Here Is Georgia’s Best City To Live In

MILTON, GA — The best city to live in Georgia is apparently Milton, located on the northwestern tip of Fulton County. That’s according to a new report from the financial news and opinion site 24/7 Wall St., which determined the best city to live in every state.

The authors acknowledged that while many things factor into what makes a place "home," some specific attributes are commonly shared and “universally desirable.” These include essentials like safe streets, a strong local economy, affordability and diverse entertainment options.

Here’s a breakdown of Milton:

• Population: 36,755
• 5 year population change: 19.1-percent increase
• Median home value: $475,300
• Median household income: $109,784

Here’s what the authors had to say:

Now home to nearly 37,000 people, Milton’s population more than doubled since 2009 and is projected to reach 43,000 by 2030. In commuting distance of Atlanta, many Milton residents likely commute to high paying jobs in the state’s largest city. The typical household in Milton earns $109,784 a year, more than double the median income of $51,037 across the state as a whole. Similarly, Milton’s poverty rate of 5.5 percent is less than a third of the 17.8% statewide poverty rate. Milton is also a safe city. There were just 23 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents in 2017, a fraction of the 383 per 100,000 national rate.

Most of the best cities to live in were relatively affluent. That includes Paradise Valley, dubbed the best place to live in Arizona, where the median home value is north of $1.3 million — more than seven times the national median. The median household in the town earns an income of $173,487

To identify the best cities to live in, the researchers created a weighted index of more than two dozen measures in four categories: affordability, economy, quality of life and community. Some of the measures include ratio of median home value to median income, cost of living, unemployment rate, poverty rate, food insecurity rate, death rate and violent crime rate.

But several cities and towns were much more modest.

Batesville, Arkansas, was highlighted specifically because it’s so affordable and has various attractions and amenities. The median household in the city earns $42,143 a year, while the median home is worth $120,400.

“With roots as far back as 1804, Batesville is the second oldest city in Arkansas,” the authors noted. “The city, which avoided destruction in the Civil War, has a number of historic buildings and sites. There are attractions in the area for nearly every taste and preference, including antique stores, art galleries, an annual film festival, and the Batesville Motor Speedway.”

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.

Image via city of Milton