Ray City, GA

Ray City is a quiet South Georgia community of under a thousand residents, sitting along U.S. 129 between Nashville and Lakeland. It gives newcomers a peaceful, rural pace of life while keeping them within an easy drive of Valdosta and Moody Air Force Base. The town originally grew up around a 19th-century gristmill on Beaverdam Creek, and that connection to the water still defines the area today.

ATTRMjrmtg / CC BY-SA 3.0

Ray’s Mill Pond remains the town's most famous landmark, drawing locals and visitors for fishing, boating, and legendary fried catfish dinners. One practical detail to keep in mind when house hunting is that Ray City spans both Berrien and Lanier counties. Depending on which side of the county line you buy or rent on, your children will attend either Berrien or Lanier County schools. For anyone looking for affordable small-town living with friendly neighbors and wide-open spaces, Ray City fits right in.