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The place to be

By Michael Butler

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released its Natural Amenities Scale.  The study identifies enhanced places to live based on climate, topography and water area.

Every county in the United States was studied.  In Alabama, the highest rated counties meeting the criteria are Tallapoosa and Elmore. 

Considering that Tallassee is the only city in the state that lies in both counties, one could surmise that our town is the best place to live.

Okay, that might be a stretch, but when it comes to natural amenities, Tallassee has it.

The USDA lists these qualities in the study; mild, sunny winters, temperate summers, low humidity, topographic variation and access to a body of water.

The highest ranking county nationwide is Ventura County, Calif.  Ventura’s score is seven, the highest one county could obtain.  Tallapoosa and Elmore drew scores of four on the scale, common for the southeast. 

Tallapoosa ranks 433 nationally.  Elmore is 450.  The lowest rated county in Alabama is Macon, our bordering neighbors.  Macon is 1,853 overall, with a three rating on the scale of seven.  The worst score nationally belongs to Red Lake County, Minn.

USDA Natural Amenities Scale

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