content: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ownership" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">
    <headerData>
      <submissionType>144</submissionType>
      <filerInfo>
        <filer>
          <filerCredentials>
            <cik>0001573512</cik>
            <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
          </filerCredentials>
        </filer>
        <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
  
  
  
      </filerInfo>
    </headerData>
    <formData>
      <issuerInfo>
        <issuerCik>0000092122</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SOUTHERN CO</issuerName>
        <secFileNumber>001-03526</secFileNumber>
        <issuerAddress>
          <com:street1>30 IVAN ALLEN JR. BLVD., N.W.</com:street1>
          <com:city>ATLANTA</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>GA</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>30308</com:zipCode>
        </issuerAddress>
        <issuerContactPhone>4045065000</issuerContactPhone>
        <nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>Greene Kimberly S,</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
        <relationshipsToIssuer>
          <relationshipToIssuer>Officer</relationshipToIssuer>
        </relationshipsToIssuer>
      </issuerInfo>
      <securitiesInformation>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
          <name>MERRILL LYNCH</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>3455 PEACHTREE RD NE</com:street1>
            <com:street2>SUITE 1000</com:street2>
            <com:city>ATLANTA</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>GA</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>30326</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
        <noOfUnitsSold>47326</noOfUnitsSold>
        <aggregateMarketValue>3302329.00</aggregateMarketValue>
        <noOfUnitsOutstanding>1090402540</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
        <approxSaleDate>06/05/2023</approxSaleDate>
        <securitiesExchangeName>NEW YORK</securitiesExchangeName>
      </securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/12/2018</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VESTING</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>KIMBERLY GREENE</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>17446</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/12/2018</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>03/08/2018</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>KIMBERLY GREENE</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>430</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>03/08/2018</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>04/01/2018</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>KIMBERLY GREENE</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>11796</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>04/01/2018</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>06/08/2018</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>KIMBERLY GREENE</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>617</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>06/08/2018</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>09/11/2018</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>KIMBERLY GREENE</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>600</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>09/11/2018</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>12/13/2018</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>KIMBERLY GREENE</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>592</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>12/13/2018</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/11/2019</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>PERFORMANCE STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>KIMBERLY GREENE</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>15845</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/11/2019</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <noticeSignature>
        <noticeDate>06/05/2023</noticeDate>
        <planAdoptionDates>
          <planAdoptionDate>03/06/2023</planAdoptionDate>
        </planAdoptionDates>
        <signature>KIMBERLY GREENE</signature>
      </noticeSignature>
    </formData>
  </edgarSubmission>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "144", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 6230}]
text: 144
  0001573512
  XXXXXXXX
  LIVE
  0000092122
  SOUTHERN CO
  001-03526
  30 IVAN ALLEN JR. BLVD., N.W.
  ATLANTA
  GA
  30308
  4045065000
  Greene Kimberly S,
  Officer
  COMMON
  MERRILL LYNCH
  3455 PEACHTREE RD NE
  SUITE 1000
  ATLANTA
  GA
  30326
  47326
  3302329.00
  1090402540
  06/05/2023
  NEW YORK
  COMMON
  02/12/2018
  RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VESTING
  KIMBERLY GREENE
  N
  17446
  02/12/2018
  COMPENSATORY PAYMENT
  COMMON
  03/08/2018
  RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST
  KIMBERLY GREENE
  N
  430
  03/08/2018
  COMPENSATORY PAYMENT
  COMMON
  04/01/2018
  RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST
  KIMBERLY GREENE
  N
  11796
  04/01/2018
  COMPENSATORY PAYMENT
  COMMON
  06/08/2018
  RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST
  KIMBERLY GREENE
  N
  617
  06/08/2018
  COMPENSATORY PAYMENT
  COMMON
  09/11/2018
  RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST
  KIMBERLY GREENE
  N
  600
  09/11/2018
  COMPENSATORY PAYMENT
  COMMON
  12/13/2018
  RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST
  KIMBERLY GREENE
  N
  592
  12/13/2018
  COMPENSATORY PAYMENT
  COMMON
  02/11/2019
  PERFORMANCE STOCK UNIT VEST
  KIMBERLY GREENE
  N
  15845
  02/11/2019
  COMPENSATORY PAYMENT
  Y
  06/05/2023
  03/06/2023
  KIMBERLY GREENE