Looking for suggestions on where to move!! (Atlanta, Columbus: rent, crime)

[kersey16]

Hi, everyone! I currently live in Illinois, but am looking to move down south ASAP. Preferably Georgia, South Carolina, or even Alabama, but definitely open to any other suggestions. Safety is my number one priority! While I love the diversity, and how beautiful the big cities are (e.g. Savannah, GA. or Charleston, SC.) I think crime is too high there and it's also too expensive to live there. I would love a small town. I'm from a town of 1,000 and currently live in a town of 20,000. So no town would be too small for me as long as it's safe and within a 30 minute drive of places to work, eat, shop, etc. I just really want safety and a small-town feel. Let me know if you have any more questions or any ideas! Thank you guys

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by kersey16

Hi, everyone! I currently live in Illinois, but am looking to move down south ASAP. Preferably Georgia, South Carolina, or even Alabama, but definitely open to any other suggestions. Safety is my number one priority! While I love the diversity, and how beautiful the big cities are (e.g. Savannah, GA. or Charleston, SC.) I think crime is too high there and it's also too expensive to live there. I would love a small town. I'm from a town of 1,000 and currently live in a town of 20,000. So no town would be too small for me as long as it's safe and within a 30 minute drive of places to work, eat, shop, etc. I just really want safety and a small-town feel. Let me know if you have any more questions or any ideas! Thank you guys

Your best course of action would be to first secure a good-paying job in any of the states that you might prefer and then look for housing in the kind of small town area that you might prefer that will be convenient to where you will be commuting to and from for work.

Where (what town and/or part of Illinois) are you from?

I ask that question because as two states that both are each largely dominated by one very large major metropolitan area of international importance (Atlanta often completely dominates Georgia like Chicago basically completely dominates Illinois), Georgia and Illinois share some key similarities.

Much like in Illinois where most employment opportunities will be found in, around, close to its dominant large major metro region in the Chicagoland area, most of the of the employment opportunities in Georgia will, by far, be found in and around its dominant large major metro region in the 39-county greater Atlanta metro region.

Both states' dominant large major metro regions are located in the northern part of each state, with Chicagoland being located in the northeastern corner of the state of Illinois and the greater Atlanta metro region being found in about the northern third of the state of Georgia... With the roughly southern geographical two-thirds of the state of Georgia and the southern three-fourths of the state of Illinois being sparsely populated and mostly rural.

Though one key difference between Georgia and Illinois is that the state of Georgia currently seems to be growing faster than the state of Illinois. The state of Georgia currently is experiencing robust on the strength of the robust growth of the greater Atlanta region.

Northern Georgia cities like Gainesville and Athens are two smaller cities on the exurban outskirts of the greater Atlanta region where a decent amount of employment opportunities might be found beyond the metropolitan sprawl of the Atlanta metro area.

Down farther south in the state, Columbus, Augusta and Macon/Warner Robins/Perry (Middle Georgia) are three metro regions along the "Fall Line" (or the 'Gnat Line') where some decent-to-good employment opportunities might be found in the middle-third of the state.

Meanwhile, some decent-to-good employment opportunities (including many logistical and warehousing jobs and many service jobs) will be found in and around the Savannah area... An area that is anchored by the very fast-growing seaport at the Port of Savannah and stretches into the neighboring state of South Carolina to encompass the popular Hilton Head Island area.

The Chattanooga, Tennessee metro area (which spreads into the northwestern part of Georgia) will also be a good area to look for employment opportunities.

[AnsleyPark]

If you are open to Alabama, you might want to look in and around the Pensacola, Florida, area as well. There are numerous nice smaller towns in that neck of the woods, close to the Gulf, and there seems to be a decent economy (jobs). Just something to think about. It is very pretty there.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by kersey16

Hi, everyone! I currently live in Illinois, but am looking to move down south ASAP. Preferably Georgia, South Carolina, or even Alabama, but definitely open to any other suggestions. Safety is my number one priority! While I love the diversity, and how beautiful the big cities are (e.g. Savannah, GA. or Charleston, SC.) I think crime is too high there and it's also too expensive to live there. I would love a small town. I'm from a town of 1,000 and currently live in a town of 20,000. So no town would be too small for me as long as it's safe and within a 30 minute drive of places to work, eat, shop, etc. I just really want safety and a small-town feel. Let me know if you have any more questions or any ideas! Thank you guys

Hi there! I'm researching similarly (out of Florida) and can give you some ideas that I have come across that could be good fits for you as well. While Atlanta is obviously too large there are towns within fairly close proximity that take advantage of the good job economy, but retain the safety and charm I think you're looking for. In close proximity to Atlanta you might check out towns like Roswell or Decatur which have small town character and cute downtown areas, with a walkable factor as well. In South Carolina similar towns in proximity to good job economies and have other criteria you're looking for are places like Newberry or Sumter. Love to hear your thoughts!

[OneDawg]

It all depends on what you want. Rent first. First find that you like a particular area secure a job there.

[OneDawg]

I guess telling someone to read the DM's I sent is now off topic?