Heed this warning
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8/9/2010
Horrible everything!!! Atlanta has the worst traffic out of almost every decent sized city. There is nothing to do, we are landlocked with no parks or green space. This is a city where the only things to do is go the the aquarium (which is $30 a person) or THE WORLD OF COKE. Both of these are in what is called "underground Atlanta", which is a even more dangerous place! Thugs and gang members loiter all of the side streets surrounding the area day and night. If you do go to the actual dwntwn area of Atlanta, prepare to be very careful everywhere you go and don't look anyone in the eyes. Everywhere you go, esp at night, you will be at risk for being shot or mugged. Crime is horrible. The traffic is just as bad in the suburbs where people go to escape the crime. Rush hour traffic last literally from 3 pm. to 7 pm daily. Weather is horrible, with the exception of one month in fall(mid Sept-mid/late Oct), and about one month in spring (late April-May) . The rest of the time it is unbearably hot and humid (right now 93 degrees at 6pm), or wet, grey, nasty and cold. The pollen in spring coats every surface in the humidity, so if you have sinus problems...it will be horrible. The smog here is also terrible, and unsafe for jogging much of the year.
The streets are designed around civil war layouts, not a grid system, so good luck finding your way around. Parking is horrible. Rent and home prices are still decently high for what you get. You are forced to spend more anyway to go further out to get away from...guess what, the horrible crime. Schools are rated some of the worst in the ENTIRE country in Atlanta. The current key political issues in GA include whether to teach "creationism" in schools. This IS the BIBLE BELT. Everything closes early on Sun, alcohol is not sold in stores. Churches line the streets about every mile (literally) If you are not a religious person or a conservative, you will be VERY out of place here. To the extreme that most employers allow their employees to come in late on Sun, because they have to go to church. (If you work on wkends). This is all very normal here. If you are not extremely religious also expect your children to be effected and/or ostracized for their beliefs. If that is fine with you, then it won't be a problem. Personally I don't want religion shoved down my throat at every given chance, this is 2010, not the dark ages.
You can get a pretty nice house in Cobb county for around 200k, but for the same or a bit more, you can probably go anywhere else and to a much safer, cleaner, ...literate city. Do not expect to commute easily from Cobb county to anywhere close to Atlanta in the morning for work. You MUST allow 2 hours for morning gridlock traffic everyday or you will be late. Plus one stalled car on 75S or 285, can shut down all highways for an extra 45 minutes any given day. I would certainly avoid most parts of Marietta (except near the square area), any place close to dwntwn, Doraville, Dekalb, parts of Fulton, most parts of Norcross. Where should you live? For families, West or East Cobb, Alpharetta, Roswell, parts of Smyrna (be careful) Peachtree City, parts of Woodstock...but that is way further out there. If you are young and you HAVE to move here, The Highlands area, Atlantic Station, few parts of Midtown (be very careful), Little Five Points... Expect to feel pretty isolated because these are just very tiny oasis's in a big sea of crime and filth. You will have a designated grocery store, and a Target, plus a few restaurants to chose from in your "area". Things in Atlanta are very corporate, more so than other places, you will find the same typical chain restaurants and carbon copy stores in almost every section or small town.
DO NOT MOVE HERE unless you have to. I understand the economy is rough, but if you have any choice at all or are considering any other "decent" sized city, CHOOSE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
Jennifer | Kennesaw, GA