One of America's 'best places to live' is only an hour away

It has football, a party scene, great roads for cycling and world-class food.

Those are just some of the reasons Athens was voted the sixth "Best Place to Live in America," according to Outside magazine's online competition.

Only about an hour from Atlanta, Athens is home to the University of Georgia.

But there is much more to this town than just college students and football. Athens has a vibrant music, food and arts scene.

This isn't the first time Athens has been featured in an Outside contest.

In May, Athens was eliminated from the "Best Town Ever" competition, losing to Boone, N.C., in the third round of voting.

The "Best Place to Live in America" contest began with a bracket of 64 cities and ended with 16.

The top five are:

Chattanooga, Tennessee
Port Angeles, Washington
Iowa City, Iowa
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Glenwood Springs, Colorado

For the rest of the list and more on why these towns won, check out the story on outsideonline.com.

About the Author

Georgia had third-highest SNAP payment error rate in country in 2024

The state’s error rate during fiscal 2024 was exceeded by only Alaska and the District of Columbia

Gwinnett drops charges against Spanish-language reporter in ICE custody

Misdemeanor charges against journalist Mario Guevara have now been dropped in both Gwinnett and DeKalb counties.

DISPATCH

In Georgia’s melon mecca, watermelon wizards’ ears are sweetly attuned

In the heart of Georgia's watermelon country, everyone has a trick to tell if a melon is ripe. One way is the sound a melon makes when it is thumped. Or better, patted.

The Latest

Credit: Olivia Bowdoin

Rhone: Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour pushes fans outside the norm

Georgia had third-highest SNAP payment error rate in country in 2024

AJC Peachtree Road Race updates: Keep the momentum going

Featured

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Georgia disability rights advocates fear weakening of U.S. accessibility law

Advocates worry the Department of Energy’s move could be the start of a broader effort by other federal agencies to roll back civil rights rules.

From boycott to ballgame: Baseball’s political All-Star Game saga returns to Georgia

MLB pulled the 2021 All-Star Game from Georgia over the state's voting law, Senate Bill 202. Now it’s back — and Republicans say the return proves they were right all along.

OPINION

Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour pushes fans outside the norm

Preparations for the show pushed people out of their comfort zones — into new stores, new communities, a new style of dress, and in some cases, to visit new cities.