ATL vs. PHX

[Chevalier de Saint-George]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

How does Phoenix look anything like Orlando?

Not as a whole but the some of the development with the palm trees just reminded me of spots in and around Orlando.

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeBoyDJ

I’m from Phoenix and now live in Atlanta so here’s my take:

Use the following criteria:
- Walkability/urbanity/ public transit: Atlanta and it’s not even close. Atlanta’s in town neighborhoods especially are far more walkable and connected. Downtown ATL, Midtown, Buckhead, the Perimeter Center feel very urban and “big city”. Phoenix is the poster child of suburban sprawl and Downtown and Midtown Phx and the Biltmore area just don’t have that big city urban feel to me. Public transit is a toss up. Yes MARTA is way better than the super slow light rail in Phoenix but both are very much car dependent cities. I’ve only rode MARTA a handful of times.
- COL / QOL: Atlanta is expensive in it’s core but the COL is more or less comparable. Phoenix city limits are much larger than Atlanta city limits and therefore I feel like Phoenix has a lot more nicer areas. Ahwatukee, Central Phoenix, Arcadia, Desert Ridge are all very nice areas and within the city of Phoenix. Atlanta has more older historic neighborhoods that are very charming like Grant Park, Cascade, Virginia Highland, Fourth Ward, Inman Park, and the Druid Hills area are all great areas. Both cities offer a decent QOL just depends on what you’re looking for.
- Weather: I hate Phoenix summers with a passion and love the 4 season climate of Atlanta so Atlanta for me.
- Economy/well-paying jobs (in relation to COL): Atlanta and it’s not even close. Phoenix has come a long way but it’s still a blue collar city. Most of the high paying jobs are in the suburbs Chandler/Scottsdale/Tempe. Atlanta is a very corporate city home to a handful of Fortune 500 companies and many large companies have offices in the area.
- Nightlife and other city amenities: Neither city wows me with nightlife but Atlanta is lively enough
- Scenery and outdoor amenities:This is where Phoenix shines. The Sonoran Desert is gorgeous and the sunsets will leave you in awe. Georgia is a beautiful state but it can’t hold a candle to Arizona when it comes to scenery and outdoor amenities.
- International airport(s) for travel (cost of flights, good flight times, airport access): Hartsfield Jackson is the better airport but Sky Harbor is no slouch. Sky Harbor has to be the most centrally located airport in the country. You can get to any part of town in 30min from Sky Harbor. Hartsfield is on the far south side of town and a pain to get to especially in Atlanta traffic.

I was referring to the general metropolitan areas for comparison you don't have to limit to Atlanta and Phoenix but yes I see your point. Atlanta generally wins in all of the categories so it seems. The poll doesn't lie. I wish I could say I've gone there before so I can answer for myself. Unfortunately all of my traveling has either been to see my family in the places I mentioned before, California, or international of which I've done a fair amount. I'm lucky enough to have even visited NYC.

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Not being local isn't an issue for most non-internal federal positions, many of which are open to all U.S. citizens but there will be more competition for them and you will typically have to relocate at your own expense. I'd imagine that *would* be an issue for state jobs though. And it makes sense that government salaries tend to be low in low-tax states like Georgia.

Yes it's difficult but certainly possible. Relocating at my own expense isn't the issue, it's landing a job before relocating that is the issue. I'm not risking a few grand moving to just be homeless and unemployed. Especially somewhere like Atlanta where I have no support system. I could probably swing it if I picked a city where family already lives, and used their place of residence as an address while I job hunted, but I'm not really interested in where my family lives except maybe my family in the Baltimore area.

I'm still trying of course. I haven't seen a job in my field in Atlanta yet. But the odds are definitely against me.

Originally Posted by 80s_kid

Not as a whole but the some of the development with the palm trees just reminded me of spots in and around Orlando.

Both states had some obscene levels of development and growth in the 90s and 00s where similar architecture was the end all be all. Granted it still is now but... different. I understand what you are referring to, not necessarily Orlando, but my family in SW Florida live in a ranch community looked very much like the 70s ranch community I live here. Both have a sprinkling of palm trees, albeit Florida a bit more, and live grass lawns instead of dead ones, but yes very similar developments, old (older than 70s especially) and "not as new" (70s-00s). I'd argue all the new "luxury" developments across the nation in general are the same as well.