building a stronger athens

Attracting Industries and Growing Business

The Athens-Clarke County metropolitan area serves as an employment, cultural, educational, and business center for surrounding counties and all of Northeast Georgia. Athens-Clarke County boasts a diverse business mix, with major Fortune 500 companies and local entrepreneurial startups calling the area home. The County has a rich history and a strong bioscience and manufacturing base, paired with talent and expertise from The University of Georgia and Athens Technical College, that provide a formidable business foundation in the heart of the Southeast U.S. Athens-Clarke County offers a variety of state and local incentives to new and expanding businesses in the area, including homestead and Freeport exemptions. These incentives, along with low taxes, a low cost of living, and a powerful workforce of more than 34,000, make the county an attractive choice to businesses seeking the perfect location for their operations.