Nice suburbs In large Metros

[TC']

What are some of the nicest suburbs of your city. Put some picks or stats about the cities if you can.

[TC']

For the Twin cities area Eden Prarie and woodbury seem to rank very high. Woodbury was named CNN Money magazines Best place to live in the Midwest in 2004. Eden prarie wasnt to far behind. Both Cities are very well planned out and have a large range of Homes. Anywhere from the $200k range to well over $1million. The most expensive homes in the twin cities are found in towns like wayzata on lake minnetonka. The lake has over 200 miles of shoreline and homes that can cost you 40+ million, but has a more rural than suburban feel to it even though it is very close to downtown Minneapolis.

Here are some pictures from the Cities:

Eden Prarie - southwestern part of Twin cities Metro.

Woodbury - East side of Metro.

Wayzata (Lake Minnetonka Area) - West side of metro.

[matt99]

Gotta be Manalapan.

Voted by Money magazine the second best place to live on the east coast.

[hudkina]

Detroit's nicest suburbs are the Bloomfields and the Grosse Pointes. The Bloomfields are Bloomfield, Bloomfield Hills, and West Bloomfield and the Grosse Pointes are Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Point Farms, Grosse Pointe Woods, and Grosse Pointe Shores.

The Bloomfields are traditional modern suburbs, while the Grosse Pointes are tradition streetcar suburbs, though Bloomfield Hills has quite a few institutions that date back to the 1920's or so.

[Aporkalypse]

In Dallas-Fort Worth there are many but the most notable is probably Plano...

30 miles North of downtown Dallas it has 243k people and is home to several large company HQs such as JCPenney, EDS, Frito-Lay, Alcatel and Dr. Pepper/7-Up. 55% of its residents have college degrees.

In January 2004, CNN Money designated Plano its top place to live in the Western United States (cities over 100,000).

It has light rail connection to Dallas and Fort Worth via Dallas and DART bus services.

Its schools are the best in the Metroplex aside from Highland Park (which is Texas' Beverly Hills), with an average SAT of 1125 and 90% of students attend college.

Crime is relatively low (19th out of 199 cities above 100k).

The poshest suburbs are Highland Park (9000) and University Park (23k) where the average home price is well into the 7 figure range. The HP school district is the best in Texas and crime is absurdly low but they aren't true suburbs as they are totally surrounded by Dallas and are less than 10 min from downtown.

There are a number of posh suburbs other than these, Flower Mound, Frisco, Addison, Southlake, and McKinney are all quite nice.

[jaxpalmer]

in san francisco, there are seriously too many to name.

but how about

Atherton, palo alto, cuppertino, half moon bay, etc. etc. etc. Its pretty ridiculous the amount of "nice suburbs" here.

[ironchapman]

Let's see if I can name a couple in Atlanta:

Douglasville, Marietta, Kennesaw, Roswell, Alphretta, and Peachtree City to name a few.

[afh]

I may seem like a homer but I'm going to say Chandler, AZ. Scottsdale and Gilbert are also nice suburbs here in the Phoenix, AZ metro.

[hood]

In Lansing we only have Okemos and parts of East Lansing, but some of the most expensive homes in the area are actually in Lansing itself.

[cheeriokid61]

Brenwood, south of Nashville, is very expensive, as is Belle Meade. Technically, Belle Meade is in Davidson County, so it is part of Nashville, but it also is its own entity, if you know what I mean, but it is very very nice. There is actually a joke about Belle Meade.

Some old ladies were talking at a club in Belle Meade. One of the ladies asks the other, "If your husband was to die today, and gives you one million dollars, what would you do?"

This was her response. "Well I'd dig up that son of a beotch and ask him where the rest is!"

Just thought I'd share that.

[Newnan]

Also in Atlanto you have Sandy Springs, Newnan (My hometown) and roswell, not to mention College park-JK!

[Newnan]

Also Buckhead, if you consider that a suburb

[planter]

In Kansas City the nicest suburbs are in Johnson County, Kansas. Overland Park, Olathe, and Leawood were all among the "hottest cities" in the midwest according to Money Magazine. Around here Johnson County is "the place where all of the rich people live." Leawood in particular is very wealthy, many million dollar homes. All 3 of the cities are growing fast, but Olathe is by far the fastest, ranked among the top 100 in the U.S., which is a big deal for a city in Kansas. Missouri suburbs are often overlooked, but I'd say Lee's Summit is a real nice suburb, it is one of the fastest growing cities in the state, I believe it's 2nd, behind O'Fallon.

[jmanhsv]

Huntsville's got Hampton Cove. Monrovia and Madison are also good, if you can live with the traffic.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the Birmingham suburb of Mountain Brook. That town has some nice homes (though expensive) and the best school system in the state. Maybe some of the Birmingham forumers (wherever they are) can elaborate.

[facilities man]

Orlando has Winter Park and Maitland as close in suburbs just North of town and the Markham Woods area farther North of town. To the South of town there are a few, Isleworth, Windermere, Bay Hill, Lake Nona.

[Eastwestrob]

in san francisco, there are seriously too many to name.

but how about

Atherton, palo alto, cuppertino, half moon bay, etc. etc. etc.  Its pretty ridiculous the amount of "nice suburbs" here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't forget about John Madden's neighborhood - "Blackhawk"

[A2]

It is more of an Urban Enclave than a Suburb, but my pick is South Park for Charlotte.

For my home town of B'ham it would have to be Mountain Brook.

For Atlanta (my business home)---I like Decatur, and my former home, Marietta

A2

[socaguy]

Im very fond of Decatur as well. What more could you want from a suburb? It is ped-friendly, has a charming urban Downtown area with lots of cool shops and cafes, lovely older neighborhoods, and easy access to the city of Atlanta. Also has one of the highest percentages of gays and lesbians in the USA. Lots of Lesbians here....which is why it is locally known as Dick-hater.

here are a few, not so great images i took a few winters back.

http://www.cloudjungle.dns2go.com/DotNetNu...catur%20Georgia

[Lady Celeste]

Okay, let me give my stab at this for Atlanta.

1) I agree that Decatur is a great suburb of Atlanta. Diverse population, highly educated population, walkable downtown, close proximity to Atlanta. It's only 7 to 10 miles west of Atlanta.

Population as of 2000: 25,137

Decatur's Housing Stats.

2) Peachtree City. This is a very large master planned community. Not as historic but a great place to raise children. Schools are great, retail is very good and restaurant options are greatly improving. Crime is extremely low. It's not all that dense but each citizen can ride around on golf carts to schools, retail and parks. There is a variety of housing cost options. There are several lakes and golf courses throughout the city. Peachtree City is about 35 miles south of Atlanta.

Population as of 2000: 32,458

Peachtree City's Housing Stats.

3) Duluth. Here we have a suburb who is striving for quality dense development in it's downtown area. Another great place to raise children. The schools are very good. In fast growing Gwinnett, this enclave is close to great shopping, good restaurants and crime is very low. The Chattahooche River and it's trails are nearby. Duluth is about 27 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.

Population as of 2000: 24,377

Duluth's Housing Stats.

4) Alpharetta. This suburb exploded from country quiet to executive sanctuary. Schools here are top notch. It has a quaint downtown area. You have everything from executive communities, to country club communities to equestrians paradise. If shopping is your vice then you will find lots of it here. Eateries abound. This suburb is also regional home to many corporations. You can live, work and play all in Alpharetta. Alpharetta is about 27 miles due north of downtown Atlanta.

Population as of 2000: 122,873

Alpharetta's Housing Stats1.

Alpharetta's Housing Stats2.

Alpharetta's Housing Stats3.

5) East Cobb. This is more so a district than an actually city. Marietta is the closest municipality. Schools here are excellent. Retail is good. There are several great parks in this area. Crime is low. The Chattahooche River is also in this district and offers many trails to walk your dog, push a stroller or just meditate. East Cobb is about 20 to 25 miles northwest of downtown.

Population as of 2000: 63,552

East Cobb/Marietta's Housing Stats1.

East Cobb/Marietta's Housing Stats2.

6) For those who are looking for another district inside of I-285 (the Perimeter) then look no further than the Mount Paran District. You are in the middle of it all. This is a suburb right in the city. Here you can find homes on lots ranging from 1 acre to 20 acres. It's like you are in a completely detached suburb yet what makes this area unique is the fact that it's only 4-6 miles from the retail and business district of Buckhead. You can shopping to you drop at some of the best shopping in the country. You have everything from Bloomingdales to Target. Buckhead is also home to many major companies. If you plan on settling down here, please come with your poker face. This district can be pricey for some as the current average sale price of homes in the area are averaging $942,000. The Mount Paran District is about 6-10 miles north of downtown Atlanta.

Population as of 2000: 21,003

The Mount Paran District's Housing Stats.

My choices are based on criteria that is not limited to schools, parks, community cohesiveness, housing options, livability, proximity to jobs, proximity to downtown and amenities.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

[ironchapman]

Don't forget Marietta and the rest of Cobb county. Surely my town would make it up there, too! (Douglasville)

[Lady Celeste]

Ironchapman I have a Marietta representative there. East Cobb....it's closest municipality is Marietta. I started to add other locales but I began to move too far from my criteria that I set so I had to limit it to these locales. it's not slight to any place in metro Atlanta that I left off but I looked for vitality, strong schools, variety of housing options (although #6 fails terribly at this criteria), parks and recreation, job markets and nice downtown areas.

Marietta is nice but I will be honest and say that it depends on what part. That's why I limited my Marietta recommendation to East Cobb. Walton High is Cobb's emerald jewel.

One I feel I may have omitted in error was Roswell. Then again you can lump Roswell into Alpharetta.

Edit:

For the sake of not appearing unyielding, I will add a honorary mention list. These are suburbs I find very appealing however there were several criteria that were not met. This makes these suburbs no less valid.

I actually had a honorary on my intial post but I took it off so I will add it here.

A.) Lawrenceville

B.) Covington

C.) Newnan

D.) Woodstock

E.) Douglasville

F.) Suwanee

G.) Fayetteville

H.) Conyers

[ctman987]

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT AFFLUENT SUBURBS

Avon, Connecticut: Loacted west of Hartford off of Rt. 44 this town is now the wealthiest suburb of Hartford and one of the wealthiest outside of Fairfield County.

Population: 16,657

Area: 22.6 acres

Median Household Income: $98,071

Single homes: 4,639; Condos: 1,827; Rental 436

Average sale price of new home: $700,000; average price of resale: $400,000

Shopping Districts:

Avon Marketplace which is an upscale outdoor shopping center with stores such as Gap, Victorias Secret, Bertucci's and Starbucks.

Old Avon Village: Historical New England village with 65 stores and businesses.

Riverdale Farms: Features many specialty shops, restaurants, and personal and professional services on the restored site of a 19th century farm.

Private Schools:

Avon Old Farms: Grades 9-12

Talcott Mountain: Grades 4-8

Farmington, Connecticut: Located to the west of the city Farmington is the upscale portion of town that is home to Devonwood an upscale community of hundreds of homes with private facilties such as a lake, pool, community center and tennis courts. The village of Unionville is more middle class.

Population: 24,507

Area: 28.7 square miles

Median Income: $67,073

Median Single Family Home Price: $341,000

Private Schools/ Colleges

Tunix Community College

University of CT Health Center and the School of Medicine and Dentistry

Miss Porters School: Grades 9-12

Simsbury, Connecticut: Located west of the city on Rt. 44

Population: 23,000

Area: 34.5 square miles

Median Income: $82,996

Median Home Price: $292,678

Houlseholds: 7,797

Shopping Districts:

Fiddlers Green

Simsburytown Shoppes: 27 shops, restaurants and offices.

Rt. 44: Home to many smaller strip malls that are home to Talbots, Marshalls, Victorias Secret, Party City, CVS, Stop & Shop and Blockbuster

Private Schools:

The Masters School: Grades K-12

Ethel Walker School: Grades 6-12

Westminster: Grades 9-12

Canton, Connecticut: Once a quiet small town this community has grown expecially on Rt. 44 which runs from downtown Hartford through Canton as the major route from Hartford to the northwest part of the state

Population: 8,840

Area: 24.57 square miles

Housing Units: 3,616

Median Household Income: $65,013

Median Home Price: $275,000

Shopping District

The Shoppes at Farmington Valley: Brand new facility with upscale regional tenants including Wild Harvest, Barnes & Noble, Dick's, Old Navy, Shaws, Talbots, Panera Bread, Anne Taylor, Bombay, Nine West and Kohl's.

West Hartford, Connecticut: Located just west of the city the town does have diversity, has the largest per capita Jewish population in the state, Connecticut's largest concentration of immigrants from the former Soviet Union and West Hartford also has the largest Asian community in Greater Hartford which is growing quickly.

Area: 22.2 square miles

Population: 61,046

Median Household Income: $66,843

Housing Units: 25,332

Shopping Districts:

West Hartford Center: Traditional New England town center with 140+ stores, restaurants, coffee shops and banks as well as the public library, town hall and post office

Blue Back Square is a redevelopment of a 20-acre parcel just east of West Hartford Center, will include an art cinema, upscale shops, restaurants and luxury condominiums, business and medical offices and a fitness center. Three major leases have been signed including Connecticut

[GRDadof3]

For Grand Rapids Metro, there are probably four that stand out:

East Grand Rapids (aka "Home Alone" neighborhood)

Population (2000) - 10,764

Median HH Income - $84,772

What you can get for about $500,000:

Built in 1935, 2500 sq ft

Cascade Township

Population - 15,107

Median HH Income - $87,290

What you can get for $500,000:

Built in 1990, 3400 sq ft

Ada

Population - 9882

Median HH Income - $83,357

What you can get for about $500,000

Built in 1996, 2700 sq ft

Grand Rapids Township

Population - 14,056

Median HH Income - $66,250

What you can get for about $500,000

Built in 1992, 2600 sq ft

BTW: I'm not selling these properties, it's just to give you a comparison to other regions

[Skyybutter]

For charlotte within in the city limits I would say Eastover and Ballantyne are among the most well known.

ballantyne

Eastover

Outside of Charlotte Ill go with the following burbs

Huntersville

Cornelius

Indian Trail

Waxhaw

[FALLEN594]

Eggh, the computer ate my post And it was nice and long and coherent... o welll

Around Philadelphia there are a group of suburbs known collevtively as The Main Line. They are all grouped around a suburban train route that comes the city (the SEPTA R5 line), and that is where the name "main line" comes from. Some town considered mainline would be Narberth, Haverford, Wynnewood, Villanova, Bryn Mawr, Gladwyne, Wayne, Radnor, Rosemont, merion,Devon-Berwyn, and Ardmore. The rail line that the area is named after used to be one of the only ways out of the city, and all of the rich of Philadelphia built amazingly large country estates in the area in the early 1900s. The city of Gladwyne has the thid richest zip code in the US. Being from the "Main Line" has a lot of prestige attached to it today, and some people (Im only generalizing here) are a little, shall we say, stuck up? There's some crazy old money in this area. I can think of like 8 private K-12 schools there, and some well-known colleges are Haverford, Bryn Mawr, Villanova, Cabrini, and Eastern. Some famous resident include M. Night Shyamalan, Will Smith and Patti Labelle ( I actually know someone who lives next door to her)

There is also a lit of less well-known money around Bucks County (North of the city) and lately Chester County (it's actually the richest county in PA)