Athens is a city built on choices. Multiple universities, including the University of Georgia, Athens Technical College, and Augusta University, all have campuses in Athens. There are plenty of history and art museums, along with countless independent businesses, boutique restaurants, bars, and retail outlets that serve the students, professionals, families, and retirees that populate the city. The city is accommodating to those with cars, those who prefer public transportation, and those who love to bike everywhere. In short, Athens is a city that prides itself on being many different things to its many different citizens, be they students, lifelong residents, or newcomers to the fair metropolis. 

Finding a house in Athens is a tricky prospect. Renting is fairly easy, provided one plans around the August through August lease cycle and high turnover rates on apartments due to the transient student population. However, the process of finding and either purchasing or renting a home in much of the city is generally agreed to be tough for single residents, childless couples, and families alike. Much of this has to do with how housing is now a business and college towns are beloved by investors who like to buy up homes and rent them to students.  If you're considering a move to Athens, and consider a house to be a necessity, it's recommended you secure that home before making the move.  

Choices

LookyLOO Review of Athens

There is never a shortage of things to do for fun in Athens. The public parks have some of the most beautiful walking trails in the entire country. The Twilight Races are a must for cycling enthusiasts. Board game bars offer countless tabletop opportunities for those interested. The local museums dedicated to the Southern and African American experience are considered superb for those interested in the subject matter. And of course, the music scene of Athens is legendary: the 40 Watt Club, the Georgia Theater, Morton Theater, and the Athens Symphony Orchestra are among the best music venues in the country, with a rich history dating back decades sure to catch the attention of music enthusiasts. 

Check out the [Athens Event calendar](https://www.visitathensga.com/events/?view=list&sort=date) to get a taste of everything going on here.

We highly recommend visiting Athens and staying in the community in a [VRBO](https://vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for living among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [partnership with Expedia](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.


Lifestyle 

The University of Georgia is a major employer for much of the city. As such, many jobs are in either education, administration, or facilities management for the university. Outside of that, if you work in technology, companies both young and old such as Docebo, Roundsphere, and Partner Software are prime candidates for work. Several notable pharmaceutical companies are also based in the area, as well as independent publisher Hill Street Press, and a growing music industry. Outside of that, service industry jobs are always hiring in Athens. For a college town, the job prospects are pretty diverse. 


Worklife 

Athens is a city for everyone. No matter who you are, where you're from, what you do, or what you believe, you'll find like-minded people here. There are progressives aplenty. There are conservatives (on the edges). There are music-fanatics, intellectuals, families loving the great public schools. Pretty much they have it all. 

For Everyone

Why You Should Move Here Now

**boobiesrkoozies**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

Not a parent myself, but the childfree friend in a friend group who are all parents:

There's so much stuff to do for families/kids around here. Yeah, we're a college town but that's really only a part of Athens life; and most of it is contained to the "college" areas/downtown. And even downtown is separated by the "khaki divide" so there's a townie part and a college-y part. (If you and your wife want an adult night, highly recommend World Famous and Little Kings).

Checkout Flagpole! They have events listed online and a bunch of them are family centered.

As for crime, I've always felt safe in Athens. Lived here almost my whole life and while there's parts I'll avoid at night, I imagine it's like that anywhere. A personal concern is gun violence downtown, but even that's pretty sporadic and is probably more paranoia on my end than anything.

For more reviews of what living in Athens is like from locals, check out [The Reviews](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/athens/reviews).

Buying a Home

Reviews of Athens from Locals

There are several great neighborhoods for Young Professionals and Students in Athens but it never hurts to start your search Downtown. It’s home to the University of Georgia campus so students and young professionals benefit from the restaurants, bars and entertainment options that serve the young population. 

It also is home to much of arts scene and cultural experiences with the Georgia Museum of Art a centerpiece of the beautiful historic architecture. There’s plenty of boutique shopping and an incredibly diverse foodie scene covering local and international fare. The area also plays host to events and festivals throughout the year, including the AthFest music and arts festival and the Athens Farmer’s Market. Live here and you’re walking to fun night’s out as much as you please. 

Five Points is another interesting option for both college students and young professionals. It’s an historic neighborhood just east of downtown that contains part of the University campus and is filled with boutique shops, cafes, bars, cool restaurants and a number of galleries/art studios for the art lovers among you. It’s also notable for the Five Points Fountain, a beautiful and iconic feature that pulls in the community for formal and informal gatherings.  https://www.redandblack.com/magazine/athens-neighborhoods-five-points/article_29e73934-1188-11e6-a224-276163151111.html
- Downtown
- Five Points
- East Athens


Young Professionals/Students

Downtown/Five Points

Families LOVE the Boulevard neighborhood for its historic homes from cottage-sized to mansion-sized, combined with an eclectic, Athens vibe. It’s just a 1/3rd of a mile from downtown so you’re walking distance from the energy and experiences of the city center but in an oasis of historic coolness. It was originally built in the 19th century as a streetcar suburb but now is filled with families looking for a perfect mix of in-city and out-of city-center energy.  It has its own commercial district with galleries, performance art and some of the best restaurants in the city. Perhaps best of all it has one of the area’s  prized elementary schools, for those looking for great public options. 
- Boulevard
- Normaltown
- Milledge Avenue


Families

Boulevard

Lots of retirees have moved to Athens in recent years from hurricane-prone Florida. Plenty choose to live in traditional neighborhoods like Five Points but there are also beautiful gated golf course communities like The Village at Jennings Mill, if you want to truly live in your own world. The Georgia Club is a luxury country club community just outside the city limits that is rated one of the 50 best retirement communities in the country. It has everything from Georgian Mansions to townhomes and apartments. You name it and you get it here: golf, pickleball, healthclub, pools, community events and even a doggo park!
- Five Points
- The Village at Jennings Mill
- The Georgia Club


Retirees

Five Points

Athens

**thatbeautifulday**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉

We have a two year old and have lived in Athens since we were in college (so 15+ years). The pro’s are essentially what you mentioned - it’s a smaller town but there’s still a lot to do, and much of it is not associated with the university. (We appreciate that while it’s a college town, it’s not “just” a college town.)As younger graduates we got in to a lot more in the way of shenanigans but now it’s pretty easy to avoid if it’s not your thing. We live within a couple miles of the university but I can’t tell you the last time I was out that way - there are other hubs of activity that aren’t campus or downtown. We are football fans but don’t love crowds, so really just kind of steer clear of certain areas on gameday, or get out into the surrounding areas (it’s an easy drive to a lot of places incl Atl, North Ga, Asheville, G’ville, Savannah).

To address some more specific mentions: I think generally you’ll find that folks are respectful of public art etc, with the blue squiggles being a notable exception. The housing market is hot right now and the non-student rental market is tight, so consider your financial situation. We love our daycare but are still in conversation about where our kiddo will go to school - the public schools have had some public struggles lately so hoping that evens itself out in the next few years

**heliocentricmess**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉

Athens is basically like Austin 15 yrs ago. It’s been growing a lot and feels like it will probably explode, population-wise, in the next 5 yrs. There are tons of huge development projects in the works and it’s a different place than it was even 5 yrs ago.

Traffic isn’t bad at all compared to larger cities and football culture is totally avoidable if you prefer.

It is pretty safe although that feels like it’s changing, too. There have been multiple shootings downtown this year & the Xmas parade was marred by threats of a mass shooting. Which is a shame bc for most of my time here I have felt safe downtown and the surrounding area even as a woman alone at night. Gangs are on the rise and with that gun violence, although it’s usually confined to certain communities/areas.

The homeless population has grown exponentially here in the past handful of years which many in the community are concerned about and so far there doesn’t seem to be a great plan for dealing with that. We have the most free services for mental health & drug rehabilitation in the area so we are currently that resource for most of NE GA while also having one of the highest poverty rates per capita as a county, so there’s more of an underbelly than one might expect for a town this size.

The social scene is very bar-centric so if you aren’t a drinker it can be hard to find activities that don’t involve meeting up at a bar or brewery, even with kids. Since you both work from home I would look into what else is available around other interests, since many transplants can have a harder time making friends if they aren’t connected through work/school.

I personally feel that Athens is a great home base & a great place to raise kids, but it can also still feel really small/limited at times. For its size it does have a lot of bigger city features though and it isn’t yet overrun with a lot of the same problems that exist in bigger cities.

**boobiesrkoozies**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

Not a parent myself, but the childfree friend in a friend group who are all parents:

There's so much stuff to do for families/kids around here. Yeah, we're a college town but that's really only a part of Athens life; and most of it is contained to the "college" areas/downtown. And even downtown is separated by the "khaki divide" so there's a townie part and a college-y part. (If you and your wife want an adult night, highly recommend World Famous and Little Kings).

Checkout Flagpole! They have events listed online and a bunch of them are family centered.

As for crime, I've always felt safe in Athens. Lived here almost my whole life and while there's parts I'll avoid at night, I imagine it's like that anywhere. A personal concern is gun violence downtown, but even that's pretty sporadic and is probably more paranoia on my end than anything.

**mowerheimen**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

My honest opinion? I love the town. I spent 7 years in Athens, and I just moved back about 25 minutes outside it for work. It can be a really great place. But it can also be really shitty, and honestly, the way it's been going lately, I kinda wonder if it isn't losing some of its charm. It always felt like a small town to me, while having a lot of things you get in larger cities, like stores and restaurants. And I will honestly say that Athens and the surrounding areas have some amazing restaurants. It's also within easy driving distance of a lot of the most beautiful parts of Georgia.

Other people have raised some valid points, the cost of living in Athens has drastically increased. There are ways around that, and some good deals still out there. But the University pay does not increase very often, and if you're going into a field you want to promote further up in, a lot of the time, you end up hoping departments.

Overall, I personally would do it, but I love the town and still have a bunch of friends in the area. I would encourage you to give it a try.

Edit: I took a glance at your profile after writing this- I am also a DnD nerd, and most of my friends still in the area are as well. There's a thriving nerd culture around.

Hey all!

Adam Rogers here, today I will be the one to discuss with you the pros and cons of living here in Athens, Georgia. We all know no place is perfect but we can call it home nonetheless. Hopefully with this video I will be able to inform you what you need to know and help you make a decision or just to give you food for thought.

Moving to Georgia! Reach out to us! We absolutely LOVE it when people reach out to us, and we have helped people from all across the world make the move right here to our home city. We can't wait to hear from you! Livinginathensgeorgia@gmail.com


**Athens, Georgia is The South's Favorite College Town, Go Dawgs! | Hey Ya'll | Southern Living**

Athens, Georgia has always been known for its music scene, and we love the live shows, but there is so much more to this picture perfect southern town than tunes. That's why The South's Best Awards recognized this quaint little town as the best of the best. The food is off the charts, and staying in one of the unique local hotels will make your trip into an event you can tell people about. Now is the time to visit, since the Dawgs are national champions, so grab some soul food and ice cream, tour the campus, then you can thank us for the tip later. Have fun!

Athens, Georgia

Classic City

Looklyloo Score: 86