Rome or Cartersville? (Atlanta, Kennesaw, Woodstock: apartments, rent, crime)

[Phlebotomist]

I'm a 23 year old college student that just got accepted at Georgia Highlands and they offer courses at campuses in both areas. I would like to know which place is better to live in, as I'll be relocating from Woodstock (original from California - I also lived in Melbourne, FL for a year too). So far, I've only heard that Rome doesn't really offer all that much, and that Cartersville has a problem with robbery and meth. I would like to know what people think are the pros and cons of the two areas, or even maybe a place in between or near. Any particular areas that I should look more for an apartment/rental house or shy away from?

[xxman777]

I don't live in that part of the state but I would say Rome. Sure Rome doesn't have much to offer, but neither does Cartersville. Rome has a few college campuses so I'm sure there will be other young people around giving you at least a little something to do. I don't know anything about specific apartments or houses, sorry.

[b16_madman]

Rome will be your better option I believe. I went to Berry and just graduated. It's only a campus of 2000, but a decent amount of people live in the Garden Lakes area. There are apt's around Redmond hospital as well, but it also is heavily populated by lower income people. We had some problems with hispanics just parking behind our car, but that's a small instance.
Cartersville is close to I75 which will shoot you into Kennesaw area in no time at all.
That area's dead. It's good if you like smalltown feel and nothing but green grass to play in. Which I did, but the job took me elsewhere.

[pinkmartini]

I haven't been there in a LONG time, but I really like Rome. It's also recently won awards for it's downtown revitalization. http://awards.mainstreet.org/content.aspx?page=5146&section=22 (broken link)

[jeweloflight]

You're right. They're tit for tat. Take your pic. Both crimey and methy. Both kinda nowhere, rural, hick america. One won't be any better/ worst than the other.

[ATLian1]

Rome has more of a college atmosphere it is on the edge of Metro Atlanta though. Cartersville is closer but not so much of a town as Rome but it is closer to Atlanta and Interstate 75.

Berry College is in Rome and its a decent size school so you would have more students your age their.

In the end they are both similar cities though.

[Yeahitsme]

Being that you live in Woodstock, I would choose Cartersville. It is in the next county over. Cartersville is more suburban than Rome but still quite rural in spots. As stated earlier it is much closer to Atlanta and a lot more convienent being on 75. It isn't a college town at all so thats where Rome would be a better fit but Kennesaw State is 10-15 minutes from Cartersville and Kennesaw State is one of the biggest schools in GA.

Rome is very rural, it is a town where the govn't is trying to improve the city in every way but not being by a major highway or major city has hurt their efforts.

When it comes to what to do it depends on you. Cartersville is 30 minutes from Atlanta on the weekend so you'll have that to do. Plus there are few clubs/bars in Cartersville and Kennesaw you might like.

Rome has the Rome Braves playing there so you might like that and they also have a few clubs (I think). If you are trying to get away from Woodstock and away from the city choose Rome. If you're not quite ready to be that far from the city, choose Cartersville.

A place in between... is NOWHERE! Kingston lies in between Rome and Cartersville which is a true hick town of about 700 people and where a lot of the meth problem really lies because the meth problems really cannot be found much in the city limits of Cartersville or Rome.

As far as crime and other drug problems go... if you don't live in a bad section of town they will not be a problem. Problem is with you being a college student you might have to live in a bad section of town, LOL! But please show me any affordable city in georgia without any parts of town that don't have a crime problem.

[firecat001]

Well I'm going to have to disagree with what some of the other people said....meth is a huge problem everywhere in Northwest Georgia, city limits of Rome included...read the paper and you'll see...I grew up in Rome, went to college and recently moved back...I can name at least forty people I went to high school with that are meth heads. However, I think every town has problems like that. As for the choice of campuses..I went to Georgia Highlands (when it was still Floyd) about 5 years ago and took classes at both campuses. I would recommend the Rome campus hands down, not only is it bigger but it has more of that "college" feel. (Unless they have constructed new facilities in Cartersville). Furthermore, the classes I took in Cartersville were night classes and required parking in a not-so-nice areas. Also, if you are going into some kind of medical/nursing field, Rome is a great town to live in; two hospitals, countless clinics, etc. Also, Rome has a great nightlife...The Alley, 400 Block, Jeffersons, Prickly Pear, Schroeders, Harvest Moon, and the Irish Pub are all on Broad Street and within walking distance of each other. There are also several chain restuarants...Olive Garden, Applebees, Hooters, Outback, Longhorns, Provinos, Chilis, Seattle Steak House (soon), and Steak and Shake (soon). There's three movie theatre's, one that serves alcohol, and a small mall. Granted, Cartersville is only 15 to 20 minutes from Kennesaw, which can offer all that and more, but rent runs a little cheaper in Rome than Cartersville (trust me I've been looking at apartments for the past three weeks). As for apartments in Rome, I would stay away from Tamasssee, Heritage Point, Callier Forest, anything in the Maple Street Area, South and North Broad St (the historic area in the middle is really really nice, the other parts; not-so-nice). Chateau Apartments/Arbor Terrace/Guest House has a bad rep. but I've had a lot of friends that lived there and liked it. Ashland Park is really nice but income based-can't make more that 24k a year-but that may not be a problem as you're a college student. It's a gated community and only about three years old and rent for a one bedroom runs in the low 400s. Hamiliton Ridge is gated and really nice, but has a waiting list (1 BR - low 500s), Claire Ridge is owned by the same company, also really nice (2 BR - mid 600s). Unfortunately Rome doesn't have any postings on Rent.com for you to double check on...just check the classifieds on romenews-tribune.com and look in the phone book and go look at apartments. The bad parts of town are fairly easy to spot. Overall, I think you'd enjoy Rome, I've always thought Cartersville was smothered by traffic trying to get to I-75, it does however have a Target, which Rome does not. Career-wise, there is always some new clinic going up in Rome and they just renovated Floyd hospital.

[Yeahitsme]

Just FYI, Georgia Highlands has built a new campus in Cartersville it has one three story building and they plan on building around four more buildings on that campus. It is suppose to be bigger than the one in Rome eventually. Cartersville has an Alley, Irish Pub, Club 104, House of Rock, La Cubana, and several other clubs and bars that names escape me. As said earlier Kennesaw has a few too with Cowboys and others. Cartersville and Rome are not much different but in the end it is still all about how far away you want to be.