Alabama’s Rocket City is on yet another list of the South’s most vibrant communities.

Southern Living has placed Huntsville fourth on its “The South’s Best Cities on the Rise” list for 2024.

Wilmington, N.C. tops the list, followed by Franklin, Tenn. and Spartanburg, S.C.

Huntsville place for its economic development projects and its entertainment districts.

To make the list, cities were picked by Southern Living’s editors, who compiled a roster based on research, reporting, and personal experiences. Readers then selected their top picks in the magazine’s annual South’s Best Awards survey. The survey had more than 20,000 respondents, according to Southern Living.

In a summary, the magazine said Huntsville “is on a roll.”

“Now larger than Birmingham and Montgomery, there is much to love here,” it states.

“The Orion Amphitheater, a world-class music venue and live entertainment destination, opened in the summer of 2022. And most recently, it was named the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Place to Live for Families in 2023-2024. Up next, Huntsville will welcome Front Row, an 11-acre, $325 million mixed-use development that will include restaurants, a boutique hotel, retail, entertainment, and several public spaces.”