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Today is the day I finally will join City-Data after constant researching in threads and threads and more threads on this forum. I have been researching these three cities in particular for the best fit for me and my lady.
To start off,
I'm an 3rd year college undergrad majoring in Information Technology in Columbus, Ohio. I'm an African American, 20 years old and in the "planning" stage for my future.
I have been researching these three places on this forum for approximately 4 months compiling research, statistics and building a pros and cons list of these three cities. But right now, until I get a chance to visit the 2 (Phoenix & Seattle) I need help on certain aspects that I'm looking for in my personal agenda. I have some little experience in Atlanta (Originally from small town Anniston, AL...been to outskirts of ATL, but never city-proper).
Before I get into a brief personal Pros and Cons list I made, here are some interests that if anyone else have, I would LOVE for people to voice themselves.
Interests: I love automotive racing. This includes drifting (I drift cars myself), track racing any kind of racing. I'm highly interested in Japanese/Asian culture. I grew up in Martial-Arts and Japanese racing. I love Asian, Latin and of course good ol' southern cook soul food. My lady loves books, artsy kind of stuff, so I guess I like it too haha. I'm pretty social, I love the outdoors and places full of scenery but I value private at the same time. I like mild to hot weather, but nothing overkill. I also prefer not to be freezing cold anymore (had enough of these Ohio winters, but I'll make an exception to Seattle). I miss enjoying and participating in African American festivals and culture based events (Since here in Columbus, OH...a lot of them have been moved out far or closed because of the ignorance of people in my generation smdh). I love technology, I love music (blues, rap, metal, house) and definitely wouldn't mind having a nightlife associating a lot with the lounge, chillout music scene. (I wouldn't mind the juke joints either, which probably would be primarily southern thing).
Sorry for making this post extremely long, I'm trying to provide much information while keeping it simple and short. So here's the Pros and Cons list I made so far based of research
Atlanta
+ Southern based (my roots)
+ Growing, young city
+ I believe a lot of tech start ups (Please someone provide me more info about tech related jobs)
+ Mild Climate, Hot Summers
+ Very green, lots of trees
+ Seems a great nightlife for lounge/chillout vibes
+ Haves a racing culture
- Don't like the way the city sprawls
- Becoming like a "Hollywood"
- COL seems to be rising
Seattle
+ Constantly refereed as one of the most beautiful cities in the country
+ Scenic, Green, Mountains, Water...the whole 9
+ Booming tech/medical industry
+ Young population
+ Mild weather all year round? (I hear that it's not bad in winter)
+ Pretty heavy Asian influence
+ Urban
- It rains alot?
- Lack of lounge/chillout nightlife
- A "robotic" kind of city (I based this off the way people mentions Seattle and it's "Seattle Freeze")
- Not diverse enough?
- High COL
Phoenix
+ Desert City (I wouldn't mind trying something new)
+ Scenic, Mountains, Dunes
+ Hot all year round (idk how I would feel about the summers)
+ Close to LA
+ Also have a strong automotive culture.
+ Relatively low COL
- Un-diverse?
- Hot all year round (I wouldn't miss the few overcast days)
- Very sprawled all around, no kind of urban walking or compact urban density
- Unsure of the nightlife
So these are just a few things that I have gathered.
So my main questions and points I need input are:
* How do the Tech/Medical fields compare in these three cities?
* Is Phoenix and Seattle not as diverse as Atlanta?
* How is living in the desert compared to Seattle or Atlanta?
* Would Atlanta be considered a "Live and let Live" kind of place? or does is hold it's strong religious values like the rest of the South?
* Does Seattle really gets cold in the winter? and does it rain a lot?
* Does Phoenix and Seattle have a semi-strong African American presence?
and if anyone can provide their experience moving to any of these cities I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you all and CD.
* How do the Tech/Medical fields compare in these three cities?
* Is Phoenix and Seattle not as diverse as Atlanta?
* How is living in the desert compared to Seattle or Atlanta?
* Would Atlanta be considered a "Live and let Live" kind of place? or does is hold it's strong religious values like the rest of the South?
* Does Seattle really gets cold in the winter? and does it rain a lot?
* Does Phoenix and Seattle have a semi-strong African American presence?
and if anyone can provide their experience moving to any of these cities I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you all and CD.
(Sorry for the insanely long post)
First off, I live in Seattle and absolutely love this city. I moved here from Southern California last year.
To address your questions:
* How do the Tech/Medical fields compare in these three cities?
Seattle is arguably the top contender for these two fields. The rapid growth in South Lake Union (Seattle's burgeoning tech/medical-neighborhood) is attracting thousands of workers for a variety of tech and medical companies, obviously the top dog being Amazon who alone is constructing three 500-foot towers and a dozen other midrise offices to support a massive urban campus within this neighborhood. Truth be told though, the medical and bio-medical field is Seattle's largest economic sector.
* Is Phoenix and Seattle not as diverse as Atlanta?
I can only speak for Seattle, but generally speaking having moved here form a very diverse city in Southern California, Seattle is very white. The city itself has some Asian presence, but overall, the demographics are Caucasian. And that is in the city proper alone (which is the most diverse point in the region). The greater Seattle metro region is almost entirely white, except for the Eastside suburbs which has a booming Asian/Indian community.
* How is living in the desert compared to Seattle or Atlanta?
I have lived some time in a very hot city in SoCal and I'll never go through that again. Seattle's climate is much nicer than a dry 80-110 degree weather climate. But please remember, that is my own personal preference. I like cooler climates, so you might prefer dry sunlight more frequently. Seattle's summers are perfect, by the way, but not the prevailing weather during the rest of the year.
* Does Seattle really gets cold in the winter? and does it rain a lot?
The rain here isn't "heavy." Moreover, I would call it a "perpetual mist." From November to May, expect a large cloud to cover the city, with sprinkling pretty much 90% of the time.
As for winter's coldness, it's not a bitter cold. You might get one day of snow for a few hours, but not so much. With a standard jacket, winters aren't bad.
It's not that Seattle is cold that people might not like about our weather, it's the perpetual mist from November through May that might wear people down.
* Does Phoenix and Seattle have a semi-strong African American presence?
For Seattle, no, not really. Outside of Seattle city proper, absolutely not.
Tough decision OP. I'm also black (19 years old) and at one time I had pretty all these cities on my "places to consider moving to", though Atlanta was dropped because I'm already kinda familiar with it (being from middle GA) and I want to ditch the south for the west coast.
Seattle was considered because I'm a web developer/designer and it has a huge tech sector with start ups and such. But, I crossed it off because weather is a huge factor (I think I have S.A.D lol), I hate rainy days (which I hear Seattle has a lot of) and winter so that led me to Phoenix.
Though I haven't researched as much on Phoenix, the thing that attracted me was that it resembled LA without the price tag and that I enjoy warm to hot weather.
To answer your questions (to the best of my knowledge):
1) I know Atlanta has a decent tech because it's becoming a hub businesses and startups. Idk about Phoenix, but Seattle will have them all beat. At least in tech.
2) Haven't been to Phoenix or Seattle, but Atlanta one of the most diverse places I've ever seen. I went to a NASCAR race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway (Henry County) last month and saw pretty much every race I could think of. Everyone was really chill and laid back too.
4) Atlanta is pretty open minded for being in the South, surprisingly. My brother and his family even go to this congregation in Decatur that accepts all religions, sexual orientation, etc. It's pretty awesome, and the people (in Atlanta) are really nice.
Phoenix
+ Desert City (I wouldn't mind trying something new)
+ Scenic, Mountains, Dunes
+ Hot all year round (idk how I would feel about the summers)
+ Close to LA
+ Also have a strong automotive culture.
+ Relatively low COL
- Un-diverse?
- Hot all year round (I wouldn't miss the few overcast days)
- Very sprawled all around, no kind of urban walking or compact urban density
- Unsure of the nightlife
So these are just a few things that I have gathered.
So my main questions and points I need input are:
* How do the Tech/Medical fields compare in these three cities?
* Is Phoenix and Seattle not as diverse as Atlanta?
* How is living in the desert compared to Seattle or Atlanta?
* Would Atlanta be considered a "Live and let Live" kind of place? or does is hold it's strong religious values like the rest of the South?
* Does Seattle really gets cold in the winter? and does it rain a lot?
* Does Phoenix and Seattle have a semi-strong African American presence?
and if anyone can provide their experience moving to any of these cities I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you all and CD.
(Sorry for the insanely long post)
Contrary to popular belief, Phoenix doesnt have any dunes, its all rock. The car scene here is semi-ok, nothing to write home about. Im a big car guy myself, so I speak from experience. THere are a few drifters around, but theyre your typical 240's with Silvia conversions, all beat up, many of them running stock K-series engines, some with RB swaps, nothing fancy.
COL is pretty low for hte most part. But like anywhere else, if you want a nicer town to live in (ie Scottsdale), then prices shoot sky high quickly.
And yes, its not very diverse here at all... mainly caucausian with the typical large Hispanic presence, and relatively few blacks. There are growing populations of eastern Indians and Asians, but theyre few and far between.
As for it being "hot year round" in Phoenix, thats untrue. Winters are mild, true, but far from hot. Expect 50-80 in winter in the daytime, and anywhere from 30-50 at night, sometimes even lower if youre up higher in elevation.
The burbs here are all extremely similar in appearance/feel, and are the true definition of sprawl... they go on and on and on and on.
The med/tech field is by far better in Seattle and ATL than here, sadly. Desert living is an acquired taste. I personally love it, but many people move here for hte sunshine and leave after a few years because they miss rain, lush trees, rivers, lakes, and even rain! Seattle is gloomy in the winter, but mild, and glorious in summer.
Thanks everyone, didn't expect that many replies that quick lol.
@DevonHardy, I honestly would ruled out ATL too man. I'm originally from Anniston, AL and I use to take trips to the outskirts of ATL (Mableton area I believe it's called) and I too have also is highly interested in the West Coast because I'm just ready for something different bro. Phoenix appeared that exact same way you felt, resembled LA without the price tag. Have you been (or currently in) ATL recently man? If you have, do you know any of the names/areas of the younger (age wise) neighborhoods and communities that I can research on? Thanks if you can
@Steve-o, man I can definitely tell your a fellow enthusiast. I have S14 myself (not beat to **** either) and I love this car. Unfortunately here in Columbus, Ohio, I'm only limited to 5-6 months of actually decent weather, because they salt the hell out of these roads, cratered like roads and weather is so unpredictable here. Plus not to mention, there is not really many places to open your car up here or toy around WITHOUT PUBLIC INTERFERENCE (I don't do that street racing, street drift yada yada crap. Too dangerous and respect other drivers on the road) But I want to enjoy my car more since that's the reason why I bought it. I have a question though Steve-o coming to think of it, does AZ/Phoenix Area have emission testing and laws? and if they do, is they're any "instant deny" modifications you can't do to your car? such as engine swaps or etc?
Also I would like to say, the reason why I'm asking questions about diversity and levels of African Americans, is because I want to be in a pretty decently diverse area. I love to socialize and make connections with all races and ethnicities, not just black or white. I love learning and meeting people and stretching my horizons out of the norm of most people. But I also want to be able to enjoy some AA activities and festivals too, so long as they're is a sizable amount that's fine with me.
@GatsbyGatz thank you! I've been waiting for some Seattle input as it's the "last to consider" on my list. I have some questions that you or anyone that can answer. I just honestly want to know the truth or what people think after reading some of the Seattle area threads on here...
Do you think the Seattle Freeze is real? I mean I like to socialize and make new connections. Especially with my interests I wouldn't my mind to expand a little bit. I hear mixed views on this. Some say it's hard to make friends if your not already acquainted. Other say it's easy to make "associates", and some even say that making friends is near impossible (which obviously is not true). From that it sounds like Seattle is very clique-ish. Can you speak on that?
The med/tech field is by far better in Seattle and ATL than here, sadly. Desert living is an acquired taste. I personally love it, but many people move here for hte sunshine and leave after a few years because they miss rain, lush trees, rivers, lakes, and even rain! Seattle is gloomy in the winter, but mild, and glorious in summer.
This part specifically is what I'm debating on with my lady. I think I wouldn't mind the Desert, it actually seems like a quite peaceful (in a sense) and awesome place to live. I would say It would definitely be a serious adjustment coming from the greener side of the fence. But for her, I think she wouldn't mind the sunshine, but I can see there being a possible problem since it looks like PHX has really no trees, rivers or lakes. But I hear alot on this forum that people go up to Flagstaff to quench they "green thirst" and Sedona is pretty nice also.
I figured by much that the Med/Tech field is better in Seattle and ATL, also from research it shows that, at least strongly for Seattle. I'm really shock they isn't a demand for in PHX since the West Coast is arguably the Tech region of the country (Seattle, LA, SF, Silicon Valley etc). I think I'm going have to do more studying and researching on PHX economy regarding this
For what it's worth, that "Seattle Freeze" thing is just C-D generated b.s. I lived in Seattle for 4 years. Just moved away, for personal/family-related reasons a little over a year ago... and I never experienced this "Seattle Freeze". I mean, sure... there is a contingent of Seattleites, a fairly small but obnoxious minority, who are smug, aloof, and elitist... but they don't dominate the city. These types can be found in any large, economically thriving city. They are not unique to Seattle. I never even heard of that term until I read it in these forums.
C-D posters have a way of exaggerating and distorting the truth about places. There's a lot of bias, boosterism, outdated stereotyping, and insecure jealousy that factors into a lot of the posts here. My advice is to visit these cities and get a real-feel for them. The actual data on this site is helpful, but much of the talk in these forums is misleading.
This part specifically is what I'm debating on with my lady. I think I wouldn't mind the Desert, it actually seems like a quite peaceful (in a sense) and awesome place to live. I would say It would definitely be a serious adjustment coming from the greener side of the fence. But for her, I think she wouldn't mind the sunshine, but I can see there being a possible problem since it looks like PHX has really no trees, rivers or lakes. But I hear alot on this forum that people go up to Flagstaff to quench they "green thirst" and Sedona is pretty nice also.
I figured by much that the Med/Tech field is better in Seattle and ATL, also from research it shows that, at least strongly for Seattle. I'm really shock they isn't a demand for in PHX since the West Coast is arguably the Tech region of the country (Seattle, LA, SF, Silicon Valley etc). I think I'm going have to do more studying and researching on PHX economy regarding this
Well, I tell you what, come visit in late June when its 115 degrees, and that blasted sun feels like a heat lamp (or worse). The intensity of the heat isnt whats the killer, its the longevity of it thats the deal breaker for most.
Sunshine? Yes, plenty of it. Almost too much. Youre talking about 330 days of sun a year on average. I love sun, trust me, but theres times where you just want it to go away, and not just for a few hours. Its relentless. Its killer. Its hot. Its annoying. But, it generally puts people in a good mood, so...
You WILL miss the green, everyone does. I dont care what they say, but youll miss the green. I know people who moved here who despised greenery and couldnt wait to get out of it, just to move here and retreat to Prescott or Sedona to be around some more "lush" landscapes for the weekend.
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The intensity of the heat isnt whats the killer, its the longevity of it thats the deal breaker for most.
