Atlanta metro area vs Jacksonville (Kennesaw: transplants, crime, cheap home)

[soontobemoving]

I am moving to either Jacksonville or the metro atlanta area and I would like to know which city is better for schools, Raising a family, and possible clients since I am a Financial Advisor? Which one should I pick?

[blackrabbit]

I live in Altanta and work in Jax a lot. Jacksonville has had a lot of recent business growth but its slowing slightly. What is your housing budget etc. Will you have a job or be looking for new clients?

[mg83]

Where you're coming from has every bit to do with where you're going...

So where are you moving from?

[Georgia]

Actually, I think they are both about the same with the following differences

* Jacksonville has the ocean, Atlanta does not
* Atlanta has good water to drink, Jacksonville has stinky sulfur water
* Jacksonville has great seafood, Atlanta????
* Atlanta is close to the mountains, Jacksonville's only mountain is a man made sandpile on the beach.
* Jacksonville has about 1.5 million in Duval / JAX MSA, Atlanta has over 5 million in the MSA
* Jacksonville has traffic, Atlanta has 24/7 Gridlock.

Outside of that, both are about equal in cost of living
Both have growth issues
Both have crime issues
Both are hot and humid as H E double toothpick in July and August

[Biggiechri]

living in Atlanta...go to Jax alot too...would choose JAX in a heartbeat. But the schools here appear to be better and you can get a bigger house for your money. If that matters!

[Coffeecake]

Lived in Jax and now in Atlanta.

Major component to consider is; Living in Atlanta you pay Georgia State Income tax. Florida does not have an income tax. Living in Atlanta you will have to bring your car (older than 2005) to emissions testing once a year. Florida does not require emissions testing.

Housing in Atlanta down-town is more expensive than JAX - hands down. Out-skirts of metro-area Atlanta, is better, one can buy a fairly good sized home.

Housing in Jax, depending on where you go.....JAX Beach, Nassau County or West St. John's County, cheap and large houses. Beachside St. John's County (Ponte Vedra Beach and Vilano Beach) big homes but very expensive. Looking at over $400,000 for a house. St. Augustine - fairly cheap homes, average sized, but no jobs there, you'd have to commute into JAX. Lower St. Augustine, you're looking at a 45 min. commute.

Property Taxes are cheaper (out-metro Atlanta areas) than JAX.

Commuting............hands down is worse in Atlanta, even in the metro-outlining areas. JAX commuting is slow but not at a stand still. Normally when you live in any other city, if you live 10 miles away, generally it takes you about 10 minutes to get there. Not in Atlanta......everything is double. 10 miles away 20 minutes to get there. And forget Fridays in Atlanta! The rush hour begins here at 3:00 PM and extends to around 6:30 PM. At 3:00 in JAX, traffic is moving at a 70 mph clip. Friday traffic doesn't start becoming heavy in JAX until around 4:30 PM.

Financial/Banking - awesome in JAX. Tons of jobs. JAX has an abundance of jobs in financial, medical and hospitality industry. Salaries are generally lower than other metro areas, so be sure to negotiate aggressively.

Atlanta - job marketing outstanding as it is a major metro-city like NYC. Lose your job, easy to find another. Salaries are comparable to Northeast jobs.

Schools in JAX stink! Best schools (if you want to go public) are in St. John's County. Better yet, if you can, go private. There's a fairly good selection (private and religious) and the tutition isn't ridiculous. Elementary you're looking at approximately $3,000 - $6,000 per child. High School (not many private H.S.) you're looking at approximately $5,000 - $9,000.

Schools in Atlanta and surrounding metro-areas stink just as much as JAX! Best spublic chools to go to and that's borderline doubtful are a few in Kennesaw and Cherokee County. If you want to go private, there are an abundance of private schools that the list goes on and on. And more are being created every year. So many that it makes one wonder if there are any kids left in the public schools. But, if this is a consideration for you............hold onto your wallet! Private schools in Atlanta and metro-areas are outrageously high. Double what you would pay in JAX. Normal private schools costs are $9,000 - $14,000 per student for elementary. High school can cost between $10,000 - $16,000 per student.

[Biggiechri]

Not necessarily true on the school issue...

Most North Fulton Schools are great! Especially north of Holcomb Bridge!

Being landlocked gets old after a while too....

[hindsight2020]

yeah I don't think Atlanta has comparable cost-of-living with JAX. I lived in Atlanta until 2001 and I don't even recognize the place. I once thought about relocating back but I did the math and atlanta is no longer competitive. Population got out of control and the new england and california transplants bracketed housing prices up to a point where it defeats the purpose (no longer southern in cost). It's amazing what 7 years do to a city. I'd choose Jax for cost of living and traffic (QOL) primarily.

[netdragon]

Atlanta is a much more mature metro area and is getting up there with a lot of Northeastern metros, Chicago, and Calif. Jacksonville is still more an old South affordable metro without rail.

[mg83]

I'd choose Jax because it's a more laid back lifestyle. About 4.5 hours closer to the beach... better weather (in my opinion). The traffic there seems like a joke compared to Atlanta. There are still nice places to shop, eat, hang out. Cheaper and less congested airport, also, choice of other international airports in driving distance. Both cities are dealing with an influx of crime... though Atlanta's is still way worse (using city-data.com's stats).

Oh, the schools, that really depends... Jax actually has some really good private schools, some decent public schools, and some horrible public schools... do your research and find out the best options for you, your children, your family.