Downtown Athens at the intersection of Clayton St. and College Avenue
Independent publisher Hill Street Press is headquartered here. Authors with previous, or current, residence in the city include Pulitzer Prize winners Deborah Blum and Edward Larson, as well as Judith Ortiz Cofer, Reginald McKnight and Coleman Barks.
Tourism
Every Spring, there are bicycle races collectively known as the Twilight Series. One is the Twilight Criterium. In addition to its yearly weekend of bike events, Athens has a bicycle culture, observed the first Friday of each month at Courteous Mass (sponsored by Bike Athens) and the last Friday of each month at Critical Mass (an independent gathering).
In addition, due to its well-known status as the hometown to many famous indie rock bands and labels, the city attracts indie music fans from all over the United States. Downtown Athens is home to numerous record stores, music cafes, and music-related landmarks.
Competitiveness
In 2010 the average household rent in Athens was $962. The national average was $1087
