, those towns are all close together, there is nothing that would make one have better air quality than the others.

[peteyw33]

Thanks for all your replies.

[kaday]

My allergies are about the same (as compared to MA and NJ). One thing that is helpful is a newer home. It does seem to make a difference at least for me. I really struggled living in an older home.