Atlanta Info from ADA

The below information was provided by the Atlanta Development Authority:

After decades of dwindling numbers, Atlanta has shown an increase in population in recent years. The most current IRS migration data (2005) show that, from 2000 to 2005, Atlanta's 20-county metro area had a net gain of about 270,000 residents. During that period, more than 33,000 people moved from out of state into Fulton County, which comprises the bulk of the City of Atlanta. Of the more than 205,000 metro-area residents who moved into Fulton County between 2000 and 2005, 84 percent came from Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties.

The City of Atlanta has been the beneficiary of many current trends in the way people move. One migration pattern is known as the "half-back effect" - this occurs when Northeastern retirees give Florida a try, find it doesn't suit them and move part of the way back north to Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. Foreign immigration is another driver in Atlanta's population growth. While immigrants have historically settled in coastal regions, today more and more of them are choosing inland metropolitan areas where jobs are abundant. This has the added benefit of creating a more diverse city. Young, highly educated people are also moving south to Atlanta for jobs, but that's not all - they're drawn by the low cost of living, the diversity and the city's vibrant cultural life.

Culture is an important factor in the last of these trends, known as urban revival. Spurning long commutes and seeking proximity to the cultural core of the city, people are leaving the suburbs and moving to the city center. These tend to be higher income empty-nester households; generally without children, these residents don't depend on the public school systems to dictate where they will live.All of these newcomers change the demographic make-up of our city, bringing social, racial and economic diversity. Atlanta's average household income is on the rise, and the over-60 population is projected to double by the year 2030. Population data suggests that, in the city, there will be a greater need for housing for singles and couples without children in the future.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) in 2006, there are slightly more males than females. The age midpoint for the city is 35 years of age. Other City of Atlanta population characteristics from the 2006 ACS include the following:

• Atlanta is a brainy city - 40 percent of those 25 years and older have a bachelors degree or higher. The national average is 27 percent.
• Atlanta is a great place for singles - only 28 percent of males are married and 25 percent of females are married.
• Atlanta is becoming more international - 11 percent speak a language other than English at home. Also, 8 percent of Atlantans are foreign-born and 4.4 percent were born in Latin America.
• Commuting within the city isn't as bad as it is in the greater metro region - among those city-dwellers who commute to work, it takes 25.9 minutes on average to get to the office.