2 Of America's 'Most Charming Small Downtowns' Will Make You Pay

This pair of downtown locations in the state of Georgia are known for their history, smalltown appeal, and, in the case of Dahlonega, several wineries dotted throughout Georgia's wine country. Athens and Dahlonega, GA are the locations in question, and according to a recent article from HGTV, have two of the "most charming small downtowns in America." Athens, home to the University of Georgia, has a lot of perks, including a classic vaudeville theatre that doubles as a venue for concerts and films. However, it may not be the best college town to retire to or live in if you're not prepared to pay more for your food, gas and electricity. The same could be said for Dahlonega, where the cost of living is above the national average thanks to higher costs related to healthcare and, again, utilities and groceries.

This is where your intuition, and an intimate understanding of your financial resources, will determine what financial impact living in either of these small towns might incur. For instance, while the overall cost of living in Athens is technically a little lower than the national average, the aforementioned other factors may have you asking what the real value of $100 in these Georgia towns really is. 

According to Apartments.com, the overall cost of living in Athens is slightly lower (0.8%) than the national average, however, it's not that cut and dry. Three of the most desirable neighborhoods — mainly, Five Points, Normaltown, and Cobbham — have median home prices above the second quarter national average of $512,800 (as per the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis). Homes in Cobbham, as per Realtor.com, have a median list price of $575,000. The median listed home price in Normaltown is anything but normal at $650,000 (according to Remax Legends). Not to be outdone, the median listed home price in Five Points is currently around $892,000 (as per Realtor.com).

Zillow places the average rent in the U.S. as of September 2025 at $2,060 per month. That being the case, Athens isn't going to be demonstrative of how renters are winning in the U.S., with renters' average cost of living being 2.4% higher than the national average. People who rent tend to have an average cost of living around $4,879 per month. Once you add in food costs that are 0.9% higher, and utilities that are 0.5% higher than the national average to the significant cost of housing in the most desirable neighborhoods, you can see how the hidden costs of living in Athens can add up pretty quickly. 

According to Apartments.com, the cost of housing in Dahlonega is 12.8% higher than the national average, with the general average cost of living also inching 2.9% above the national average. This also has an impact on the cost of living, with homeowners averaging a 5.9% higher cost than the rest of the U.S. Healthcare is also high, with a 3.7% higher premium to the rest of the country (roughly $418 per month), and groceries are slightly higher at 0.1% more than the national average. That doesn't even include the average listing price of a home in Dahlonega, which is 21.7% higher than the national average at $631,711, or the cost of utilities for that home averaging $894 per month.

While you'll be better off renting in Dahlonega — the cost of living is around 1.2% lower than the national average for renters with an average rent of $729 per month — you won't escape the cost of utilities, groceries, or healthcare, which are 5.6%, 0.1%, and 2.8% higher than the national average for renters, respectively. That equates to, in order, $398, $693, and $148 per month. If you're set on living in one of Georgia's small towns, consider St. Simon's Island, which is an underrated beach town that's also a perfect place to retire.