Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is big on culture, in every sense of the word. In years past, it helped catalyze the Civil Rights Movement, and was a nucleus of some of the most popular hip hop, R&B and country music we still listen to today. These days, our No. 1 place to live is nothing short of a cultural behemoth. From the people who live and work in Atlanta to the parks, restaurants, bars and schools they inhabit, diversity pulses through this city. Atlanta has plenty else going for it, too. The city has a world-class botanical garden, four professional sports teams and one of the largest visual art museums in the U.S. — the High Museum of Art (or “The High”). And while a wave of tourists have, in recent years, necessitated fine dining and revolving sushi bars, there’s no shortage of classic haunts. Locals are particularly fond of The Varsity, a drive-in burger joint that opened in 1928, and the Busy Bee Cafe, a diner that’s been slinging soul food since the ‘40s. The city is also home to some of the best-respected colleges in the country, including Georgia Tech and the historically black colleges Spelman and Morehouse. The Atlanta BeltLine, an ever-expanding network of multi-use trails (and, eventually, a light rail line) connects 45 of the city’s neighborhoods. Best of all: It’s a job-seekers paradise. Atlanta has consistently seen some of the largest year-over-year rates of job growth among U.S. metros in recent years, and its unemployment rate is one of the lowest in our ranking. It’s no surprise, then, that the Atlanta region (which includes the city and its 11 surrounding counties) is expected to grow by 2.5 million people by 2040. Click here to read more about our #1 Best Place to Live in 2022 — 2023.