ATHENS, GA — A North Georgia city has made its debut on Rent Café’s 2026 Best College Towns ranking.

Athens entered the national list for the first time this year, ranking No. 17 nationally and No. 5 in the South.

Rent Café data shows Athens is among the strongest academic performers in the top 20, with a graduation rate of 86.35%, about 25 percentage points above the national average. That ranks 16th nationally on that metric, officials say.

Athens also ranks No. 25 nationally for retention rate at 92% compared to a national average of 77.9%.

Officials say it reflects the ability of the University of Georgia of keeping students enrolled and on track. Athens’ enrollment yield rate stands at 34.44%, compared to a national average of 22%.

Rent Café officials said their annual study analyzed more than 240 towns nationwide using metrics tied to education quality, quality of life, and affordability.

“This year, we refined the methodology by incorporating each institution’s retention rate, a strong signal of student satisfaction and overall campus fit,” officials said.

For more information, visit the Rent Café website.