Best SEC Town/City (other than KnoxVegas)

[b_gann]

My buddy moved north of Lexington a few years ago. I always enjoy going to the UK game and spending the weekend around there. Similar to Knoxville in a lot of aspects.

Also Columbia SC is probably near the bottom of the list... LOL

 

[ksgovols]

Been to most of them. Nashville and it's not really that close.

 

[HarderKnox59]

You’re noticing the wrong people in Athens.

Sorry but it's Hard not to notice a pack of drunken barking idiots. Aka leg humpers !

 

[griffdog14]

I don’t drink. There’s still plenty to do in Nashville.

Putting Knoxville over Nashville is comical. Nashville is easily one of the South’s great cities, an opinion that is widely recognized. Knoxville’s best descriptor is “scruffy.”

I unironically would live in Knoxville over Nashville. Nashville is not worth it.

 

[HarderKnox59]

Aubun used to be a nice place but it’s overran with crime now.

Sorry to hear that. Thought it was quite pretty college town when I was there back in 98. Even tho I was hungover from the party in Atlanta the night before.

 

[The Original Fade]

I’ve only been to Knox, Tuscaloosa, and Auburn. That’s my order of preference too.

I would rather live in Baghdad than Tuscaloosa

 

[Glocker_Alum_2005]

I should have clarified this thread, its one thing to say which SEC college town is best to live in vs. which has best game day experience for the "neutral" or "visiting" fan.
That said here are the SEC towns that made U.S. News's best places to live (2019). I have to beg to differ having Columbia (what little I saw of it while TDY to Shaw AFB, sucked). Never been to Baton Rouge, but I would think Athens just on geography alone would be better.

No. 4 — Fayetteville, Arkansas (University of Arkansas)
No. 15 — Nashville, Tennessee (Vanderbilt University)
No. 29 — Lexington, Kentucky (University of Kentucky)
No. 46 — Knoxville, Tennessee (University of Tennessee)
No. 67 — Columbia, South Carolina (University of South Carolina)
No. 109 — Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Louisiana State University)

Here's sports media's list:
https://athlonsports.com/college-football/ranking-sec-college-towns-expert-poll

 

[daj2576]

Definitely Nashville. Awesome city. Knoxville would be second, if you allowed me to put it on the list. Athens would probably be third. Lexington probably fourth. Most of the rest are just little sleepy towns with no great distinguishing characteristics (not that there's anything wrong with small towns, as a Tullahoma boy, I like 'em). The hell-holes are Starkville and Tuscaloosa.

Have to caveat all the above with: never been to Baton Rouge, College Station, or either of the Columbias (Mizzou or South Carolina). Well, I drove through Columbia SC on the interstate a few times, but didn't really see the city. So don't know where they'd fit.

I had forgotten you were a fellow Tullahomite.

 

[Flipdaddy]

I would rather live in Baghdad than Tuscaloosa

If you go to most parts of Tuscaloosa you’ll think you’re in Baghdad.

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

I would rather live in Baghdad than Tuscaloosa

I'd rather live in Baghdad than parts of Little Rock...

Oxford would be choice here. Best scenery in the SEC

 

[The Original Fade]

I'd rather live in Baghdad than parts of Little Rock...

Oxford would be choice here. Best scenery in the SEC

lol, agree on your first point.

On the second one, I’d take Fayetteville over any of the ones mentioned, although I admit I’ve never been to Athens believe it or not. Been everywhere else. Fayetteville is very underrated

 

[lukeneyland]

Oxford. Ole Miss fans were very kind to me when I went there and saw us get hammered. Hearing them play Dixie in the grove gave me chills. I was walking about there campus the day after and I learned that they are called the Rebels specifically to honor one of their Classes that almost entirely died to a man at Gettysburg. Tons of history I respect their fans for sticking by them through generations of crap. Kinda like us almost.

 

[wmcovol]

Best City-Nashville
Worst City-Baton Rouge

I lived in BR for 4 years. Wasn’t that bad but it was never gonna be my “home”. People there are super. I wish we were more open to “outsiders”.

 

[Voltildeath1]

If you had to live in an SEC town, other Knoxville, which would that be? Would your answer be different if you weren't a Vols fan?

First, let’s figure out why you say something stupid like “Knoxvegas”. Dumb.

 

[Hairy Vols]

I'm proud nobody said Tuscaloosa xD

 

[HooahVol]

Lexington would be mine. Not a huge Kentucky fan, I just really like the town.

 

[Orange Floyd]

That and and Fayetteville, NC are always the 2 hottest places in the Southeast.

Columbus, Georgia too.

 

[Glocker_Alum_2005]

First, let’s figure out why you say something stupid like “Knoxvegas”. Dumb.

Geez tough crowd

 

[ArdentVol]

Columbia SC is the hottest town I've ever lived in during the summer. MISERABLE.

tuskerstyx

 

[KnoxKid]

From Knoxville, live in Nashville. Nashville works better for me personally.

These are my opinions of the others I've been to:

Columbia, Tuscaloosa, Gainesville - Puke
Oxford, Lexington - Lovely
Baton Rouge - Interesting

 

[VolsRule]

Nashville — best college town — nothing else is close

 

[Kngsport VFL]

Columbia. Beautiful stadium, pregame party! Close to beach.

 

[Unconditional Surrender]

Athens or Fayetteville. Not sure why you city slickers want to live in Nashville.

 

[OklahomaDawg]

Athens or Fayetteville. Not sure why you city slickers want to live in Nashville.

Must like the worst traffic in the south outside of Atlanta. Good choices with those two.

 

[SpeedyVOL]

Believe it or not, Auburn is a really nice place. I have a sophomore there that wanted to go to UT, but out of state tuition was just too high. We enjoy spending time down there. Everything seems so new.