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Atlanta Metro is 3X or so larger than that of the Raleigh area.
That said, Atlanta has more upscale neighborhoods and shopping. Just because it's larger and more populated doesn't mean you're going to be living a city life. It's a very suburban Metropolitan area. So if you're not looking for hustle and bustle crowded, you can still be close-in in Atlanta and still have a quiet single family home at good price points plus you can enjoy the "big city amenities" ATL has to offer when you want (bigger concerts/events, shopping, etc.
I'd say definitely explore places in Atlanta. Don't dismiss it because it is a populated Metropolitan area and you'll assume it's too fast paced. Traffic wont be so bad since I assume you're not going to be commuting downtown daily during work hours. Atlanta has a lot to offer.
(FYI, I'm championing Atlanta because I know people are going to push Raleigh only due to size. Check out what ATL has to offer)
In my opinion, Raleigh is a more plausible option than Atlanta for you and your partner. First of all, you and your family previously lived in Raleigh in the not-so-distant past, so I presume you have an existing support system in the Raleigh area, which would likely make the transition smoother.
Also, the Raleigh area has a significantly smaller population than the Atlanta area, which implies that "activities of daily living" will be more manageable in the Raleigh area, regardless of whether you are living in Downtown Raleigh or on the outskirts of town. If I was older, I would prefer to live in a less populous area to keep my stress level as low as as possible.
From a geographic standpoint, Raleigh is more centrally located on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. As a result, Raleigh is within reasonable driving distance to the nation's capitol (Washington, DC) and the first permanent English settlement in the present-day United States (Jamestown, VA). Also, Raleigh is closer to coast than Atlanta, which is an important consideration if you and your family are beachgoers or enjoy being on/near the ocean. Personally, I feel as if North Carolina is a safer, more prosperous state that Georgia.
Like I always say, "better the devil you know than the devil you don't." If I was older and coming off of a poor five-year living experience in Florida, then I would be less inclined to relocate to a completely new place, such as Atlanta, for example. Remember, Atlanta is located in a state that neighbors Florida and, as a result, attracts a high number of transplants from Florida. By returning to Raleigh, it may feel as if you are returning home instead of starting over.
Awesome post!! I’m in total agreement and contemplated much of what you said. I guess I needed to hear that from someone else. Being someone who’s lived through the US and other countries my nature is to continue exploring. That being said it’s also time I set roots as well which is why Raleigh is still #1 to us. The good thing is Atlanta is about 6-7hrs away for a nice weekend drive as desire arises. Much appreciate your income.
We lived in Atlanta area until 15 years ago, but left due to the company downsizing and we wanted to get to a less expensive place getting ready to retire.
Atlanta is as good as it gets for a mega city. But the traffic is simply debilitating, and it's too busy for me. We do keep a RV in the Northeast Georgia Mountains, and love it up there in a more simple world.
If you have a choice where to live, there are many other great cities in the south that are not as busy as Raleigh or Atlanta suburbs. There are also places that are cheaper to live.
We have settled outside of Huntsville, one of the smartest cities in the world. The economy here is tops--anywhere. But we absolutely love the Tennessee River and our lake house at Muscle Shoals. Guntersville, AL is another absolutely beautiful city with the lake in the middle of town.
We love Young Harris and Hiawassee, Georgia in the northeast corner of the state. Breathtaking mountain vistas.
Morristown, Greeneville, Jonesborough and Johnson City, Tennessee are other very livable and beautiful places with cheap taxes and really nice homes. The region has it all.
Banner/Elk and Boone, NC are incredibly beautiful places and great retirement communities.
NW South Carolina is absolutely beautiful and Greenville and surrounding cities have mountains and wonderful lakes. It's a very nice society too.
There are just so many places to consider living outside of big, hot congested cities.
Yeah we also considered strongly the mountains of western NC. I’m pretty familiar with the state at least 88 of 100 counties. Love the mountains. Naturally have to consider the medical and VA hospital facilities within reasonable distance so that’s an added factor I may not have mentioned. Great thing about retirement is not having time restrictions. One can hit the road off rush hour.
If you haven't been to Atlanta in 20 years you definitely won't recognize it. Atlanta metro is huge and of course that means more amenities and everything a big city has to offer. However, that also means more traffic and generally a more fast paced lifestyle. It really comes down to if you want a really large city or a not so large city. Raleigh area is really nice and has everything you need. The only thing Raleigh doesn't have is the NBA and NFL but you can always drive to Charlotte to catch a game if you're into pro sports. I feel like you would enjoy Raleigh more at your stage in life and you're already familiar with it so it will be a easier transition to just go back to North Carolina. You should explore Atlanta though and some of the areas on the outskirts of the metro that are more quiet and peaceful like Gainesville, Canton, Peachtree City, Newnan, Dallas, GA. Basically you don't want to live in one of the core counties because you will have to deal with traffic and more people so stay away from Fulton, Cobb, Dekalb, Gwinnett, and Clayton county.
I’m in total agreement with you in terms of the growth and traffic from what I’ve researched and conversations with co-workers who frequently travel there. It’s sounds like it’s becoming more like DC with the congestion and cost. It’s a matter of picking your poison. Raleigh area is still quite manageable and more centrally located on East coast so it’s a major plus being roughly halfway between DC and Atlanta.
Atlanta Metro is 3X or so larger than that of the Raleigh area.
That said, Atlanta has more upscale neighborhoods and shopping. Just because it's larger and more populated doesn't mean you're going to be living a city life. It's a very suburban Metropolitan area. So if you're not looking for hustle and bustle crowded, you can still be close-in in Atlanta and still have a quiet single family home at good price points plus you can enjoy the "big city amenities" ATL has to offer when you want (bigger concerts/events, shopping, etc.
I'd say definitely explore places in Atlanta. Don't dismiss it because it is a populated Metropolitan area and you'll assume it's too fast paced. Traffic wont be so bad since I assume you're not going to be commuting downtown daily during work hours. Atlanta has a lot to offer.
(FYI, I'm championing Atlanta because I know people are going to push Raleigh only due to size. Check out what ATL has to offer)
I’m certainly going to visit Atlanta and research more even though RDU is still our first choice. Much appreciate your suggestions.
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