Atlanta or SanFran (fit in, theatre, tornadoes)

[JackMiami]

Hi all. I am a Miami native looking to move to either SanFrancisco (UCSF) or Atlanta (Emory).

I have visited both. The worst thing that I can think about in Atlanta is the traffic. I havent seen ATL in the summer.. is it as humid as Miami or worse or better?

Would you guys say that you generally find Atlanta pretty liveable? Things that I really wanna know about are: weather, general vibe of the people, culture (shopping, food, clubs, bars, stuff to do).

Anyone lived in ATL and SanFran care to chip in and compare?

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by JackMiami

Hi all. I am a Miami native looking to move to either SanFrancisco (UCSF) or Atlanta (Emory).

I have visited both. The worst thing that I can think about in Atlanta is the traffic. I havent seen ATL in the summer.. is it as humid as Miami or worse or better?Not as humid as Miami--humid enough between midJune to mid September. No ocean/coast, air quality affected by traffic/pollution--hangs over the city at times.

Would you guys say that you generally find Atlanta pretty liveable? Things that I really wanna know about are: weather, general vibe of the people, culture (shopping, food, clubs, bars, stuff to do).Pretty liveable--diverse, etc, plenty of shopping. Cannot beat midtown and especially Inman Park. Well-renovated bungalows and they have Trader Joes, etc

Anyone lived in ATL and SanFran care to chip in and compare?

There are a number of posters with this FYI.

hth

~~//~~

[blondandfun]

If money is nothing to you, then SF is on a much higher level city than ATL. But ATL is more livable and better for young up and coming people. But if you're rich you'll fit in with SF I heard that's all they are there is affluent middle class twenty somethings in SF, so if that's you which it sounds you'll fit in more in SF.

[nature's message]

Haven't lived in either, but I have visited. As what blondandfun said, San Francisco is on a much higher level, especially in terms of culture. Atlanta is a pretty liveable city. Many see it as the "oasis" of Georgia. If you are wealthy, then I think you would be happier in San Francisco. Atlanta has some pretty good options for a city its size.

[rackensack]

Lived in Atlanta for 22 years, and have spent an aggregate total of probably six months in SF over the same period (week here, two weeks there, etc.). If not being cold is important to you, you'll probably hate SF. Outside the city is a different story, but the microclimate on the peninsula is unique -- it rarely gets really cold, but by Miami standards it's only really warm a couple of weeks a year, in late Sept/early Oct. Otherwise, it's likely to be 60-65 degrees and windy in the middle of July. What rain there is usually falls in the winter (Dec/Jan/Feb), but there's not a lot even then.

Atlanta, on the other hand, gets much hotter in the summertime -- probably hotter, at times, than Miami, since we don't have the ocean (though the elevation helps here, being ~1000 ft above sea level). It's probably not as humid as Miami, but it's still pretty hot. Winters are going to seem incredibly cold coming from South Florida -- temps in the 20s or lower aren't the norm in Atlanta, but they aren't uncommon, as evidenced by this week.

San Francisco is far and away a more culture-heavy, cosmopolitan, "world-class" city. There are more museums of worth, more restaurants of note, more theatre, more/better bookstores, a more pedestrian-friendly environment with better public transportation, etc. SF obviously has an advantage over Atlanta in terms of outdoor activities that involve water, as you have the bay and the ocean at your door, while Atlanta's hours away from any open water. Both have mountains nearby, though SF still would get the nod for variety of topography.

So why would you pick Atlanta over SF? Price, for one thing. The cost of living across the board (housing, energy, health care, food, etc.) is lower in Atlanta, though it's the housing market where the difference is most obvious. Even the most expensive parts of Atlanta are a bargain compared to equivalent parts of the SF area. There's also the urban vs. suburban/semi-rural thing -- pretty much the entire peninsula is "urban", with extremely high population density, pace of life, traffic, etc. If you'd prefer a more suburban sort of existence, with some space between buildings, etc., you're likely to prefer Atlanta on that front. Also, Atlanta is obviously closer to Miami, in the event you have family there and that's a consideration.

Taken all together, much as I love visiting SF, I don't think I'd want to live there. I know that I don't want to enough to pay the premium associated with it for housing, etc. I've had plenty of opportunities over the last two decades to pull up stakes and head out there, and I'm still here in Atlanta.

[back2dc]

By all means San Francisco. Hands down an absolutely amazing, cosmopolitan, walkable city. No humidity even with ocean breezes. Mild to cool temperatures year-round -- you can wear shorts and a hoodie and be comfortable all day. Extremely diverse population -- with huge Asian community. You know that when there is a large Asian community in an American city then the standard of living is EXTREMELY high, the cultural amenities plentiful, and education opportunities abound. Good luck with your move...

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by rackensack

Lived in Atlanta for 22 years, and have spent an aggregate total of probably six months in SF over the same period (week here, two weeks there, etc.). If not being cold is important to you, you'll probably hate SF. Outside the city is a different story, but the microclimate on the peninsula is unique -- it rarely gets really cold, but by Miami standards it's only really warm a couple of weeks a year, in late Sept/early Oct. Otherwise, it's likely to be 60-65 degrees and windy in the middle of July. What rain there is usually falls in the winter (Dec/Jan/Feb), but there's not a lot even then.

Atlanta, on the other hand, gets much hotter in the summertime -- probably hotter, at times, than Miami, since we don't have the ocean (though the elevation helps here, being ~1000 ft above sea level). It's probably not as humid as Miami, but it's still pretty hot. Winters are going to seem incredibly cold coming from South Florida -- temps in the 20s or lower aren't the norm in Atlanta, but they aren't uncommon, as evidenced by this week.

San Francisco is far and away a more culture-heavy, cosmopolitan, "world-class" city. There are more museums of worth, more restaurants of note, more theatre, more/better bookstores, a more pedestrian-friendly environment with better public transportation, etc. SF obviously has an advantage over Atlanta in terms of outdoor activities that involve water, as you have the bay and the ocean at your door, while Atlanta's hours away from any open water. Both have mountains nearby, though SF still would get the nod for variety of topography.

So why would you pick Atlanta over SF? Price, for one thing. The cost of living across the board (housing, energy, health care, food, etc.) is lower in Atlanta, though it's the housing market where the difference is most obvious. Even the most expensive parts of Atlanta are a bargain compared to equivalent parts of the SF area. There's also the urban vs. suburban/semi-rural thing -- pretty much the entire peninsula is "urban", with extremely high population density, pace of life, traffic, etc. If you'd prefer a more suburban sort of existence, with some space between buildings, etc., you're likely to prefer Atlanta on that front. Also, Atlanta is obviously closer to Miami, in the event you have family there and that's a consideration.

Taken all together, much as I love visiting SF, I don't think I'd want to live there. I know that I don't want to enough to pay the premium associated with it for housing, etc. I've had plenty of opportunities over the last two decades to pull up stakes and head out there, and I'm still here in Atlanta.

rackensack, excellent post. Tried to give you rep, but apparently I did recently. No go.

[southgeorgia]

E a r t h q u a k e s .

[JackMiami]

LMAO. love that post. tough choice. and no, i am not made of bling-bling. i will be living off a medical resident's salary which is around 45k in ATL (but san fran pays 12k more, it's crazy).

dang its cold in atlanta right now.. and miami too..

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by southgeorgia

E a r t h q u a k e s .

They have earthquakes - we get tornadoes. It's all relative in the grand scheme of natural disasters. And FYI - there IS a fault line in-between Atlanta and Chattanooga - it just hasn't been active in a very long time.

I wouldn't let either/or of those be a factor in moving.