Conyers, GA, United States

Capital City

At just over 17,000 residents, Conyers is a sleepy county seat with a checkered past. While the town has survived fires, a school shooting, and even a syphilis outbreak, it now faces a more persistent headache - bureaucracy. The Georgia town was built around a railroad watering post, and today its Interstate 20 exits provide access to Atlanta, 24 miles west. However, the city's growth has been uneven, with former mill towns like Milstead now incorporated into the larger municipality. Conyers may appeal to those seeking a quieter alternative to the bustle of Atlanta, but its troubled history and creeping bureaucracy are obstacles to consider.