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>0001195423</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>WOMACK CHRISTOPHER C</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>14000</noOfUnitsSold>
        <aggregateMarketValue>1206499.27</aggregateMarketValue>
        <noOfUnitsOutstanding>1095684180</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
        <approxSaleDate>12/05/2024</approxSaleDate>
        <securitiesExchangeName>NEW YORK</securitiesExchangeName>
      </securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/03/2021</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>914</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/03/2021</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/03/2011</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>43</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/03/2011</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/11/2021</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1300</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/11/2021</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/11/2021</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>115</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/11/2021</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/12/2021</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>8584</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/12/2021</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/12/2021</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>3044</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/12/2021</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <noticeSignature>
        <noticeDate>12/05/2024</noticeDate>
        <planAdoptionDates>
          <planAdoptionDate>09/05/2024</planAdoptionDate>
        </planAdoptionDates>
        <signature>CHRISTOPHER WOMACK</signature>
      </noticeSignature>
    </formData>
  </edgarSubmission>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "144", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 5677}]
text: 144
  0001195423
  XXXXXXXX
  LIVE
  0000092122
  SOUTHERN CO
  001-03526
  30 IVAN ALLEN JR. BLVD., N.W.
  ATLANTA
  GA
  30308
  4045065000
  WOMACK CHRISTOPHER C
  Officer
  COMMON
  MERRILL LYNCH
  3455 PEACHTREE RD NE
  SUITE 1000
  ATLANTA
  GA
  30326
  14000
  1206499.27
  1095684180
  12/05/2024
  NEW YORK
  COMMON
  02/03/2021
  RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST
  SOUTHERN COMPANY
  N
  914
  02/03/2021
  COMPENSATORY PAYMENT
  COMMON
  02/03/2011
  RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST
  SOUTHERN COMPANY
  N
  43
  02/03/2011
  COMPENSATORY PAYMENT
  COMMON
  02/11/2021
  RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST
  SOUTHERN COMPANY
  N
  1300
  02/11/2021
  COMPENSATORY PAYMENT
  COMMON
  02/11/2021
  RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST
  SOUTHERN COMPANY
  N
  115
  02/11/2021
  COMPENSATORY PAYMENT
  COMMON
  02/12/2021
  RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST
  SOUTHERN COMPANY
  N
  8584
  02/12/2021
  COMPENSATORY PAYMENT
  COMMON
  02/12/2021
  RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST
  SOUTHERN COMPANY
  N
  3044
  02/12/2021
  COMPENSATORY PAYMENT
  Y
  12/05/2024
  09/05/2024
  CHRISTOPHER WOMACK