Small Town Girl moving to Atlanta, Ga

[tonygeorgia]

Originally Posted by Indentured Servant

These are my words of wisdom. Those who are ahead of the curve gain while those who come in at the tail end of a curve lose out. The Atlanta boom, while not completely over, has run its course. I assume you are African American because every African American seems to think that Atlanta is the land of milk and honey in regards to relationships and jobs. If the area is the land of Milk and Honey then why is the black poverty rate so high and why is the state’s unemployment rate nearly as bad as the State of Michigan and why has the state lost 33,000 jobs, since this time last year, while Michigan, with all its reported woes and problems, gained 48,000 jobs during the same period?


Many AA are attracted to ATL because of its reputation as a black mecca and all the fine black women and men there are to see and have in such a place (if you are not AA...ignore this thread). When I hear people give their rationalizations for wanting to go to Atlanta, it’s rarely things like good schools, safe community, and better place to raise a family, but I have often heard OPPORTUNITY mentioned. Well, the opportunities have severely contracted in the ATL and the other popular reasons given seem to all centers around excitement and getting ones freak on. Housing cost in the ATL are low when you compare it to the East Coast cities and California, but given that you are from Michigan you are not going to find housing much cheaper in the ATL.


My feeling is that if one values and appreciates black culture then you can find what you need in a metro area that has about half a million blacks, give or take. You don’t need to move to one of the larger black population centers. Only you know what you value the most. I am also from Michigan originally. I moved to the ATL for a hot second while going to college. Then I went back to Michigan and finished my degree at Wayne State. Then I moved to Minnesota. It was culture shock because there is a small percentage black population. I have to say that the opportunity here is better than Atlanta, the schools are good and it’s a safer environment. It’s also cold as hell….lol. However, my quality of life here is good.


If I were you I would consider Houston, Dallas, DC and the like, if you really desire living in a big city with lots of blacks, because the economy in those places are still growing. However, the best place for opportunity is in the North Central states……but they are not very diverse. I am really not bullish on the prospects for the Georgia economy anytime soon. Michigan's economy will grow faster than Georgia's the next several years......but Michigan is coming from such a big job loss, the last decade, that even with all the growth it still will not make up for all the jobs lost anytime soon.

Michigan is a dump lol. I wouldnt even claim that state.