This Southern City Was Named the Best Place to Live on the U.S. East Coast

The standings are part of The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index.

Atlanta has been going through a growth spurt. Earlier this year, the Georgia capital’s metropolitan area was named one of the country’s biggest in population growth, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, gaining nearly 69,000 residents between 2022 and 2023. It’s no surprise so many people are migrating to the area, as it was just named the second-best U.S. city to live in by the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Liveability Index. (The only American city that ranked higher was Honolulu, making Atlanta the No. 1 on the East Coast.)

The annual study by The Economist Group’s research division looks at 30 living standard factors in 173 cities, considering areas like infrastructure; health care; stability; education; and culture and environment. In particular, Atlanta ranked especially high for infrastructure, stability, and culture.

Atlanta also made the EIU study’s list of biggest movers up in the rankings over the last year, rising four positions up to No. 29. The only other U.S. city to jump up so many spots was Pittsburgh, which also leaped four spots to No. 30.

One of the main draws is that business is steady in Atlanta, which was named the best metro area to start a business by LinkedIn last fall. It’s home to major corporations like Delta, Coca-Cola, and Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport — the latter of which is the state’s largest employer with more than 63,000 employees.

The area’s film and television industry has also been thriving, with more than a dozen studios in the region, including the 330-acre Tyler Perry Studios, which the filmmaker took over in 2015; the nearly 1,000-acre Trilith Studios, which has become the go-to home base for superhero movies; and the shiny new Assembly Studios, which just opened in November.

Despite its moniker of "Hotlanta," the climate is actually quite temperate, with an average annual temperature of 61 degrees. Though July can average 89 degrees and January can hit 34 degrees. That said, there are typically more than 300 days of sunny weather, making it well-suited for outdoor activities.

One of the best places to experience it is on the 22-mile BeltLine trail system on a former railway track, including stops at Ponce City Market and Piedmont Park. And just outside of Atlanta is Sandy Springs, an under-the-radar suburb famous for its green spaces and trails.

Following Honolulu and Atlanta, the rest of the top 10 U.S. most livable cities were Pittsburgh; Seattle; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Boston; Miami; San Francisco; and Minneapolis. 

40 Best Things to Do in Atlanta

Home to incredible museums, quite a few professional sports teams, and a long list of award-winning restaurants, there are plenty of things to do in Atlanta that travelers of all ages will enjoy. Here, we've gathered 40 of the best things to do in Atlanta, ranging from mouth-watering food halls to a bevy of fun museums, so you can start planning your next trip to ATL today. Read more here.

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