ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Two Georgia cities have made Southern Living’s list of the South’s Best Cities on the Rise in 2024.

Southern Living put together a reader-selected list of southern cities with excellent food scenes, cool downtown districts, natural beauty, thriving arts communities and that southern charm that’s hard to define.

The list was compiled through an online survey of more than 20,000 respondents.

Gainesville made the list at #17. Big draws to the small city are proximity to Lake Lanier and the boutique-filled downtown district, as well as a handful of new restaurants that have opened up in the past few years.

Alpharetta came in at #9. The city’s revamped downtown district has a walkable, family-friendly central area with numerous restaurants and shops. Nearby retail hub Avalon is also a draw.

The #1 city on the list of up-and-coming small towns for 2024 was Wilmington, North Carolina.