Albany is considered the economic, cultural and recreational hub for a large, growing region that takes in parts of north Florida and southeast Alabama as well as southwest Georgia. Located just three short hours from beaches on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, Atlanta and the North Georgia mountains, Albany blends the natural beauty of rural living with metropolitan culture and convenience.

According to the latest national cost of living index, Albany is Georgia's urban area with the lowest cost of living. It also has the lowest housing and transportation costs, and its health care costs are also among the lowest of Georgia's major cities.

The area's citizens long ago took seriously their roles as stewards of the land, preserving the beautiful countryside and our unique way of life. An outdoorsman’s paradise, the unspoiled splendor of this region include dozens of shooting preserves, numerous woodland plantations and the scenic Flint River.

Other recreational venues include The Parks at Chehaw where native and exotic animals roam in natural habitats, the Albany Civic Center, the Thronateeska Heritage Museum & Planetarium, the YMCA, Paul Eames Park, Flint RiverQuarium and several championship golf courses.

Culturally, Albany houses a 65-piece professional symphonic orchestra with a full-time, resident conductor, a live theater group and a ballet company. The Albany Museum of Art is home to a permanent collection of 19th and 20th century American and European art, as well as one of the finest Sub-Saharan African art collections in the South.