GEORGIA PEOPLE!

[Kosmos Mariner]

This Floridian needs your assistance. My wife may be attending UGA in Athens next fall. We visited Athens and loved it, but it is quite a drive from Atlanta, which is where I would most likely be employed. I am not quite sure where to look for housing. I have been able to find lots of demographic data, maps, and pictures, but I want to get a better idea of what the towns in the region are really like. Are any of you locals, or have a lot of experience in the area? I was looking at Monroe, GA which is located 25 miles west of Athens toward Atlanta. From the 2004 elections results map, it looks like Walton county is freeper hell. Will they run us out of town with pitch forks? }( Any intel on the region would greatly be appreciated. Thanks DU! :hi:


p.s. We are mid-late 20's, moderate household inc. 50K (looking to spend up to 125K for home), three dogs, like both urban and small town, main street USA


:dem:

[RebelOne]

1. I live just northwest of Atlanta in Cherokee County.

In my opinion, all of Georgia is freeper hell. My county is just about 100% Republican. But I have learned to live with it. I doubt that you will be run out of town, though. The freepers are fairly tolerant of us Dems.

[clapton]

11. Me Too!

Aweful, isn't it? It's okay... I just visualize them as cattle & going "Mooooooo" down the highway :)

[MGKrebs]

2. Walton County is nice.

I think DUer RubyDuby in GA is involved with the Dem party there. They are a significant minority though. But hey, SOMEBODY has to do the necessary work there!

[RubyDuby in GA]

6. You got that right!

Now if I could just get my hands on a bullhorn......

:evilgrin:

[Mallifica]

3. Just a word on traffic

I currently live in Athens and attend UGA, but I have an internship 3 days a week in Atlanta. It takes me 2-3 hours to get to work in the morning, and at usually 2 to get back in the evening (without traffic, the drive takes about an hour and fifteen minutes). However, the reverse commute isn't bad (if you wanted to live closer into ATL, and then your wife could commute to school). Several people in my program do this, and they get to school in a little over an hour - typically).

I moved to Athens a little over a year ago to work on my Master's, and kinda wish I'd stayed closer to ATL (all of the good internship opportunities are there for what I'm interested in), however, my boyfriend is attending school here too, and the cost of living is DRASTICALLY lower than in the Atlanta area. So - it may make more sense to live closer in to ATL depending on where you work and how long you're willing to sit in traffic to get there.

I've lived in several areas of Georgia, so if you need help with any specifics, let me know.

Glad that more dems are moving up here!!!!

[flaminbats]

4. that depends where you plan to work in Atlanta..

if you plan to work in DeKalb, Winder or Monroe would be the best places. If you plan to work in Gwinnett County, Jefferson or Commerce may be the best locations. If you plan to work downtown...good luck, you'll either be making a hellish drive or splitting time between work and school! I've done this before, the speed traps between Athens and Atlanta are hell!!!:evilfrown:

[RubyDuby in GA]

5. Hello there Kosmos

I live in Newton Co, which is right next to Walton.
It can seem very lonely at times, but when you find some like minded people, it's not so bad.

Walton is actually a very nice place. If that's where you guys settle, please be sure to let me know. I'll definitely start including you in all that us Dems do in that area.

[anotherginger]

7. I live in Athens....

and it is a great mostly liberal city.... but the further you go out, the further right it gets. I would stay out of Gwinnet County... too much sprawl and the school system is crooked.

If you don't have a job yet, you can rent in Athens and then see where your employment will take you. Have you considered working for UGA? I do, and it has its ups and downs.... mostly ups.

Oconee county is west of Athens and has good school systems, but is mostly conservative.... which is what you get west of Athens until you reach Dekalb and Fulton counties in Atlanta.

If you do work in Atlanta, you can live in a small town off of hwy 316 so you can drive to a MARTA station and take the train into the big city.

Hope I didn't muddy the waters for you.

[Kosmos Mariner]

8. Thank You Georgia DUers!

I am very grateful for all of the information you have shared with me. It is very helpful! As much as I would love to live in Athens, I think my career field will push us toward Atlanta. I work in the GIS (Geographic Information Systems) field, which involves computer mapping, spatial databases, basically the display and analysis of any spatial data. As this field is still relatively small, you usually need to be near large markets to find employment. Anyone looking for a good GIS Analyst? :hi: I'll let you all know what we decide sometime this spring. Thanks again Georgia DU!



:dem:

[CottonBear]

10. RE: GIS jobs

UGA has a special GIS/Mapping division at the Chicopee Complex.
Northeast Georgia Regional Development Commission uses GIS.
A-CC and other local county Planning Departments use GIS.
(Oconee County just fired their GIS/IT guy after he was arrested for rape. Ironic, since it's a Red county!)

[CottonBear]

9. Hi Kosmos Mariner!

I'm an Athenian. You would love it here. Too bad about that hell of a commute. Monroe is an historic town. There are middle and upper middle class historic district type areas with old homes and there is grinding poverty in other areas. There is a rich-white/poor-black divide in Monroe. There is an historic, restored courthouse in the downtown business district. There is an active arts organization which has its headquarters in an historic building downtown. There are probably still good deals on older homes in the city. I looked at an old home there a number of years ago. New suburban development areas will be more expensive. Large rural properties will be very expensive. As far as "Freeper Hell" is concerned, you'll be in the middle of it once you leave Athens-Clarke County. Good luck and welcome to Georgia!