Neighborhood Comparisons between Atlanta and New York (compared, life, people)

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by JahshimR

I thought hard to come up with an area even remotely comparable between Atlanta and New York. I guess you could maybe compare some of the neighborhoods in the outer reaches of the boroughs like Queens or Staten Island, but intown you won't find anything. I was just walking through Manhattan a few days ago and all I kept doing was thinking to myself how night and day Atlanta and New York are. I find that West End comparison to Harlem to be laughable. The West End isn't the Harlem of ANYTHING. Again, maybe some of these tucked in neighborhoods might give you a slight feel of NYC, but if anyone is looking for a close comparison or planning on moving down here based on finding a similar feel, you'll be highly disappointed. Atlanta is Atlanta and that's it. Off topic, but I feel Atlanta tries to punch above it's weight class when it comes to trying to stack up with major cities like NY or Chicago. Atlanta is a great small to mid sized southern city and it should be proud of that. I'm speaking as an Atlanta resident of over 14 years that lived my entire life in NYC prior to that.

I totally agree with this.

To compare Atlanta neighborhoods to New York City neighborhoods, first off, Atlanta would need density of buildings and density of people.

Those are the 2 things that Atlanta does not have, when speaking about the city layout in general, and comparing it to anything in New York City.

The city of Atlanta is a very suburban, spread out, lower density city that sprawls beyond belief in its suburbs and outer exurbs and metro region. Granted, in recent years, the city has been infilling quite nicely in some areas, namely the west side, midtown and east side, but it is still a sprawling, light density suburban type of city, when comparing to any large midwest or northeastern city.

I grew up visiting Atlanta, and lived in Atlanta for 2 1/2 years right out of college. I loved it, and still do. I visit quite often since I have family that lives there today, and in the metro region. Atlanta is one of my favorite metro areas in the US.

With that being said, the closest part of NYC that Atlanta could really compare itself to, would be Staten Island. And Staten Island is far more built out and dense than Atlanta, on the whole.

Staten Island population density: 8,163.1/sq mi
Atlanta population density: 3,848/sq mi

[BKafrican1]

Originally Posted by DaBears02

LMAO what. Other than MARTA there’s nothing really special about those links you won’t find in Houston. Mind you I already said Atlanta is more urban in the other thread but to act like it’s so much more urban than Houston is interesting. They’re in the same category ESPECIALLY in comparison to New York. That is all I’ll say about this since Atlanta vs Houston is not the thread here.

Back to the point of this thread. It’s really hard to compare Atlanta neighborhoods to the ones in New York since the nature the cities are built in are so different. I think to make the comparison happen people need to look less at the built environment of the neighborhoods and more at how the neighborhoods function/the role they play to their city.

You definitely can find similarities as you go further out in the boroughs. eastVillage Atlanta could def be bushwick right around the Morgan L train stop. Those neighborhoods like kirkwood Cabbagetown Old fourth ward etc could easily fit right in the neighborhoods in brooklyn. Ditmars Borough Park Kensington etc. Atlanta is built more like an East Coast city than the Texas cities.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

I totally agree with this.

To compare Atlanta neighborhoods to New York City neighborhoods, first off, Atlanta would need density of buildings and density of people.

Those are the 2 things that Atlanta does not have, when speaking about the city layout in general, and comparing it to anything in New York City.

The city of Atlanta is a very suburban, spread out, lower density city that sprawls beyond belief in its suburbs and outer exurbs and metro region. Granted, in recent years, the city has been infilling quite nicely in some areas, namely the west side, midtown and east side, but it is still a sprawling, light density suburban type of city, when comparing to any large midwest or northeastern city.

I grew up visiting Atlanta, and lived in Atlanta for 2 1/2 years right out of college. I loved it, and still do. I visit quite often since I have family that lives there today, and in the metro region. Atlanta is one of my favorite metro areas in the US.

With that being said, the closest part of NYC that Atlanta could really compare itself to, would be Staten Island. And Staten Island is far more built out and dense than Atlanta, on the whole.

Staten Island population density: 8,163.1/sq mi
Atlanta population density: 3,848/sq mi

As a whole, of course it won't compare. But Atlanta is composed of different, disconnected urban neighborhoods, and some of them certainly could fit into parts of NYC. Looking at overall density numbers for Atlanta will always be misleading, as between these neighborhoods, you do have said massive sprawl connected by giant highways, hills and forests. No one would dare to say that overall it feels like NYC, pretty much anywhere in the city, but some blocks/neighborhoods can give off a similar vibe, if only through the infrastructure.

Originally Posted by BKafrican1

You definitely can find similarities as you go further out in the boroughs. eastVillage Atlanta could def be bushwick right around the Morgan L train stop. Those neighborhoods like kirkwood Cabbagetown Old fourth ward etc could easily fit right in the neighborhoods in brooklyn. Ditmars Borough Park Kensington etc. Atlanta is built more like an East Coast city than the Texas cities.

Definitely this.

[DaBears02]

Originally Posted by BKafrican1

You definitely can find similarities as you go further out in the boroughs. eastVillage Atlanta could def be bushwick right around the Morgan L train stop. Those neighborhoods like kirkwood Cabbagetown Old fourth ward etc could easily fit right in the neighborhoods in brooklyn. Ditmars Borough Park Kensington etc. Atlanta is built more like an East Coast city than the Texas cities.

Sure Atlanta looks a little more east coast like that the Texas cities (emphasis on a little) but it still looks a lot more similar to Houston or Dallas than it does NYC. That’s my point.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by DaBears02

Sure Atlanta looks a little more east coast like that the Texas cities (emphasis on a little) but it still looks a lot more similar to Houston or Dallas than it does NYC. That’s my point.

Looks? I'm not sure I'd agree. Overall feel? Yes. Car-centric sprawl. But the older infrastructure and grittiness of Atlanta's many neighborhoods just doesn't look anything like any of the Texas cities. Comparing it to NYC is a stretch, but it certainly gives more NE vibes than it does Texas, or pretty much any sunbelt city in general.

Maybe Albany would be a better comparison:

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6598...7i16384!8i8192

[Redlionjr]

Originally Posted by DaBears02

Sure Atlanta looks a little more east coast like that the Texas cities (emphasis on a little) but it still looks a lot more similar to Houston or Dallas than it does NYC. That’s my point.

Originally Posted by Arcenal813

Looks? I'm not sure I'd agree. Overall feel? Yes. Car-centric sprawl. But the older infrastructure and grittiness of Atlanta's many neighborhoods just doesn't look anything like any of the Texas cities. Comparing it to NYC is a stretch, but it certainly gives more NE vibes than it does Texas, or pretty much any sunbelt city in general.

Maybe Albany would be a better comparison:

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6598...7i16384!8i8192

Maybe its just me but I think parts of Atlanta look more like parts of D.C. than it does any other city in the Northeast. I'm talking more of the residential areas of D.C. outside the heavy urban core. I even feel like alot of the Northern burbs of Atlanta look like burbs in the DMV area.

I do think Buckhead's commercial area kinda resembles areas of Houston like the Galleria/Uptown area or Dallas version of those areas. I also think the burbs along I-85 North remind me of driving on interstates in Houston and Dallas.

[DaBears02]

Originally Posted by Redlionjr

Maybe its just me but I think parts of Atlanta look more like parts of D.C. than it does any other city in the Northeast. I'm talking more of the residential areas of D.C. outside the heavy urban core. I even feel like alot of the Northern burbs of Atlanta look like burbs in the DMV area.

I do think Buckhead's commercial area kinda resembles areas of Houston like the Galleria/Uptown area or Dallas version of those areas. I also think the burbs along I-85 North remind me of driving on interstates in Houston and Dallas.

I actually agree with this a lot. North Atlanta’s suburbs feel a lot like DC’s suburbs (especially NOVA outside of Alexandria and the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor). 85 also feels very Texas like with the access roads and stuff lining the sides of the highway.

[outofhere2020]

Just to reiterate the OP— they didn’t say how do Atlanta and NYC “look alike.” Comparing cities is broader than that, and it doesn’t stop at similarities in built environment.

What about the people they attract, the kinds of industry, the culture, attitude and behavior of their residents, etc. We all know the two cities don’t look alike people, lol.

[JoeJunior]

I lived in the NE suburbs of Atlanta for 10 years in a swim/tennis community in a 4200 square foot home.

Reading about the comparisons of neighborhoods between ATL and NYC is interesting.

But I only knew one person that lived within the I-285 Perimeter as they call it. My best friend built a 7700 square foot home in Buckhead on a 2 acre lot. His cost of living was more in line with what someone in a small Brownstone in the Upper Westside of Manhattan would be.

It's difficult to compare anything in Atlanta with NYC because the quality of life in Atlanta is so much more affordable. Most people are living in homes in the 'burbs that would simply be unaffordable in NYC.

[BrooklynJo]

Originally Posted by JoeJunior

I lived in the NE suburbs of Atlanta for 10 years in a swim/tennis community in a 4200 square foot home.

Reading about the comparisons of neighborhoods between ATL and NYC is interesting.

But I only knew one person that lived within the I-285 Perimeter as they call it. My best friend built a 7700 square foot home in Buckhead on a 2 acre lot. His cost of living was more in line with what someone in a small Brownstone in the Upper Westside of Manhattan would be.

It's difficult to compare anything in Atlanta with NYC because the quality of life in Atlanta is so much more affordable. Most people are living in homes in the 'burbs that would simply be unaffordable in NYC.

There is nothing "small" about the brownstones in Manhattan or Brooklyn. I would suggest you look at the square footage of an entire brownstone (not a unit) on a real estate page first. Those brownstones can easily go over 2,000 square feet.