Atlanta, GA
Census place 1304000 · pop 505,268
Birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coca-Cola, and host of the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.56 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
3548 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
46.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
604 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
51 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$439,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
16.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
6 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
27 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
11.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$1,888/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
90/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
91.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.96% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+3.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$85,652 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
21.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
29.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
59.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Frequently asked
- Is Atlanta, GA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Atlanta scores 41/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is bachelor's degree or higher and its weakest is income inequality. Georgia overall ranks #30 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Atlanta, GA?
- Atlanta reports 604 violent crimes per 100k and 3548 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Atlanta, GA expensive to live in?
- Atlanta has a median home value of $439,600 and typical rent around $1,888/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Atlanta, GA?
- Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.56) — 2/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Atlanta, GA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is bachelor's degree or higher (59.2%) — 90/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coca-Cola, and host of the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.