Athens was named one of the Top U.S. Cities for Young Professionals this morning on The Today Show. Real Estate expert and "Shark Tank" judge Barbara Corcoran compiled a list of the most vibrant cities for young professionals based on affordable housing, jobs, good schools and welcoming communities.

Athens was the only small town on the list, which also named Minneapolis, Denver, Seattle, D.C., Chicago, LA and Boston as top cities. She said Athens was known for its love of UGA, pretty architecture and thriving music scene. The segment showed a 3BR/3BA home listed at $132,900 as a great example of the low real estate prices in town.

To watch the full segment from The Today Show, CLICK HERE.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | Awards

Our secret is totally out!

MSN Travel today named Athens, GA one of the Top 13 Best College Towns, saying "The music scene in the University of Georgia’s hometown is simply unbeatable. R.E.M., the B-52s and Widespread Panic got their start here, and Athens is widely credited as one of the birthplaces of alternative rock and New Age music."

In the last month, Athens also made U.S. News and World Report's list of 15 Great Underpriced College Towns and Hotel and Travels Reservations' list of Best College Towns in America.

Keep 'em coming...

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | Awards

They don’t call Athens the “Classic City” for nothing.

The home of the University of Georgia continues to rake in honors as one of the best cities in America to live. The latest distinction came via Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine, which ranked Athens No. 5 on its list of best places to live.

“It doesn’t come as a surprise to me,” Athens Mayor Heidi Davison said. “Those of us who live here have always known that. But it’s nice for others around the country to take notice and it’s gratifying to see ourselves positively through the eyes of other people.”

Huntsville, Ala., took the No. 1 spot in Kiplinger’s rankings. Athens was rated just above Olympia, Wash., and just behind Charlottesville, Va. A full story will appear in the magazine’s July issue but you can read about it now HERE.

Last month Athens was ranked seventh in the U.S. for “best cities for jobs” by Forbes magazine. Source: AJC.com

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: Athens | Awards

Forbes announced this month that Athens, GA, home to University of Georgia, climbed an impressive 36 slots since last year's ranking. Although overall employment rose just 0.4% in 2008, the region has exhibited steady growth--10.4%--since 2004. The largest school in the Georgia University System, UGA adds 34,180 students to the local community. In general, universities attract not only students, who the support retail industry and local businesses, but also entrepreneurs and other investors.

Click HERE for Forbes article and HERE for Newsweek article about our ranking!

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: athens | awards

Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation recently announced that Athens was named a 2009 Distinctive Destination by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. To read about the nomination and letters of support, click HERE.

Posted by Katie Throne

Tags: athens | historic | awards