Atlanta v. Boston (map, pros, size, transportation)

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by CleverOne

One of my best friends is a doctor. He is 35 and lives in a high rise called the Plaza. Its across from the Midtown Marta Station. He has a car but rarely drives unless he is going to the hospital where he works in Suwanee which is about 25-30 miles north. The Publix grocery store is at the base of his building so he and his wife dont ever have to get in a car to transport groceries.
He often walks to Piedmont Park which is about a 15 min walk away. Restaurants of all budgets surround him.
There are many clubs and bars also in the area. All are very walkable. Most of the time if I am joining him ,Ill ask to park in his second space in his building to avoid paying for parking since i no longer live intown.

Although we are close friends,he has made close friends his age in his building . Its about 5 of them as well as some mutual friends we both know who live in that building as well.
One of them is an Italian professor. He has lived in the building for more than 5 years at least.I know he does not have a car as he works at nearby GaTech.


I know many people who live in the city.Most are not married.My doctor friend is very social like me but he soon will want to be looking for a house,still in the city but more family oriented now that his wife just got a job.

Nice. I just looked at the area... looks like a mix between new/boujee/vibrant. The more I look into ATL and factor in COL+Amenities in the area, the more Im becoming drawn to it. It looks really urban and well maintained. I think I practically would chose ATL over BOS based on the urban neighborhoods and the QOL you could live off of there.

Outside of Midtown and Downtown Atlanta, how well is the development keeping up/threading together the city?

[As Above So Below...]

Here are the largest foreign born black populations in the US by metro area as of 2019. The percent next to it represents how much of the metro area's black population is foreign born:

New York City: 988,655 - 32.7%
Miami/Fort Lauderdale: 461,997 - 37.4%
Washington DC: 253,789 - 16.2%
Atlanta: 177,824 - 8.6%
Boston: 157,911 - 41.8%
Houston: 125,646 - 10.6%
Dallas/Fort Worth: 124,650 - 10.4%
Minneapolis/St. Paul: 107,534 - 34.4%
Philadelphia: 102,821 - 8.3%
Orlando: 99,775 - 25.0%
Los Angeles: 85,940 - 10.3%
Seattle/Tacoma: 71,768 - 30.7%
Chicago: 70,491 - 4.6%
Baltimore: 66,615 - 8.1%
Columbus, OH: 52,382 - 15.7%

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

Here are the largest foreign born black populations in the US by metro area as of 2019. The percent next to it represents how much of the metro area's black population is foreign born:

New York City: 988,655 - 32.7%
Miami/Fort Lauderdale: 461,997 - 37.4%
Washington DC: 253,789 - 16.2%
Atlanta: 177,824 - 8.6%
Boston: 157,911 - 41.8%
Houston: 125,646 - 10.6%
Dallas/Fort Worth: 124,650 - 10.4%
Minneapolis/St. Paul: 107,534 - 34.4%
Philadelphia: 102,821 - 8.3%
Orlando: 99,775 - 25.0%
Los Angeles: 85,940 - 10.3%
Seattle/Tacoma: 71,768 - 30.7%
Chicago: 70,491 - 4.6%
Baltimore: 66,615 - 8.1%
Columbus, OH: 52,382 - 15.7%

42% in BOS? Quite higher than I thought.

[Boston Shudra]

Originally Posted by CleverOne

Mind you this was in 2013, Boston is not growing anywhere as fast as Atlanta so I doubt thats changed other than Atlanta has widened the gap with more black immigrants

Alright. Guess I'll bite.

2013 - 5 year ACS

Atlanta city
- 4,946 black foreign born residents.
- 2.14% of all black residents.
- 1.14% of all residents.
Boston city
- 45,585 black foreign born residents.
- 28.8% of all black residents.
- 7.25% of all residents.

Atlanta MSA
- 139,643 black foreign born residents.
- 7.96% of all black residents.
- 2.60% of all residents.
Boston MSA
- 119,849 black foreign born residents.
- 34.3% of all black residents.
- 2.60% of all residents.

Atlanta CSA
- 141,723 black foreign born residents.
- 7.67% of all black residents.
- 2.36% of all residents.
Boston CSA
- 164,449 black foreign born residents.
- 33.9%% of all black residents.
- 2.07% of all residents.

2019 - 5 year ACS

Atlanta city
- 5,930 black foreign born residents.
- 2.38% of all black residents.
- 1.21% of all residents.
Boston city
- 57,881 black foreign born residents.
- 33.5% of all black residents.
- 8.46% of all residents.

Atlanta MSA
- 168,633 black foreign born residents.
- 8.41% of all black residents.
- 2.88% of all residents.
Boston MSA
- 151,296 black foreign born residents.
- 37.6% of all black residents.
- 3.13% of all residents.

Atlanta CSA
- 171,967 black foreign born residents.
- 8.05% of all black residents.
- 2.58% of all residents.
Boston CSA
- 204,725 black foreign born residents.
- 36.4% of all black residents.
- 2.49% of all residents.

Change '13-'19

Atlanta city
- 984 new black foreign born residents.
- 5.64% of new black residents.
- 1.75% of net change in residents.
Boston city
- 12,296 new black foreign born residents.
- 74.3% of new black residents.
- 22.27% of net change in residents.

Atlanta MSA
- 28,990 new black foreign born residents.
- 11.6% of new black residents.
- 6.00% of net change in residents.
Boston MSA
- 31,447 new black foreign born residents.
- 59.0% of new black residents.
- 13.79% of net change in residents.

Atlanta CSA
- 30,244 new black foreign born residents.
- 10.5% of new black residents.
- 4.53% of net change in residents.
Boston CSA
- 39,276 new black foreign born residents.
- 52.5% of new black residents.
- 14.1% of net change in residents.

Source for most numbers, except total population: https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table...5Y2019.B06004B

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

How does living in an area like Buckhead or Midtown in a high rise compare to urban living in Boston (Seaport or say, South End)? The transit looks very underrated in the Atlanta area, and I see that those urban neighborhoods have a good amount of that. Do people enjoy living there? Is there a lot of nightlife/recreation in these new areas?


I'd love to hear more about these neighborhoods.

If you look at revenue miles MARTA isn’t super far off from MBTA, it’s just that Atlanta has 1/3rd as many people in 134 sq miles as Boston does, which limits absolute ridership

[CleverOne]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

Here are the largest foreign born black populations in the US by metro area as of 2019. The percent next to it represents how much of the metro area's black population is foreign born:

New York City: 988,655 - 32.7%
Miami/Fort Lauderdale: 461,997 - 37.4%
Washington DC: 253,789 - 16.2%
Atlanta: 177,824 - 8.6%
Boston: 157,911 - 41.8%
Houston: 125,646 - 10.6%
Dallas/Fort Worth: 124,650 - 10.4%
Minneapolis/St. Paul: 107,534 - 34.4%
Philadelphia: 102,821 - 8.3%
Orlando: 99,775 - 25.0%
Los Angeles: 85,940 - 10.3%
Seattle/Tacoma: 71,768 - 30.7%
Chicago: 70,491 - 4.6%
Baltimore: 66,615 - 8.1%
Columbus, OH: 52,382 - 15.7%

I stand corrected. I was wrong. It happens.....RARELY.
Boston still also has a much lower black population than Atlanta and some of those cities listed. Boston has a rich black history but I think its lost by those outside of the black community. DC does a far better job of showcasing blacks as being a part of the founding of blacks in this country. I would assume as it has such a high percentage of blacks that still live there.
Foreign blacks have no attachment large interest in that just like any other non domestic black.

[CleverOne]

Originally Posted by Boston Shudra

Alright. Guess I'll bite.

2013 - 5 year ACS

Atlanta city
- 4,946 black foreign born residents.
- 2.14% of all black residents.
- 1.14% of all residents.
Boston city
- 45,585 black foreign born residents.
- 28.8% of all black residents.
- 7.25% of all residents.

Atlanta MSA
- 139,643 black foreign born residents.
- 7.96% of all black residents.
- 2.60% of all residents.
Boston MSA
- 119,849 black foreign born residents.
- 34.3% of all black residents.
- 2.60% of all residents.

Atlanta CSA
- 141,723 black foreign born residents.
- 7.67% of all black residents.
- 2.36% of all residents.
Boston CSA
- 164,449 black foreign born residents.
- 33.9%% of all black residents.
- 2.07% of all residents.

2019 - 5 year ACS

Atlanta city
- 5,930 black foreign born residents.
- 2.38% of all black residents.
- 1.21% of all residents.
Boston city
- 57,881 black foreign born residents.
- 33.5% of all black residents.
- 8.46% of all residents.

Atlanta MSA
- 168,633 black foreign born residents.
- 8.41% of all black residents.
- 2.88% of all residents.
Boston MSA
- 151,296 black foreign born residents.
- 37.6% of all black residents.
- 3.13% of all residents.

Atlanta CSA
- 171,967 black foreign born residents.
- 8.05% of all black residents.
- 2.58% of all residents.
Boston CSA
- 204,725 black foreign born residents.
- 36.4% of all black residents.
- 2.49% of all residents.

Change '13-'19

Atlanta city
- 984 new black foreign born residents.
- 5.64% of new black residents.
- 1.75% of net change in residents.
Boston city
- 12,296 new black foreign born residents.
- 74.3% of new black residents.
- 22.27% of net change in residents.

Atlanta MSA
- 28,990 new black foreign born residents.
- 11.6% of new black residents.
- 6.00% of net change in residents.
Boston MSA
- 31,447 new black foreign born residents.
- 59.0% of new black residents.
- 13.79% of net change in residents.

Atlanta CSA
- 30,244 new black foreign born residents.
- 10.5% of new black residents.
- 4.53% of net change in residents.
Boston CSA
- 39,276 new black foreign born residents.
- 52.5% of new black residents.
- 14.1% of net change in residents.

Source for most numbers, except total population: https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table...5Y2019.B06004B

Already admitted I was wrong. How often do you see that on CD? Or even in thei svery thread about things said about Atlanta?

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by CleverOne

I stand corrected. I was wrong. It happens.....RARELY.
Boston still also has a much lower black population than Atlanta and some of those cities listed. Boston has a rich black history but I think its lost by those outside of the black community. DC does a far better job of showcasing blacks as being a part of the founding of blacks in this country. I would assume as it has such a high percentage of blacks that still live there.
Foreign blacks have no attachment large interest in that just like any other non domestic black.

It happens and its all good. Ive been wrong way more than once on here.

[CleverOne]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

It happens and its all good. Ive been wrong way more than once on here.

[mwj119]

Originally Posted by CleverOne

Johns Creek? I mean it's a nice suburb but hardly noteworthy I would not put in same category as those other two cities you mentioned that have a lot more going on. Roswell,Suwanee,Brookhaven,Covington,etc are more noteworthy

Considering it's international population/diversity and Tier 1 schools.. I'd most certainly consider John's Creek noteworthy in ATL. Would I be wrong to consider it one of the top 10 "best" suburbs in ATL MSA?

It would be the equivalent of Lexington, MA.

That said, Lexington MA is a significantly nicer place than John's Creek. I think comparing those two is fairly representative of comparing the two metros in general.