Reply #1: Money. They typically move to the Atlanta Metro Area (suburban counties)

[CottonBear]

and not to Atlanta itself. Only wealthy freepers can afford to live in areas like Buckhead. The counties that surround Atlanta vary demographically. Typically, most freepers live in the largely white, northern counties like Cobb or in Gwinnett County to the east. Ralph Reed lives in Gwinnett County.

The Georgia economy is in trouble. We've lost a lot of jobs and manufacturing facilities. Peach Care (insurance for poor children) is almost in the red due to federal cuts and the state education budget has been cut by 1.4 billion dollars to provide the GOP with corporate tax cuts. (Keep in mind that GA ranks 49th in education.) Delta is in bankruptcy (9-11 hurt the airline industry and Delta is the main airline at the Atlanta airport.) The housing boom is still strong in Northeast Georgai but I fear that the bubble is about to burst. Rising gas prices have really hurt everyone in Georgia. Since, except for two or three express buses) there is no public transit from Atlanta to the suburban counties, commuters are paying huge amounts to drive in the nightmare that is Atlanta traffic.