No reason to be here any longer
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5/25/2021
The Atlanta metro has a few redeeming qualities: the job market is relatively strong and has good scope/range of opportunities and industries, housing is relatively affordable for a major metro (although we’ll see how long that lasts; it’s just recently gone up substantially w/ covid), you can find pretty decent public schools provided you can afford to live in the district, there are a lot of mature areas with lots of old tall trees and greenery, etc.
But it’s clear to anyone who’s lived here more than a few years that this place is basically atrophying and falling apart. Traffic improved for a bit during covid, but it’s pretty much back to the slow motion train wreck it was before covid, especially on regular roads/off the highways, which is more bothersome than highway traffic imo.
The weather is really only good in late winter/spring and late fall. Otherwise it’s either way too hot and humid or just cold enough for it to be uncomfortable and for the roads to periodically freeze over but not cold enough for snow (which the kids like), though this is true of most cities in the eastern US.
Crime was always bad in parts of Atlanta and some of the southern and eastern suburbs, but it seems that there are weird criminal and vagrant elements percolating into virtually all the suburbs now. Strange people begging on the streets everywhere, Jerry Springer type druggie families infesting all the rental homes in the previously nice neighborhoods, etc.
Also the presence of Hartsfield Jackson makes Atlanta like one of the hotspots for human trafficking in the US. Recently theres been a rash of bizarre attempted kidnappings in broad daylight in Walmart parking lots going on in affluent, “safe” areas.
Overall, you get the impression that things are falling apart in slow motion here. I’m sure it’s that way in many other cities too, but Atlanta seems particularly bad.
Given that, there really isn’t any reason for anyone with a family or planning on starting one (or even just trying to live a decent peaceful life) to stay or move here, particularly given that many jobs can be accomplished remotely now.
I’m planning on leaving as soon as possible and relocating to somewhere a bit smaller and more manageable. Perhaps the Research Triangle or Charlotte areas of North Carolina, although I imagine in 15 years or so those places will be like Atlanta is now
Ryan | Cumming, GA