Wanting to leave the West coast (Atlanta, Savannah: fit in, renting, crime)

[rawlinsclan6]

My husband and I with our 4 kids are looking to move in the next year or so to Georgia. I have tried to narrow it down to a few smaller cities but without ever having been there it has proven difficult. So I am coming to you..... My husband is in landscape so he can pretty much work anywhere. I am a stay at home mom. I have 3 kiddos in school and 1 still home with me and I plan on going to work at least part time once she is in school. Now what we are looking for is this.

Must haves!!!!

1- a smaller city with 1 of everything we don't want or need anything of abundance.
2- decent schools as I do work with them at home and can get them ahead if need be.
3- a city we can live on 1 decent income as we will be renting at first
4- lower crime I am not saying non existent cuz that would never happen.
5- conservative, I am not die hard but some decent equal like like minded people would be nice.
6- nice friendly neighborhood. Where kids can be kids and be nice and playing together in the yard or riding bikes TOGETHER is more important than who got the latest video game or who's parents have more money or nicer vehicle. I don't play the keeping up with the Joneses game.

Would be nice-
An area with less bugs... Lol
A nice mixed area with different races as I have raised my children that skin color means nothing everyone bleeds the same.
Outdoor activities. We are very outdoorsy people. LOVE LOVE camping, fishing, hunting, picnics, ect.... ( maybe a must have)
A place where people in general are happy, with life, with what they have ect... Again not keeping up with the Joneses....

Must not-
Be Savannah.... I would consider a more inland town but I am not a coastal kind of person.
Not towards Florida. I am considering more central to northern Georgia.

Any advice, comments, opinions are greatly appreciated.

Not many may be happy to hear it but we are coming from northern Cali, and looking to find the opposite of what we have here, we don't really feel that we fit in, our views of life are just to different for here. As a 1 income family it sucks here. We looking to "upgrade" our lifestyle and meaning in life by slowing down.
Again thank you for any feedback. Have a great day.

[Iconographer]

You might look into Watkinsville, an artsy, friendly and laid-back central GA town that among other things serves as a bedroom community for nearby Athens (home of the University of Georgia). Among other things, the local school system (Oconee County) is a draw for families, and Lake Oconee is a popular recreation spot on weekends.
Atlanta is about 1 hour away.

What to do in Watkinsville, Georgia | Tourism & Travel Information

[Brian_M]

2, 4, and 5 are all going to be Very difficult to do on the income of a landscaper, unless he's doing landscape projects for billionaires.

GA has some of the worst schools in the nation, and this has been true for Decades (my in-laws suffered so they could put their kids through private schools in the 1980's and 90's, 6 of their cousins are now teachers in GA and have nothing positive to say). I'm child-free, but I can't imagine any parent willingly giving their kids less than the best chance for education. Talking very generally, only Maryland and Florida have better education systems than California (according to US News, who tend to have the metrics that everyone else quotes).

The SE as a whole cover 7 of the 10 most dangerous (crime related) states in the country. The safest are the mountain west and NE areas.

And finally, every metric shows GA being full on blue by 2020.

Yes, there are Always pockets that buck the trend, but those are ever shrinking pockets that are encroached upon by that which you're trying to avoid. I'm biased, I don't like a whole lot of things about GA and am actively working to get out of this state and back to one that more closely aligns with my own conservative values. Hard when my wife was born and raised here though, and doesn't want to leave her family. I simply caution you about GA... do your homework, don't listen to much to the echo chambers, like here, where people glaze over the bad because they simply accept it.

Hope you don't mind handing over 7% of each of your vehicles value to the state within the first 30 days here. Yup, that's what it costs to get it legal here... all the best if you have a vehicle with high MSRP.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by Brian_M

And finally, every metric shows GA being full on blue by 2020.

I'd like to see your source on this tidbit.

Originally Posted by Brian_M

I'm biased

That's all the OP needs to know.

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

You might look into Watkinsville, an artsy, friendly and laid-back central GA town that among other things serves as a bedroom community for nearby Athens (home of the University of Georgia). Among other things, the local school system (Oconee County) is a draw for families, and Lake Oconee is a popular recreation spot on weekends.
Atlanta is about 1 hour away.

What to do in Watkinsville, Georgia | Tourism & Travel Information

Exactly the place I was thinking of.

Originally Posted by Brian_M

GA has some of the worst schools in the nation, and this has been true for Decades (my in-laws suffered so they could put their kids through private schools in the 1980's and 90's, 6 of their cousins are now teachers in GA and have nothing positive to say). I'm child-free, but I can't imagine any parent willingly giving their kids less than the best chance for education. Talking very generally, only Maryland and Florida have better education systems than California (according to US News, who tend to have the metrics that everyone else quotes).

OP, pay no mind to the "All schools in GA are bad" diatribe.
You won't be living in Warm Springs (a town with under 1000 people) that's not really close to any decent sized cities.
Here's the US News report for Oconee County High. Ranked 480th in national rankings.
I don't know where exactly in the Redding area you are but hopefully you're familiar with the schools there. University Prep sounds like a charter or magnet school. Shasta high is outside of the top 2000 so maybe you can use that as a comparison.

UGA is right next door in Athens and generally professors demand strong public schools in the area. I know this was the case when I was in College Station, TX (Texas A&M).

[rawlinsclan6]

I know all to well about the schools here. Lol..... And I have also looked up a lot of school rating there. I know there not so bad. Just like anywhere in the US its just about the neighborhood. And the cost of living seems reasonable for us as even now tho we barely get pay check to pay check I feel we will have no problem living on 1 income there. I thank you all for the replies. I am looking for maybe 2 or 3 more places, with a a little bigger population. Around 10-20,000 would be nice. As me and the hubby are heading that way in a few months. We will be flying into Atlanta, and renting a car for 4-5 days. So a couple more towns and I would like to visit a few must try restaurants if you all have some must see or must try, that would be great. This will be a kid free event so bring it on. Lol.... Thanks again for the replies.

[aslowdodge]

I don't think Ga is for you if you are looking for less bugs than Ca!

[rawlinsclan6]

Not necessarily less than here, just least amount in Georgia. Bugs are bugs.... But I know some areas are probably worse than others.

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by rawlinsclan6

Not necessarily less than here, just least amount in Georgia. Bugs are bugs.... But I know some areas are probably worse than others.

Below the Gnat Line, er, Fall Line seems to have more bugs (and gnats obviously) though the differences may be unsubstantial

[GatorsZ71]

Yeah stay above Macon, although the mosquitoes are all over in the hot months and they will try to carry you away, other than that not too bad around Atlanta and the cities surrounding here.