Living Btw Columbus and Atlanta (Peachtree City, Newnan: buying a house, look for job, buying)

[RN_Danbury]

I am moving from NYC for a job in Columbus GA downtown. But I do not want to move my family all the way to Columbus as it would be too much of a transition and just in case the columbus job doesn't work out I want flexibility to look for a job in Atlanta without uprooting my family.

I am, therefore, looking for good school district town to live btw Atlanta and Columbus. Strong and diverse community with good education. A town from where I can commute to Columbus and also commute to Atlanta.

Can you please suggest any good options? I do not mind if I am driving around 100+ miles round trip every day.

thanks in advance.

[JayHey]

You should just live in Columbus, that's a stupid amount of driving and sitting in traffic every day and the towns in between are going to be smaller than Columbus, so Atlanta isn't that much less accessible on the weekends when it's an hour away vs two.

Peachtree City to answer your question, but that's suburban heaven.

Living in Downtown or Midtown Columbus would feel like a city.

[Fountain-of-youth]

Move to Columbus and just rent. Like Jayhey said,if you're looking for a city feel just move in downtown or midtown.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by RN_Danbury

I am moving from NYC for a job in Columbus GA downtown. But I do not want to move my family all the way to Columbus as it would be too much of a transition and just in case the columbus job doesn't work out I want flexibility to look for a job in Atlanta without uprooting my family.

I am, therefore, looking for good school district town to live btw Atlanta and Columbus. Strong and diverse community with good education. A town from where I can commute to Columbus and also commute to Atlanta.

Can you please suggest any good options? I do not mind if I am driving around 100+ miles round trip every day.

thanks in advance.

There probably are not many options that you will like.

The nearest area that comes close to fitting your criteria of being a "good school district town to live (in) between Atlanta and Columbus" that is a "strong and diverse community with good education" is Fayette County where the Peachtree City, Tyrone and Fayetteville areas are served by the schools of the highly-regarded Fayette County Public Schools system.

The above-average schools of the Northgate High School cluster of the Coweta County School System potentially might also be an option.

Though the biggest problem is that Columbus is more than an hour each way (at least about 1 hour, 20 minutes each way) from both of those areas... Areas which are extremely outer-suburban compared to the very urban environment in which you currently might be living in New York City.

At this point, your best bet is most likely to move to Columbus. Living in Columbus probably may not seem like the most appealing option to you, but it will make your life easier with much less driving and much less time spent on the road.

If you think that moving your family from NYC to a smaller mid-sized very Deep Southern city like Columbus, Georgia might be too much of a culture shock for you and your family, your best bet might be to either, a) take an advance trip down to Columbus to investigate and find your best relocation options, or b) look for another job in a larger and more cosmopolitan city and metropolitan area that will be more appealing and much less of a transition and a culture shock for you and your family.

[lethalhipster9]

I’d recommend Newnan/Peachtree City or just finding a job in Atlanta.

Here are 5 reasons i dislike Columbus and plan to move back to Atlanta.

1. Too family oriented even though the non-magnet schools are below average.
2. Lack of jobs for young professionals/lack of educated young people.
3. Social conservatism/just about everyone down here is a hardcore Jesus freak.
4. Lack of entertainment
5. Crappy dating scene due to the heavily male dominated military base and the fact that people down here settle down and have kids really young .

[Columbus1984]

Best to live in Columbus. Newnan and PC are just sprawling suburbs. Not much character. Columbus would be the best fit.

[JayHey]

Newnan is a cool little city. I like their food truck Sundays right on the square and that little bakery. There's much more to Newnan than Exit 47.

And PTC has character. It's just the kind of character that is master planned and drives a golf cart.

[citidata18]

Originally Posted by RN_Danbury

I am moving from NYC for a job in Columbus GA downtown. But I do not want to move my family all the way to Columbus as it would be too much of a transition and just in case the columbus job doesn't work out I want flexibility to look for a job in Atlanta without uprooting my family.

I am, therefore, looking for good school district town to live btw Atlanta and Columbus. Strong and diverse community with good education. A town from where I can commute to Columbus and also commute to Atlanta.

Can you please suggest any good options? I do not mind if I am driving around 100+ miles round trip every day.

thanks in advance.

Newnan would be perfect for you.

In fact, I work in Columbus myself but live in Newnan for the exact reasons you desire, and I know of several other people who do the same.

Columbus is a fine city, but it's more of a culture shock if you're from a big northern city. It's a military-centric town being home to Fort Benning, which isn't a bad thing, but is different. It's also kind of isolated, only being at the terminus of one interstate highway. The pace is also comparatively slower.

I'm a northern transplant myself from a big city (Detroit) and I like that I have access to things you can only get in a major metro area (Fiber internet, Amazon Prime, certain TV channels/radio stations, etc.), plus I like being able to easily drive into Atlanta on a whim for a game, concert, etc., being only 30 minutes away. I also took into consideration future job prospects. They would be limited in Columbus, whereas I have access to many of the corporate job centers (the airport, downtown, etc.) around Metro Atlanta by settling in Newnan. I also intend on buying a house and I think I would see much better appreciation in Newnan given its proximity to Atlanta.

I also like the fact that Newnan is growing at a significant pace. Just back in 2000, the town only has 16,000 and now it's poised to surpass 40,000 by the 2020 census, with seeds for even more significant growth being sown. There's always a ton of new things being built and new restaurants/stores opening

As far as commuting, my drive is about 1 hour long and 75 miles one-way. But it's straight down I-85 and I-185 with no traffic, so most of the time the car is in cruise control.

As far as education, I would recommend either the Northgate High or East Coweta High cluster in Newnan, both great schools and highly sought after. Stonebridge and Summergrove are two upper middle class communities in Newnan that I think you would think.

As far as diversity, the racial makeup in Newnan as of 2010 was 57% white, 11% Hispanic and 28% Black. While the Asian population is small though, it is rapidly growing thanks to the Kia Motors plant that recently opened 30 minutes away as well as the Asian suppliers that have moved into the area to support it.

And if you're looking for character, Newnan definitely has a sense of place compared to most of Atlanta's suburbs. It used to be a hospital town for Atlanta-based soldiers back during the Civil War, so it has one of the most extensive collection of antebullum homes of any town in Georgia. It also has one of the most vibrant town squares in all of Metro Atlanta with a ton of events taking place throughout thebyear. It even has its own Public-Owned Utilities company (for water, power and sewer).

Below is a website showcasing Newnan's town square...

https://www.mainstreetnewnan.com

I don't know why some Columbus members thumb their nose at Newnan. In reality, I've found Newnan alone has amenities almost just as good as Columbus or any other mid-size Georgia city (never mind the fact that it's tied to a major metro area), and what Newnan doesn't have is in nearby Peachtree City.

I would also advise against living in Peachtree City because, while it's also a very fine city, you're going to be looking at an extra 20 minute drive to/from I-85, while Newnan sits right along I-85.

[RN_Danbury]

Thanks everyone. How is the school district in Columbus GA? Or is it better to stay in Atlanta and commute.

[Columbus1984]

Originally Posted by RN_Danbury

Thanks everyone. How is the school district in Columbus GA? Or is it better to stay in Atlanta and commute.

Columbus has some really good schools. Columbus High is consistently ranked the #1 or #2 public high school in the state. Schools in the Midland area of Columbus are great. Columbus is also home to some really good private schools. Suburban Harris County has really good schools as well.

Have you made a decision on Columbus?