McDuffie County was named one of the top 10 places in the state to retire in the Fall/Winter 2007 issue of the Retire in Georgia magazine.
"It's a big deal," said Elizabeth Vance, the McDuffie County tourism director, who turned in a nomination. "I think it's a great thing anytime you're named the best of anything. ... It only validates that McDuffie is a great place to live."
According to a press release sent out by the magazine, the editorial staff chooses 10 sites annually using criteria such as climate, travel and tourism assets, cost of living, healthcare infrastructure, housing, population, dynamics, community commitment, local park systems and lifelong learning opportunities.
Not ranked in any order, the top 10 places listed in the article are Albany-Dougherty; the City of Atlanta; Big Canoe in Pickens and Dawson Counties; Gainesville-Hall County; Douglas-Coffee County; Georgia's Lake Country in Morgan, Greene, Putnam and Baldwin Counties; Lowndes, Brooks and Lanier Counties; McDuffie and Columbia Counties; St. Mary's in Camden County and Thomasville-Thomas County.
Mrs. Vance said she did not work with Columbia County in filing McDuffie's nomination. She said migration data compiled by the magazine staff combined the two counties.
"It's not a negative thing to be with Columbia County," Mrs. Vance said. "What they don't have, we do. And what we don't have, they do. So we play off of each other. ... They have more city-like amenities, and we have a more laid back atmosphere."
Retire in Georgia is published two times a year in March and September. A partner of the Georgia Tourism Foundation, the magazine is promoted as the most comprehensive source for amenity-seeking active adults considering visiting and relocating to Georgia. The magazine is distributed throughout the state in visitor information centers, as well as chambers of commerce, county commissions, economic development and business organizations.
Complimentary issues are mailed to subscribers in Georgia and to households in states with an established pattern of relocations to Georgia, which is something Forward McDuffie Director Mike Carrington plans to take advantage of.
"It's one more thing I can use to promote our county," he said. "It's definitely something I can talk about when making presentations."
