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>0001354912</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>Daiss Ann P</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
        <relationshipsToIssuer>
          <relationshipToIssuer>Former Officer</relationshipToIssuer>
        </relationshipsToIssuer>
      </issuerInfo>
      <securitiesInformation>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
          <name>Merrill Lynch</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>3455 Peachtree Road 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>3022</noOfUnitsSold>
        <aggregateMarketValue>222571.51</aggregateMarketValue>
        <noOfUnitsOutstanding>1090402540</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
        <approxSaleDate>05/03/2023</approxSaleDate>
        <securitiesExchangeName>NYSE</securitiesExchangeName>
      </securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/13/2022</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vest</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Southern Company</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/13/2022</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensatory Payment</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>03/04/2022</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vest</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Southern Company</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>206</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>03/04/2022</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensatory Payment</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>06/03/2022</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vest</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Southern Company</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>2</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>06/03/2022</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensatory Payment</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>09/02/2022</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vest</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Southern Company</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>2</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>09/02/2022</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensatory Payment</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>12/05/2022</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Units</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Southern Company</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>2</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>12/05/2022</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensatory Payment</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/03/2023</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vest</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Southern Company</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>378</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/03/2023</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensatory Payment</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/11/2023</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vest</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Southern Company</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>332</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/11/2023</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensatory Payment</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/13/2023</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vest</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Southern Company</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>2099</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/13/2023</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensatory Payment</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <remarks>Following tax lots to be sold have partial share positions- 02.13.2022: 1.0280 Shares, 03.04.2022: 206.0162 shares, 06.03.2022: 1.8634 shares, 09.02.2022: 1.8197 shares, 12.05.2022: 2.1012 shares, 02.13.2023: 2099.1715 shares.</remarks>
      <noticeSignature>
        <noticeDate>05/03/2023</noticeDate>
        <signature>Ann Daiss</signature>
      </noticeSignature>
    </formData>
  </edgarSubmission>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "144", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 6869}]
text: 144
  0001354912
  XXXXXXXX
  LIVE
  0000092122
  SOUTHERN CO
  001-03526
  30 IVAN ALLEN JR. BLVD., N.W.
  ATLANTA
  GA
  30308
  4045065000
  Daiss Ann P
  Former Officer
  Common
  Merrill Lynch
  3455 Peachtree Road NE
  Suite 1000
  Atlanta
  GA
  30326
  3022
  222571.51
  1090402540
  05/03/2023
  NYSE
  Common
  02/13/2022
  Restricted Stock Vest
  Southern Company
  N
  1
  02/13/2022
  Compensatory Payment
  Common
  03/04/2022
  Restricted Stock Vest
  Southern Company
  N
  206
  03/04/2022
  Compensatory Payment
  Common
  06/03/2022
  Restricted Stock Vest
  Southern Company
  N
  2
  06/03/2022
  Compensatory Payment
  Common
  09/02/2022
  Restricted Stock Vest
  Southern Company
  N
  2
  09/02/2022
  Compensatory Payment
  Common
  12/05/2022
  Restricted Stock Units
  Southern Company
  N
  2
  12/05/2022
  Compensatory Payment
  Common
  02/03/2023
  Restricted Stock Vest
  Southern Company
  N
  378
  02/03/2023
  Compensatory Payment
  Common
  02/11/2023
  Restricted Stock Vest
  Southern Company
  N
  332
  02/11/2023
  Compensatory Payment
  Common
  02/13/2023
  Restricted Stock Vest
  Southern Company
  N
  2099
  02/13/2023
  Compensatory Payment
  Y
  Following tax lots to be sold have partial share positions- 02.13.2022: 1.0280 Shares, 03.04.2022: 206.0162 shares, 06.03.2022: 1.8634 shares, 09.02.2022: 1.8197 shares, 12.05.2022: 2.1012 shares, 02.13.2023: 2099.1715 shares.
  05/03/2023
  Ann Daiss