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Lived in Atlanta about a decade; now here in DC for the past 5 years or so. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, but DC is better for me personally, but that may change depending on circumstances.
quality of life - DC has more high-paying jobs, and the VA/MD score well in terms of overall health and well being than anywhere in Georgia, but life here in DC is infinitely more stressful. Far better schools in more suburbs of DC than the ATL suburbs, but the North ATL burbs are no slouch.
economy - Do you prefer working for/with the Government/Technology/Nonprofits/Law/Military, or do you prefer a more well-rounded economy that ATL has to offer? Subjective, but DC tends to fare better during economic downturns than Atlanta does partially due to the fact that ATL doesn't have as many jobs as the people applying for them and the real estate/construction boom that was the backbone of the economy was badly affected during the Great Recession. I had an easier time finding work in DC than I ever did in Atlanta - ironic since there's far more competition here- but that's subjective since my background is a lot more conducive to the DC economy than ATL's - no, I don't work for a government agency, but do a lot of work for a few.
nightlife - Atlanta has way better nightclubs, and is more of a late-night city than DC is...DC is better with lounges/bars, and small clubs, Atlanta is better with the large nightclubs.
scenery - Atlanta being in the Piedmont/Appalachian Foothills along with the sheer amount of evergreen trees is no slouch in the scenery department. But much of the DC area also lies along the Piedmont and parts of the metro area are along the Chesapeake Bay. Draw/Tie.
daytime activities/events - Draw/Tie. There's always something going on in both cities no matter the time of year. DC is better for cultural events, ATL is more well-rounded in terms of entertainment and cultural events.
shopping/entertainment venues - Draw/Tie. Tysons and Tysons II along with Friendship Heights plus Potomac Mills are the shopping behemoths in the DC Area, but Atlanta has Lenox/Phipps, and Perimeter Mall, and Atlanta is much more of a regional shopping destination than DC. It's also flashier and trendier in terms of how people dress.
transportation - DC. ATL may have the busiest airport in the world and is better to navigate than any of DC's airports, WMATA might be trash, but it covers more ground than MARTA.
overall vibe - DC is a lot more uptight and formal than Atlanta. It's also gotten a lot more bland as the city has gentrified tbh...Atlanta has more of that laid-back southern feel to it, but with a contemporary twist, but there is a weird tension whenever I'm there, but that's a story for another day.
I like both cities, but overall, if you're looking for a more suburban lifestyle and more bang for your buck like most Americans, ATL will be preferable. If you prefer urban amenities and very nice suburbs adjacent to a city and are willing to pay the price for it, DC will be preferable. Personally, DC is better for me and my life at this moment, but if the right opportunity presents itself, I wouldn't rule Atlanta out neither.
In all Objectivity, DC is far more Interesting with all the Monuments, Museums, Government Stuff, Embassies, Motorcades rolling around, International Organizations, Urban Flair etc ..in Atlanta there's the College Football Hall of Fame...Wow
I see what you did there, but that was a pretty lame attempt at trolling. Just saying
Last edited by NC2ATL60; 09-09-2019 at 02:56 PM..
Reason: Grammatical error etc
Lived in Atlanta about a decade; now here in DC for the past 5 years or so. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, but DC is better for me personally, but that may change depending on circumstances.
quality of life - DC has more high-paying jobs, and the VA/MD score well in terms of overall health and well being than anywhere in Georgia, but life here in DC is infinitely more stressful. Far better schools in more suburbs of DC than the ATL suburbs, but the North ATL burbs are no slouch.
economy - Do you prefer working for/with the Government/Technology/Nonprofits/Law/Military, or do you prefer a more well-rounded economy that ATL has to offer? Subjective, but DC tends to fare better during economic downturns than Atlanta does partially due to the fact that ATL doesn't have as many jobs as the people applying for them and the real estate/construction boom that was the backbone of the economy was badly affected during the Great Recession. I had an easier time finding work in DC than I ever did in Atlanta - ironic since there's far more competition here- but that's subjective since my background is a lot more conducive to the DC economy than ATL's - no, I don't work for a government agency, but do a lot of work for a few.
nightlife - Atlanta has way better nightclubs, and is more of a late-night city than DC is...DC is better with lounges/bars, and small clubs, Atlanta is better with the large nightclubs.
scenery - Atlanta being in the Piedmont/Appalachian Foothills along with the sheer amount of evergreen trees is no slouch in the scenery department. But much of the DC area also lies along the Piedmont and parts of the metro area are along the Chesapeake Bay. Draw/Tie.
daytime activities/events - Draw/Tie. There's always something going on in both cities no matter the time of year. DC is better for cultural events, ATL is more well-rounded in terms of entertainment and cultural events.
shopping/entertainment venues - Draw/Tie. Tysons and Tysons II along with Friendship Heights plus Potomac Mills are the shopping behemoths in the DC Area, but Atlanta has Lenox/Phipps, and Perimeter Mall, and Atlanta is much more of a regional shopping destination than DC. It's also flashier and trendier in terms of how people dress.
transportation - DC. ATL may have the busiest airport in the world and is better to navigate than any of DC's airports, WMATA might be trash, but it covers more ground than MARTA.
overall vibe - DC is a lot more uptight and formal than Atlanta. It's also gotten a lot more bland as the city has gentrified tbh...Atlanta has more of that laid-back southern feel to it, but with a contemporary twist, but there is a weird tension whenever I'm there, but that's a story for another day.
I like both cities, but overall, if you're looking for a more suburban lifestyle and more bang for your buck like most Americans, ATL will be preferable. If you prefer urban amenities and very nice suburbs adjacent to a city and are willing to pay the price for it, DC will be preferable. Personally, DC is better for me and my life at this moment, but if the right opportunity presents itself, I wouldn't rule Atlanta out neither.
That's a pretty good summary. DC also gets points for being within closer proximity to other major cities and the beach. That would be the biggest adjustment I'd probably have to make if I were to go back to Atlanta after having lived in DC.
I'm an ATL native and I think the DC Metro is a step up from ATL. There are some "familiar traits" they share but in different packages. DC has great proximity to higher caliber cities than Atlanta. The VA side and MD sides of the metro are nice and WMATA is a walk in the park. Atlanta is good for a hustler so I'll always keep a connection there. Love my Braves and I support the Dirty Birds and ATL United...always.
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