Atlanta, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Atlanta · DeKalb County, Georgia
Population 499,287 (est. 2026: ~519,500)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 1.2% annual growth projection

Atlanta, Georgia

DeKalb County, Georgia · Population 498,715

Atlanta is the capital and largest city in Georgia, anchoring one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the American South. Positioned at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the city sits at roughly 1,050 feet in elevation — higher than most Southern cities — which gives it a climate slightly more temperate than the coastal plain. Atlanta is not defined by a single industry or a single neighborhood. It holds the headquarters of global corporations, a cluster of historically Black colleges and universities that shapes national culture, one of the busiest airports on earth, and neighborhoods ranging from dense Midtown towers to quiet bungalow streets in Kirkwood and East Atlanta. The median age of 33.6 signals a young city, and the data bear that out: nearly a quarter of all workers work from home, transit ridership is real but not dominant, and the housing market reflects the pressure of sustained in-migration.

People & Demographics

Atlanta's population of 494,838 sits at the core of a DeKalb County total of 764,382 — meaning the city itself accounts for roughly two-thirds of county residents. The city is majority Black at 235,308 residents (approximately 47.6%), with a white population of 201,651 (roughly 40.7%), an Asian population of 24,490, and a Hispanic or Latino population of 26,810. These numbers reflect decades of demographic history — Atlanta has been a center of Black political, economic, and cultural life since Reconstruction, and that identity runs through its institutions, its neighborhoods, and its civic structure.

Of 227,388 occupied households, only 93,091 are family households — meaning Atlanta skews heavily toward single-person and non-family living arrangements, consistent with a young urban population. The average household size of 2.03 is well below national norms. Children under 18 number 85,059.

Economy & Employment

The labor force stands at 280,863, with 16,383 unemployed — an unemployment rate of roughly 5.8% against the labor force. Median household income sits at $77,655, and per capita income reaches $60,778. Both figures reflect the considerable economic range within Atlanta: high-wage professional sectors pull the averages up, while 82,182 residents fall below the federal poverty line — about 16.6% of the population.

Atlanta's economy is not captured in any one sector. Georgia Tech, Emory, Georgia State, and the constellation of HBCUs — Clark Atlanta, Spelman, Morehouse, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Morris Brown — make higher education and research a foundational economic driver. Grady Memorial Hospital and the broader healthcare system employ thousands. Corporate headquarters in finance, logistics, media, and technology fill the midtown and Buckhead office towers. The city's position as a film and television production hub has grown steadily over the past decade.

Housing

Atlanta's 255,220 total housing units include 27,832 vacant units, leaving 227,388 occupied. Renters outnumber owners: 123,557 renter-occupied units against 103,831 owner-occupied, a ratio that tilts sharply toward renting compared to national and Georgia averages. The median home value of $395,600 reflects a market under sustained demand pressure. Median rent of $1,512 per month places significant cost burden on lower-income households in a city where poverty rates remain elevated.

The owner-to-renter split varies dramatically by neighborhood. Areas closer to downtown, Midtown, and Old Fourth Ward lean heavily rental. Neighborhoods like Buckhead, Druid Hills, and parts of northwest Atlanta have stronger owner-occupancy rates. Buyers and renters entering this market should expect competition; the vacancy rate of about 10.9% is not low by national standards but is concentrated in specific submarkets.

Schools

Atlanta's public school landscape includes both Atlanta Public Schools and, in DeKalb County portions of the city, DeKalb County School District. Several of the largest schools by enrollment:

Higher education options are extensive. Within the city: Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, Emory University, Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, Morris Brown College, Atlanta Metropolitan State College, Atlanta Technical College, Atlanta's John Marshall Law School, Beulah Heights University, Interdenominational Theological Center, Oglethorpe University, and numerous specialized institutions including The Creative Circus, SAE Institute of Technology, and Grady Health System Professional Schools.

Getting Around

Of 258,815 total workers, 148,511 drive alone — about 57.4%. That remains high for a city with meaningful transit infrastructure, but Atlanta's sprawl makes driving the practical default for many commutes. Carpooling accounts for 11,680 workers. Public transit moves 19,146 workers — MARTA rail and bus serve core neighborhoods but coverage thins quickly outside the urban core. Walking accounts for 10,768 workers, concentrated in dense neighborhoods close to employment centers. Notably, 59,983 workers — about 23.2% — work from home, among the higher rates for a major U.S. city.

Aggregate commute time across all workers totals 5,470,910 minutes, pointing to meaningful congestion for those who do drive. I-285, I-75, I-85, and I-20 intersect in and around Atlanta, and peak-hour travel times on those corridors are notoriously difficult.

Healthcare

Atlanta is a regional medical hub. Grady Memorial Hospital — one of the largest public hospitals in the United States — serves as the primary safety-net hospital for the region. Emory University Hospital, Piedmont Atlanta, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta are among the major systems operating within the city. Grady Health System also operates professional training programs through Grady Health System Professional Schools. For a full directory of licensed healthcare providers in Atlanta, the CMS NPI Registry can be searched directly: Atlanta, GA providers on NPI Registry.

Library

The Vinings Library serves as one of the library access points for Atlanta-area residents (phone: 770-801-8330). The broader DeKalb County Public Library system and Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System both operate numerous branches within and immediately adjacent to city limits, providing extensive access to residents across all neighborhoods.

Parks & Recreation

Three National Park Service units are accessible from Atlanta:

Natural Hazards

DeKalb County — which includes Atlanta — has a substantial FEMA disaster declaration history dating to 1993. The full list of declared events:

The pattern is clear: Atlanta's primary hazards are severe winter storms (which produce outsized disruption given the region's limited ice-removal infrastructure), flooding from rapid-onset heavy rain events, and the downstream effects of Gulf Coast hurricanes that track inland. Tornadoes are possible and have struck the urban core.

Government & Municipal Code

Atlanta's municipal code is published through Municode and is publicly accessible at library.municode.com/ga/atlanta. No building code is listed separately in the municipal code index — residents and contractors should verify applicable codes directly with the City of Atlanta's Department of City Planning.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Atlanta are available through the National Weather Service:

The nearest weather observation station is ATLANTA 5.1 SE, approximately 2.2 miles from the reference point. Atlanta's climate features hot, humid summers, mild winters punctuated by occasional ice storms, and a long spring and fall season. Annual rainfall averages are substantial, and flash flooding is a recurring concern in low-lying areas.

Education — Attainment

Among Atlanta residents 25 and older (343,468 people), educational attainment is notably high relative to Georgia averages: 50,403 hold a high school diploma as their highest credential, 110,739 hold a bachelor's degree, 57,360 hold a master's degree, and 9,610 hold a doctorate. The combination of major universities, professional schools, and corporate employers creates a labor market with strong demand for credentialed workers — and significant economic distance between those who hold degrees and those who do not.

References

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)