Savannah, Georgia

What is it like to live in Savannah, GA?

2 yrs
I think I have answered this and some other posts but it is a pleasure to do it again! Life in Savannah is awesome! From gorgeous weather year-round including the winter to the most beautiful downtown area I've ever been to, fabulous restaurants, genuinely nice warm people, and always some kind of a festival going on. If there is a downside it is that there's not a lot of high level executive employment opportunities here. Definitely a lot of mid-level positions. Property are lower than many cities especially in the northeast or out west. I think housing is very affordable and cost of utilities here is blow, especially electric compared to many areas. If you are a high-end shopper, you may not be happy with what Savannah offers although we do have a few killer boutiques. If you are a concert-goer, you may find yourself traveling to Atlanta which is 4 hours away, or Jacksonville and Charleston which are 2 hours away.Hopefully that gives you a good snapshot of life in Savannah!

Pros and cons of living in Savannah?

2 yr. ago
From personal experience: sure there's a lot of crime here, but you get that in every city. I've personally never felt unsafe. I live in the Thomas Square neighborhood, which is on the edge of the Starland District and a short walk to a DOT ride from downtown (the DOT is a free shuttle service). Sounds to me like you might enjoy living somewhere near Starland District, too. It's outside of the tourist hub of downtown, but with great shops and bars and restaurants (or at least before the coronavirus…hoping these businesses survive). It seems pretty family-friendly, too. Henny Penny is a cute little cafe that has crafts for kids and devotes much of its seating space for that. Also Starland Yard is a lot of fun for families, too. Whenever I go there's always parents and kids there, and it's great. I can't speak to all of your questions, hopefully someone else can chime in. Anyway, hope that helps somewhat!

Pros and cons of living in Savannah?

2 yr. ago
Hilton Head resident, daily Savannah commuter here. I live 35 mi/1 hr away, but work a 9 to 5 in midtown Savannah and have spent a lot of time researching Savannah as a place to live just in case.

-I would not personally live in a suburb of Savannah, unless you consider going into South Carolina to Bluffton or Hilton Head. But that would mean you're living somewhere that's not like Savannah at all. And the reality is that we come over for the occasional Saturday afternoon but we don't get to Savannah as a family nearly as much as we'd like. We can discuss further via DM if you'd like to travel further down that path.

-Your list of criteria is very similar to mine (44, married, 2 kids, 1 and 5, moved to the area from a very hip, urban, gentrifying neighborhood in a major metro and miss a LOT of what that offered). And Ardsley Park seems to be the 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice for us. It is not inexpensive by Savannah standards, but the home prices seem very appropriate for what you get. (In a market like Atlanta or quite possibly where you are in SoFla, you're probably paying 30-40% more for similar real estate.) If you can afford it, it checks every box.

-Gordonston is probably the next option if you want to stay in Savannah. I'm not sure what the schools are like over there.

-After that, I would start moving out towards the islands. I know many people who are quite happy on Whitemarsh and Wilmington. But, as with Bluffton and Hilton Head, you are definitely getting a significantly different, decidedly non-Brooklyn vibe out there. Others in this sub would be able to speak more intelligently on that.

-Savannah seems like a very cool city. It is incredibly beautiful in the historic center and seems very welcoming. There is art and culture and tolerance here. You are close to lots of *beaches and coastline and salt marshes and all the activities and cuisine associated with such a landscape. But…

-…not much happens in this area. Don't expect many touring acts coming through, no sports other than the minor league baseball team (who sell out literally every single home game), etc. For example, the Savannah Music Festival is actually a 2-month or so string of individual (and awesome!) concerts in the spring, and then the calendar the rest of the year is pretty sparse. You're looking at Jacksonville or Atlanta for most of that stuff. But…

-…if you're just looking for a small town where you'll be content to take family walks/bike rides (very flat, bicycle-friendly town) to a park, have tons of good **dining (and drinking) options, people are friendly, there is history, beautiful architecture, natural beauty, you can actually afford to live comfortably here, you don't mind a little bit of city dirt getting on your shoes or busting through your passenger window every once in blue moon, occasional farmers markets in the park or ethnic food festivals or more intimate concerts and shows, with a short drive to the beach… I mean, I think it really is that kind of town.

-Oh, jobs. There aren't many good ones for professionals.

-Weather is normally a thing to discuss, but maybe not if you're coming from south Florida. Suffice it to say it's also very hot and humid here most of the year.

*Tybee Island. Definitely do some additional research on that. See if you can determine for yourself if it sounds like a beach/beach town you'd take advantage of on a regular basis. I again must defer to true locals, but it seems like a place that is a massive amenity for some locals and just another place that other locals never seem to get to as much as they'd like.

**I LOVE the bar and restaurant scene here. It doesn't have as many fine/progressive dining options as where I used to live, but it's MUCH easier to find affordable, family-friendly places where the food is actually pretty good. And the only ethnic option we haven't been able to find yet is Ethiopian.

Sorry. For whatever reason, I always get on one with threads like this.

Pros and cons of living in Savannah?

2 yr. ago
I wouldn't look to Savannah as a growth opportunity if that's where you are in life. You can find jobs, but careers are few and far between. Someone will undoubtedly chime in here with Hospitals/JCB/Gulfstream talk which demonstrates "few" in my statement.

Making friends in your 20 & 30's is pretty easy, but brain drain is a real thing and people tend to leave when they want career growth.

With all of that said, it's a wonderful place. As far as crime, just be smart. Weather is great with the exception of maybe 2 months a year when the heat is abusive but you're from South Florida so it would be a welcomed change.

Living in Savannah, GA - PROS vs CONS