Non-Southern & Southern Town Comparisons (Atlanta, Columbus: transplants, crime rates, home)

[Motion]

I've noticed how often when people make North vs South comparisons it's usually comparisons between northern cities and southern towns. Well I'd like to compare apples to apples. I'd like to hear from those who have lived in or visited towns in the northeast,midwest & west coast that were similar in size to the southern town you're from and vice versa for the non-southerners. I'am wondering how similar a 25,000 population town in Georgia is in comparison to 25,000 population towns in Illinois,Ohio,Massachusetts and NY as far as the pace of life,the character of the people and with things to do etc.

[irishvanguard]

Good idea. Also, let's refine the criteria to include the small town can't be within a statistical metropolitan area (in either the South or North or Midwest). It needs to be at least 45 minutes away, or else it's just a spunoff metro community.

[pickleswanson]

Very similar cities: Peachtree City, GA & Thousand Oaks, CA. Don't know about population comparisons but living right beside Thousand Oaks now and lived right beside or in PTC for about 15 years and even though 1000 Oaks is more built out with businesses the two have a very similar feel and both are about a 40 minute drive into a major town; LA/ATL.

One other similar town but never lived in one of them is Jacksonville, FL and Traverse City, MI. Lived in JAX for about 3 months near for about 9 yrs and only visited Traverse for a few weeks. Both seemed very much alike to me socially speaking anyway. Both were tons of fun and I'd choose to live in either again. Same for PTC and 1000 Oaks too.

[deja-zebbie]

Motion,

Did you want to include the WEST in your comparison? I notice that you include the West COAST. There is a lot of the west that is not ON the coast like several of the Western states that don't even have a coast.

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I get the sense from your post that you may have heard unfavorable comparisons of the South to other areas of the country. You are absolutely right about the need for accuracy in comparisons. One cannot move to a small town or rural area and expect the same amenities that are generally found in a City. Of course there are cities in Georgia that offer such amenities.

Seems like a lot of folks who write to this forum want a Mayberry -- but a Mayberry with great schools RATINGS, good shopping, cheap housing and land and, of course, close access to a larger city. Lots of these amenities can't always be found in the same location. Forgive me for being snide, but I keep waiting for people to toss in "close to the mountains AND the ocean"

Frankly, we find the piedmont region of Georgia so visually appealing and the folks here so charming that we jumped at the chance to leave the sprawl and high crime rates of our former home (in a Western state) for rural Georgia where civility is the norm, rather than the exception and where life CAN be a joy rather than a daily struggle.

zebbie

[irvm]

Originally Posted by deja-zebbie

Seems like a lot of folks who write to this forum want a Mayberry -- but a Mayberry with great schools RATINGS, good shopping, cheap housing and land and, of course, close access to a larger city. Lots of these amenities can't always be found in the same location. Forgive me for being snide, but I keep waiting for people to toss in "close to the mountains AND the ocean"
zebbie

You've got that right. Mayberry, but please add the Metropolitan Opera.
And don't forget 'diversity', which I am beginning to think is just another feel-good buzzword. Probably invented in California. Bet it means very different things to different people, if they were to be honest about it.

[atlantagreg30127]

I'll compare my home town of Charleston, West Virginia to Chattanooga, Tennessee.

When I first came to Atlanta and went up to Chattanooga for a weekend, it was very creepy - like one of those 1950s Twilight Zone episodes. Chattanooga sits on a river, in a valley, and has a downtown area that is pretty much the same size and layout as Charleston, WV. Strangely enough, both cities have a main street downtown lined with trees, and in front of an old Woolworth store (in BOTH cities) stands a large black iron clock... both cities have an identical clock as well! The one exception is that our old Woolworth store was converted into something else, but it's still strange.

Both cities sit on rivers that are around the same size/width, and both cities have paddleboats that give rides to tourists. Both have access to mountains, trails, and other outdoor activities, and both have roughly the same population. So, after my initial visit to Chattanooga, it was pretty mind blowing regarding the similarities.

As far as differences, it boils down to the people. In Charleston, WV., the Appalachian people are quieter, more "to themselves", and while religious, tend to keep religion under wraps or should I say more private. The people in Chattanooga are more deep south - more talkative, more touchy/feely. I found a lot of people touching me when they talked to me.. patting me on the shoulder, shaking hands more often, etc... you do NOT see that much touching back home. Down here folks tend to be much more outspoken about their religious beliefs to others, which is good or bad depending on who you are. You're more likely to have someone in Chattanooga openly as you if you've "been saved", or which church you go to or if you go at all, and a local would just smile and answer them, whereas back home most likely it would be a, "it's none of your business - get out of my face", type of reply. In other words, "mountain people" don't like to be cornered.

Food is a little different. Charleston is just far enough north to get that influence, and just far enough south to get some of that. So, back home we do eat bagels and cream cheese, put brown gravy on french fries, and Philly sandwhiches are popular, but we also drink sweet iced tea as well. BBQ is not as popular as it is in the south or Chattanooga, and things like collard greens and grits are almost nonexistant at least in the circles I knew back home as well.

Last would simply be location. Chattanooga DOES benefit financially from being so close to Atlanta and Nashville. They get "day trip" people from both large metro areas, so as a result, their downtown area is much more vibrant than Charleston, WV's. They have the Aquarium, varied other attractions, and a busy restaurant/bar scene downtown, and many people from Atlanta and Nashville will zip over to Chattanooga just to spend the day around this stuff. Charleston lacks this because the closest larger cities are Pittsburgh and Columbus, and both are just over 3.5 to 4 hours away - just out of range of a "day trip" for many, so they don't get the weekend visitors that Chattanooga gets. So Charleston has a more stagnant tourism business and downtown pretty much dries up after 5pm unless there's a special event or festival going on.

So that's my own N/S comparison.

[Motion]

Originally Posted by deja-zebbie

Did you want to include the WEST in your comparison?

Yeah the western part can be included,not just the coastal states.

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I get the sense from your post that you may have heard unfavorable comparisons of the South to other areas of the country...

I just noticed that often southern towns get compared to northeastern and midwestern cities more than they need to. I think people forget that the north has towns to. Like how I've seen people point out that Atlanta is "different" from the rest of Georgia. But the same could be said of Philadelphia in comparison to the rest of Pennsylvania or Chicago to the rest of Illinois. I remember reading on the NY forums where a guy from a rural upstate New York town had a hard time convicing some friends who were from outside NY that he actually came from a NY town that had farms because his friends couldn't imagine a rural smalltown New York. They could only relate to NYC when it came to NY. Maybe this is related to how different states are portrayed in the media?

[small town south]

I lived in a small town in MA about half way between Boston and Providence, RI for 14 years, and currently live in a small town about half way between Atlanta and Augusta. Living in MA small town was alot like living in small town GA - many of my friends in MA actually grew up in the town, many relatives there, the businesses there were run by folks I knew and who knew my name. People were friendly and were always there to help in times of illness, etc. I loved living there - other than tiring of the very long winters. Of course, taxes were higher and most living costs were higher than in GA. But there were more conveniences close by and most businesses and restaurants were open Sundays. However, it is more peaceful here....

[Motion]

Originally Posted by small town south

I lived in a small town in MA about half way between Boston and Providence, RI for 14 years, and currently live in a small town about half way between Atlanta and Augusta. Living in MA small town was alot like living in small town GA...

I guess the main differences were the weather and accents?

Do you find people in your MA town to have a different religious attitude than those in your GA town?

[ptcgirl]

I think Peachtree City, GA and Carlsbad, CA (40 miles north of San Diego) are very similar. We've lived in both and really like both. The cost of living is MUCH less in PTC, but then again, it doesn't have the coast. I think the reason that they are so similar is that nearly everyone in both places is from a different area of the country or world(transplants). Crime rates are similar. Schools are excellent. Recreation and family life is a high priority.