Move to Athens, GA? (Atlanta, Savannah: home, employment, neighborhood)

[Professor46]

I grew up in Pennsylvania (near Harrisburg), lived in Seattle for 13 years, and moved to Buffalo, NY for a job in 2008. The job is no longer, and I'm finally looking for a warmer and sunnier place to live (which I have wanted for 25 years - I'm 46). I've traveled a lot and done a lot of research, and I have pretty much ruled out Austin and Tucson and a few spots in Florida because they are either too pricey or too hot. My goal is to live outside as much as I can - and that is tough to do here because it's cold and gray for half the year, and I figure it would also be hard to do somewhere super hot -- because who wants to be running or playing tennis when it's 95 and humid for months on end?

I'd also like a college town since I'm a professor, and though I teach online for the University of Colorado now (after teaching for the State University of New York for 5 years), I might like to look for something part-time and/or could need a large student base from which to build the consulting business I just started.

After looking around a lot (online mainly) I have found Athens appealing. I love college towns, it seems affordable, it's close to a larger city (Atlanta - where I have friends) and the weather looks about right for my goals. It seems artsy and outdoorsy, too. I could even get to Savannah or Charleston in 4-5 hours which isn't bad.

Given all of this, do you think it'd be a good choice? I hope to visit in October.

Thanks for your input!

P.S. - looked for other threads on Athens but found none that seemed to fit or be current.

[BullochResident]

Have you tried looking at Statesboro yet? We're a growing city with a large university. Pretty close to Savannah as well.

[Professor46]

Thanks BullochResident - I didn't know about Statesboro - looks like a possibility!

[BullochResident]

Originally Posted by Professor46

Thanks BullochResident - I didn't know about Statesboro - looks like a possibility!

Good to hear!

We aren't as well known as some of the big schools around here (such as Auburn, UGA, or UFL), but we are trying hard to change that!

[Newsboy]

Coming from Pennsylvania, Seattle and Buffalo, I think you'd find Athens very much to your liking. It's the quintessential college town, and then some. Great place. Very hilly and pretty. Four seasons. In the foothills of the Blue Ridge, very close to large lakes, mountains and of course, Metro Atlanta. Huge huge HUGE arts and music community. Very large, visible, active hippy / granola / alternative population that exists completely outside of the realm of UGA. Many people are drawn to Athens for the university, but choose to stay because it's such a great town.

[Professor46]

Thank you so much Newsboy - this is exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for! Very helpful.

[FromGA]

Not sure if you have seen this thread I started:
//www.city-data.com/forum/georg...s-georgia.html

Athens is a really nice place. I lived there many years. Other than living in Atlanta if for employment purposes, I think Athens is a top place in Georgia to live.

[ReturningWest]

I live in the next county over and work in Athens, you say you want warm and sunny, but I will warn you down here along with warm comes humidity and bugs. For me I'm trapped in doors during most of the year here as the heat/humidity has become too much for me to handle. You need to visit during the summer and see if you can stand it. I will also warn you when college is in session everything is packed and you need to learn the football schedule during the fall in order to get around. While Athens is a college town it's also a BIG football town. I can think of a lot of other nicer college towns I'd prefer.

Athens is a relatively small town and out side of town is rural - very rural. There is only a few walkable blocks in downtown Athens and the roads are old and narrow and not real suitable for a lot of biking although I do see several bikers but few bike lanes to be had.

How big of a college and how big of a college town do you want? It does make a difference.

[cwkimbro]

OP,

Athens is definitely suitable to what you want. I was there for 7 years as a student and loved every bit of it. Much of what has been said it true.

It will be hot and humid (Most of the Southeast is a humid, sub-tropical environment after all). It is worth noting to the previous reply that they are returning west, which generally has low levels of humidity. You can expect the humidity to be about halfway between Florida/Gulf Coast and what you experienced in the summer in Pennsylvania.

During the 3 summer months you should expect the daily temperature highs to be in the 80s and 90s with nightly lows in the upper 60s to upper 70s. It is often quite pleasant at night, but can be a bit brutal during the afternoons and early evenings during the 3 summer months. The rest of the year is much more mild and pleasant. There is a real winter here. It will get cold. You just won't have near as much snow. Do expect a few occasional ice storms. They are just infrequent enough that the amount of aging pine trees builds up and when one comes along they fall and lose limbs, so occasional winter storms still cause problems.

Since you mentioned Tucson and Austin... Athens is 1/4 the size of Austin but even beyond that, it is much less white-collar. Pro and Con... it doesn't bring in the wealth and attention, but there is a hidden to many industrial belt around the town that brings in blue collar jobs. What is interesting about this is it leaves the town center more untouched to be more college retail/service/bar oriented. Its a metro of 190,000, but with a town center that feels more about 70,000 live there and is college oriented. This also makes the metro poorer, than a city like Austin.... however far more affordable.

I'd definitely keep it on your list to visit. It is worth the attention, but you should make sure its a good fit. If you have kids... DO make sure to look at Oconee County during your visit. It is very rural-suburban-ish. It is very, new middle class... but it is where most the good public schools are and many professors raise their children. If you don't have children there are many nice affordable town-like properties in the city.

ReturningWest's comments are a bit fair for cyclers, but I don't think its quite as bad as it seems. There are neighborhood roads that are pretty safe and there is a greenway going to a large park. The city does have a few on-street bike lanes in key areas near downtown and campus, but there are a few discontinuities with busy and narrow streets. There is a small bike culture in the city, a few local cycle teams, and there is an annual professional bicycle race called the Athens Twilight Criterium.

DO expect football to completely take over the city 7 Saturdays a year. Don't fight it, just go with it or stay home and relax or take a day trip to Atlanta.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by ReturningWest

I live in the next county over and work in Athens, you say you want warm and sunny, but I will warn you down here along with warm comes humidity and bugs. For me I'm trapped in doors during most of the year here as the heat/humidity has become too much for me to handle. You need to visit during the summer and see if you can stand it. I will also warn you when college is in session everything is packed and you need to learn the football schedule during the fall in order to get around. While Athens is a college town it's also a BIG football town. I can think of a lot of other nicer college towns I'd prefer.

Athens is a relatively small town and out side of town is rural - very rural. There is only a few walkable blocks in downtown Athens and the roads are old and narrow and not real suitable for a lot of biking although I do see several bikers but few bike lanes to be had.

How big of a college and how big of a college town do you want? It does make a difference.

Your screen name pretty much gives away your agenda. I trust that the OP can read beyond your obvious negative bias.

Athens is an amazing town. The national media has recognized this for decades.