Overview

Business and industry in Fannin County, which had been predominantly an agricultural center, has been going through a transition in recent years. The county has become an increasingly popular tourist destination as well as an attractive site for real estate development and short-term rentals. The city of Blue Ridge continues to add new businesses at a rapid rate with various new retail establishments, specialty shops and restaurants expanding the center city core. But it is not only Blue Ridge that is enjoying steady growth; other areas of the county have seen an increase of retail shops and small businesses.

Fannin County, which features rolling hills and abundant mountainous views, has large portions of its landmass as part of Chattahoochee National Forest and the Cohutta Wilderness. Demand for rental cabins, and the businesses needed to support that industry, continues to be a high-growth market.

Lake Blue Ridge, which is part of the Tennessee Valley Authority series of power dams, attracts large numbers of visitors as well as highly sought-after home sites. Mercier Orchards is a successful, long-term business in the county that attracts a faithful crowd of regular visitors and employs a stable local workforce.