Starkville voted 'best small Southern town' on USA Today's list. See the towns it beat out

Mary Boyte, Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Hold up your cowbells and let them ring out. Starkville has been named "best small town in the South," according to a recent USA Today rankings list.

Here's a look at the USA Today list:

USA Today's 2024 "10 best small towns in the South" list includes a ranking of towns that boast, according to the list, "relaxing getaways, cultural immersion, outdoor adventures and culinary delights,"— and all that with a population of less than 25,000.

Mississippi State Maroon team receiver Justin Ball (84) celebrates his touchdown with teammate Braylon Burnside (5) during the first quarter of their spring football game Sat. April 20, 2024 in Starkville. Starkville's sports scene helped secure the town first place on USA Today's 2024 "10 best small towns in the South" list. (File Photo: Jim Lytle/Special to the Clarion Ledger)

With a population of just over 24,000, Starkville managed to make the cut and beat out every other small town in the South. USA Today readers and an expert panel voted on the ten winners.

The winners, from first to 10th place, of USA Today's 2024 "10 best small towns in the South" are as follows:

  1. Starkville, Mississippi

  2. Batesville, Arkansas

  3. Thomasville, Georgia

  4. West Monroe, Louisiana

  5. Maysville, Kentucky

  6. Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

  7. Sevierville, Tennessee

  8. Abingdon, Virginia

  9. Brevard, North Carolina

  10. Fairmont, West Virginia

Only one Mississippi town makes the cut

More 'Best Southern Cities' lists: Mississippi left off 'Best Southern Cities' list. Here are 3 cities we wish made the cut

For each of USA Today's "10 Best" lists, a panel of experts submits several nominations. These nominations are then narrowed down by USA Today editors and presented to online readers for voting.

Starkville, like most college towns in the South, is famous for its SEC football scene. Rich in sports culture due to the Mississippi State University football team represented by the beloved bulldog mascot, the town truly comes alive during the fall football season.

However, Starkville's southern charm beyond tailgates and cowbells is what secured the town its win.

"Home to Mississippi State University, Starkville is much more than just a college town," the list says. "You'll find a thriving arts scene, multiple historic districts, many opportunities for bird-watching and plenty of great food."

The list goes on to emphasize Starkville's historical significance, encouraging readers to visit the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, an establishment it describes as a "treasure trove of artifacts and correspondence."

If you ask a group of Mississippians what the best small town in the South is, Starkville might not be the universal answer. By winning first place, Starkville beat out other popular small towns in the state such as Natchez and Ocean Springs, both of which are notably absent from the list.

Oxford, which often makes such lists, has a population of more than 27,000, making it a hair too large. Population also takes Auburn, Alabama out of the running.

Got a news tip? Contact Mary Boyte at mboyte@jackson.gannett.com

Curtailing gun purchases: Campaign launches in Jackson Metro to curtail illegal gun purchases. See details here

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Starkville, MS named 'best small Southern town' on USA Today list

Advertisement