Congrats on your new job and upcoming move! May God bless you and your family in this transition, give you safe travels, and provide you with nice people and places along your way. Atlanta has its share of problems, just like any other metro area, but some of the smaller cities near it are very nice.
You may find that Georgia is a bit more liberal than you would have expected. Emory University and UGa are both very liberal universities; Atlanta is one of the mecca’s for gay/homosexual types, and reverse prejudice is part of everyday encounters. Georgia’s tax structure is a bit screwy, too. You’ll like the mountains in the north (go to Helen GA for Oktoberfest!), and the coastal areas. The southern plains (peach, peanut and cotton country) is flat, flat, flat and hot, hot, hot (I can say this cuz I was born in Albany GA!) and the Carters live there (yeah, that one, the former prez who is an embarrassment to the USA). It’s also the infamous birthplace of the KKK, and that always seems to be under the radar doing something somewhere...
And, sadly, some of us Southerners still do have too long a historical memory of that horrible time when a wide swath was burned, pillaged, raped by the union army under Sherman. I don’t think some of us will ever get past that...
On the other hand, it is the Bible belt, you will find some really wonderful people there, some awesome football, sweet tea, great food, and beautiful views. Come with an open mind, pray with an open heart, and let God handle all of it.
You’ll be fine! :)
Note to potentials: DO NOT move to either of those places.