Top 10 Reasons Not to Move to Atlanta

Living in this thriving metropolis has tons of upsides. But you’re probably familiar with them already, which is why we wanted to look into different challenges you may face when you decide to move to the Big Peach. So tag along as we go through the top 10 reasons not to move to Atlanta.

1. Bad traffic

The first reason not to move to Atlanta is bad traffic. Now if you’re moving from one of the cities known for road rage (we’re looking at you New Jersey), you may not find traffic to be that bad, but still…it’s far away from pleasant and most Atlanta residents agree that this is an overwhelming experience overall. In case you’re moving from an area without traffic jams and smart layouts, then living here will definitely be an adjustment.

2. Public transport

The next reason not to move to Atlanta is public transport. Not only the traffic is bad and you’ll be stuck pretty often, but the public transportation options are pretty limited too. Of course, there is MARTA which has trains, buses, and para-transit vehicles, but it’s not exactly a system you’d want to rely on. This can especially come as a shock if you’re used to relying strictly on PA, so take this into account when deciding if you want to live in Atlanta.

3. You must own a car

This takes us to the next reason to question whether Atlanta is a good place for you or not − you must own a car. For reasons we’ve just mentioned, most people own a car and rely on themselves to get around. While this certainly has its pros, the thing is that owning a car in Atlanta isn’t always a pleasant experience either. That’s because you’ll spend a lot of time commuting and you’ll have to count on expenses like gas, car insurance, and maintenance, which all add up pretty quickly. Given the fact you’ll probably have to buy a car, to begin with, it’s easy to see why this comes as a downside of moving to Atlanta.

4. Job opportunities

One good thing about living here is that you’ll find plenty of job opportunities. However, the reason why you should reconsider your decision to move to Atlanta is that some industries are not exactly thriving. So this may be a pro for some people but it may be a huge con for others. Here’s the thing – if you’re in the tech industry, you may find this city to be full of opportunities, but if you’re, for example, looking to join the retail industry or you need an entry-level position, you may be finding a whole different situation. So the fact that blue-collar jobs in Atlanta are not exactly thriving can be a deal-breaker for some people, but do your research regarding this matter because it can turn out to be a pro in your case.

5. The weather

The next reason not to move to Atlanta is the weather. Some people just can’t handle the extreme heat and humidity, so you may want to reconsider your decision if you’re not comfortable with a hot subtropical climate. You’ll have to deal with about 90 degrees from June to August, which may not sound so terrible…but it’s actually the humidity that comes with it what makes people hate rather than enjoy the weather. Making things super sticky, the humidity will force you to spend less time enjoying the outdoors and find the best air condition system you can afford. The city earned the nickname Hotlanta, and you’ll easily understand why if you find yourself here during the summer months.

6. Palmetto bugs

But that’s not the end of it, there’s actually another thing that comes with heat and humidity, which is the next reason not to move to the ATL − we’re referring to Palmetto bugs. These nasty insects are what – pun intended − may bug you living here. Warm air and moisture attract palmetto bags but their relatives, cockroaches as well. Not only they’re ugly and annoying but can also pose health risks, spreading disease and causing skin issues if they bite you. Once you add mosquitoes to this unlucky combo, you may just start dreaming about cold weather and do nothing else but stack up on your bug repellant.

7. It’s not walkable

Moving on to reason number seven why you should think twice about moving to Atlanta – it’s not walkable. Although you may be able to walk in some areas, those are pretty limited and they’re somewhat walkable but not entirely so. If walkability is high up on your list, then Atlanta may not be the best choice. On the bright side, the city has committed to building the Beltline, which is one of the largest urbanization projects in the US. It should increase walking and bike paths throughout the city, but for now, you may want to think twice about moving here if you want to live somewhere that offers more pedestrian options.

8. A lot of urban sprawl

Our next reason to think again before you move to Atlanta is that there’s a lot of urban sprawl. It’s safe to say that the layout of the city is a hot mess so the growth which is naturally a great thing actually leads to some type of sprawl. The spaghetti mess of roads plus the urban sprawl means that you’ll have to commute longer in order to find a house away from the congestion and it also means that you have to drive to most of the places, even in the central area of the city.

9. Bad for allergies

The next negative of moving to Atlanta is that it’s bad for allergies. There’s a higher chance to experience allergies because winters are warm, plants don’t die or become dormant, and this increases your exposure to pollen. Even if you never suffered from allergies, you may start once you move here because Atlanta tops the list of worst allergy cities.

Despite all the downsides of Atlanta, some people find that this city is one of the best places on the planet to live. If these cons don’t concern you or you find them less important than upsides, then you may stick with the original plan and move here. The only thing left to do in that case is to see how much it costs to move to Atlanta. If you’d like to get a free moving quote, check the description box below to find our details and contact us.

10. The lack of water features

The last reason not to move to Atlanta is the lack of water features, meaning there’s no river, lake, or beach downtown. While Atlanta is somewhat convenient because you can drive to get to the nearest lake or mountain, there are no features in the city. There are plenty of trees but you won’t find a mountain view. So even though some people consider outdoor options plentiful, others argue that nature becomes boring after a while due to the lack of water features and geographic diversity.

Atlanta, like any other city on the planet, has plenty of notoriety – some of it is definitely deserved but some is not. You may find that these negatives far outweigh the positives but you could also find that these cons of Atlanta are simply tradeoffs from its strengths. That being said, now you can use all the info and figure out what’s more important to you and make an informed decision about moving to Atlanta.