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LISA CORSON
According to theU.S.
Census, the South is the place to be.
Credit:LISA CORSON
Plus, the South is the only region that maintained population growth during the pandemic.
And theyre not done growing.
Then, our readers selected their top picks in our annualSouths Best Awardssurvey.
Credit:Denis Tangney Jr./Getty Images
The survey was fielded from July 12 to August 23, 2023, and had over 20,000 respondents.
Edmond, Oklahoma
Part of Oklahoma Citys sprawling metropolitan area, Edmond has grown steadily over the years.
With help from the University of Central Oklahoma, it now has the fifth largest population in the state.
City of Edmond.
Other major selling points include 47 miles of natural trails, 33 parks, and beautiful Arcadia Lake.
Its no wonderNorth Portwas ranked the second fastest growing U.S. city in 2023 according to a recentstudy.
(It also ranked 30th in the U.S. between 2020 and 2022.)
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But natural attractions arent the only thing contributing toGulfports tourism-driven economy.
An expanding culinary landscape has fostered buzzy Onyx Coffee Lab and restaurants like Conifer and The Hive.
Its no wonder everyones talking aboutBentonville.
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The sprawling Avalon centerwith a movie theater and 500,000 square feet of retail spaceis also located nearby.
Although it is part of the Atlanta metro area, it has a personality all its own.
A thriving arts and culture scene, excellent restaurants, and ever-growing downtown makeCarya worthy standalone destination.
Courtesy of VisitSarasota.com.
A Japanese electric vehicle battery manufacturer is set to open a $2 billion factory here in 2025.
In 2023, investments in the area surged to $2.37 billion.
Huntsville, Alabama
gatorinsc/Getty Images
TheRocket Cityis on a roll.
BackyardProduction/Getty Images.
Now larger than Birmingham and Montgomery, there is much to love here.
The Orion Amphitheater, a world-class music venue and live entertainment destination, opened in the summer of 2022.
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