Rome, Georgia, a town located in Northwest Georgia, is nestled in the rolling hills of the Appalachian Mountains. Rome is the largest city in the area, with just over 36,000 people. It is centrally located, a little over an hour from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia, and two hours from Birmingham, Alabama.
For those thinking about moving to Rome, Georgia, I am here to explain why my family and I believe Rome, Georgia is an excellent place to live.
Living in Rome offers its residents an affluent, suburban setting. It has a warm small-town feel with all the benefits of living in a larger town. Those who call Rome home have a deep sense of local pride and nostalgia.
Rome, Georgia, has a lot to offer its residents. There are numerous parks and exercise trails. There are top-notch medical facilities. Rome also offers some of the best schools and colleges around.
Outdoor Life
Rome offers an excellent array of outdoor activities. Many outdoor activities revolve around the three rivers and seven hills that make up Rome. With three rivers running through Rome, water sports such as kayaking and canoeing have become very popular over the past several years. If that is not your sport, there are twenty-seven parks throughout Rome. There are also six sports complexes. There are several walking trails in Rome, Georgia, perfect for walking, hiking, or biking. If that isn’t enough outdoor time, there are several areas for camping in Rome to choose from.
Social Life
One of the best features of Rome is you get all the benefits of living in a larger town but can still keep the small-town feel. Rome has access to various shopping and dining venues to meet everyone’s needs, wants, and desires. It also has up-and-coming bands playing on Broad Street at night. The Rome Little Theatre is active year-round and showcases Rome’s fantastic talent. Rome is also home to the Rome Braves, a minor-league affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.
Education
Rome is home to Berry College: one of the world’s most beautiful college campuses (and the largest). It also has one of the most fascinating stories behind it. Martha Berry’s passion for learning still echoes through the halls at Berry College.
Located in the heart of Rome, you will find Shorter University: a private Baptist University. It was founded in 1873 as Cherokee Baptist Female College and was located on Shelton Hill, one of Rome’s Seven Hills. In 1877 the college was renamed Shorter Female College because of the financial contributions of Alfred and Martha Shorter. The college moved to its current location in 1910.
Georgia Highlands College is a public college that started in Floyd County and has grown to cover most of North West Georgia. It began as Floyd Junior College in 1970. Today it is part of the University System of Georgia and offers Associates Degrees and two Bachelor’s Degrees.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College is a technical college in Rome, Georgia. It is a member of Georgia’s system of technical colleges. It provides occupational education, skills training, and workforce development.
Although there are four colleges in Rome, it does not have the college “party town” feel. The fantastic nightlife in Downtown Rome caters to the college crowd. Still, things remain quiet outside of that area, allowing Rome to maintain its small quiet town ambiance.
There are also several private schools. Darlington School ranges from Pre-K to 12th grade. It is a preparatory boarding school that hosts students from all over the world. Unity Christian School also goes from Pre-K to 12th grade and incorporates Christian beliefs and values with academics. Saint Mary’s Catholic School offers families with children from kindergarten to 8th grade a Christ-centered, high-academic approach to learning. Berry College Elementary School embraces Martha Berry’s dream of changing lives through the power of education and offers grades K-8th grade. The Montessori School of Rome provides a unique learning environment for students from 18 months to 9th grade.
Rome also has excellent public schools divided into four county districts and one city school. The four county school districts are Pepperell, Coosa, Model, and Armuchee. Rome City School has several primary schools that feed into Rome Middle School.
Work and Retirement
Education obtained here can be put directly to work. Rome has advanced medical facilities that employ thousands of people. There are many other opportunities in Rome to apply yourself and your degree toward a promising career.
Once you reach the point where you are ready to retire, the options are pretty inviting. There are a few retirement communities and the Spires at Berry. There are also assisted living facilities that can provide more care if needed. Even celebrities have entrusted their loved ones to the care of Rome’s high-end retirement community. There are several weekly meetings for the older community to sing, dance, play BINGO, and travel within the community.
Living in Rome is incredible. There are plenty of benefits to living in Rome, where entertainment is ready and waiting. Many bars, cafes, and restaurants in the downtown area serve delicious food and drink. Everybody is welcome in Rome, where Adventure awaits!
