Sociolinguistic research finds that people with strong ties to the place where they live are more likely to use local dialect features, but what happens when the cultural values associated with a specific place do not match those associated with the broader regional dialect? Here the effect of rootedness is studied in two adjacent northeastern Georgia counties: one politically and culturally aligned with commonly perceived “Southern” values (Oconee County), versus one embodying a less conventional version of Southern culture (Clarke County). Results show that, in Oconee County, greater rootedness (local attachment) corresponded to greater use of traditional Southern vowel features, while in Clarke County, more rooted speakers exhibited fewer Southern features.