Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes
Hoschton, Georgia
Rome, Georgia
What It Is Like to Retire in Rome
Rome is the largest city in northwest Georgia. Like its namesake in Italy, Rome is built on 7 hills with a river running through it. It has 34,000 residents and is home to four colleges including Floyd College and Shorter University. Berry College, just north of town, is famous for having the world's largest campus (26,000 acres). Rome has a long history with more than a dozen sites on the National Register of Historic Places. The downtown is quite extensive and lively - on a recent visit Topretirements was very pleasantly surprised at how vital and upbeat the town seems to be. We entered a coffee shop and almost of the customers appeared to be college students or that age. It was nice to see families walking around downtown on a Saturday afternoon.
Where to Retire in Rome and Home Prices
The Zillow Home Value Index was $203,167 in mid-2023. There are some very nice residential areas in the hills overlooking the town center. There are some active adult communities in the area as well, including one associated with Berry College.
What Is Special about Rome
Having 4 colleges in town is unusual. It is the commercial center of northern Georgia. Rome has the largest college campus in the world (Berry College). Being an historic town in the foothills of the Appalachians is another distinction. The downtown is quite lively and extensive with an interesting array of shops and restaurants set along wide streets. Many young people are out and about.
What Is Not Special about Rome
This corner of Georgia is off by itself, although Atlanta is not that far away. Through the 1970's Rome was home to a nationally famous house of prostitution, Peggy's. The crime rate is higher than average. If Rome were closer to Atlanta or Savannah we think it would be even more successful, but for people from outside the south this part of Georgia is a bit unknown.
Who Will Like Retirement in Rome
People looking for an inexpensive place to retire in a moderate climate with good scenery and in a college town will probably like Rome. People from the north or midwest will find this town, because of its size and colleges, easier to adapt to than some smaller towns in Georgia or Alabama. But if you are not from the south, it might take some adjusting. Politically speaking, this part of Georgia is extremely red; the city voted 70% Republican in 2020. Racially, Rome is about 46% white, 24% African-American, 23% Hispanic, and the remaining other races approximately 7%. About half the population identifies as evangelical christian.
Local Economy Is Driven by
Formerly agricultural, Rome has several large companies in addition to the colleges and being the county seat.
Climate and Physical Environment
Rome is in the foothills of the Appalachians, and is almost equidistant to Chattanooga, Atlanta, and Birmingham. The average July high temp is 88 and the average Jan low is 29. March is the wettest month with almost 7" of precip. The curve of the river through the town and the hills above make for a very pleasant physical setting.
Restaurants & Cultural Scene
Rome has many restaurants. There are museums and a film festival. The colleges also provide local culture. There are frequent fairs and festivals, in addition to a minor league baseball team.
Crime
Crime is over a third higher than the national average.
Medical facilities
There are at least 3 hospitals including Floyd Medical Center.
Transportation
Atlanta and its international airport is just over 50 miles away. No interstate highways are close to Rome.
Comments on "Rome"
Peggy Emling says:
I'm thinking of relocating to Rome. Can you tell me why crime is higher there?
Admin says:
Answer: While the city and its setting is quite beautiful, crime is higher than in the rest of the state. Property rate crimes are double the U.S.. rates and violent crime about 50% higher. Education and income levels are not out of line with rest of GA. There are wealthy people and a lot of poor people who live here. About 50% of the population is white and the rest African American or Hispanic. Crime differs by neighborhood. The area near Berry College is considered the safest.