Best Cities in GA - Relocating from MS (Atlanta, Savannah: transplants, safest area)

[k3deere]

Hi everyone,
I will be relocating to Georgia this summer, but I haven't quite narrowed down the cities I would like to live in. I am a 29 yr old single mother looking for a fresh new start. My son is 6 years old so I would definetely want to be in an awesome school district for him. Also, somewhere that will have plenty of job opportunities for me as well. I am looking for somewhere that will be safe, friendly, & a lot of attractions to see. I am looking into Roswelll, Marietta, Savannah, & Athens. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have worked at a teaching hospital in Human Resources and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of MS in Human Resources as well. If you know of any good companies / hospitals for me to apply at, please let me know as well.

Thanks in advance,
Kim

[katharinestages]

savannah is beautiful but not safe by any means. Ive researched alot of areas of georgia and found the best schools and safest areas to be in marietta and peachtree city- also smyrna and alpharetta

[608garamond]

Hey Kim...Peachtree City is a great town....some of the BEST schools in GA. Extremely safe and clean. You're in healthcare? The Piedmont hospital family is very reputable. My wife is a nurse at one of the Piedmont hospitals. Piedmont has a hospital in Fayetteville - 10 minutes from Peachtree City - and they are building a brand new Piedmont hospital in Newnan - 10 minutes west of Peachtree City. Cost of living is a bit higher inside Peachtree City, but some of the surrounding communities (Senoia, Brooks, south part of Fayetteville) offer the same quality of living for a bit less cost. We love it in Peachtree City and would recommend it highly! Good luck!

[Brooklynlove]

Hi Kim--

Is there anything you want to add to the criteria you're looking for? I've lived in the Atlanta metro area and spent a lot of time in Savannah. Been to Athens briefly. Each is pretty different from the other. Living in Roswell or Marietta means you're close to Atlanta itself, and all the benefits (shopping/dining/museums/entertainment) of a big city. Savannah is absolutely beautiful, has a lot of transplants, and a pretty great cultural life of its own, but it's definitely a very small city, more like a big town. Athens is also nice, but it's definitely a college town, which has its advantages and disadvantages.

I would take Savannah over Athens, in that it's slightly bigger, and I happen to like the advantage of being near the coast. For your line of work, however, I think being in the Atlanta area is best: for schools, for being near a major airport, and for being near a major city. Both Roswell and Marietta are good choices, thought I think Roswell is probably a bit more expensive, and Marietta probably has a bit more diversity in terms of socioeconomic status. As for Peachtree City, that really depends on what kind of community you're looking for. Peachtree City is known for its unique policy that allows residents to drive golf carts around the community - you'll see people driving their golf carts to get groceries, go to the park, etc. It's a nice amenity, but on the other hand, Peachtree City can feel a little isolated from the communities around it (I say this having lived there), and it lacks an historical center that anchors most other towns. You may want to consider Newnan, also. It's near Peachtree City, south of Atlanta, and has a good hospital (Piedmont Newnan). But I think it has a stronger feeling of community than Peachtree City.

Good luck to you!