The document examines access to jobs, housing, and services in metro Atlanta. It finds that while the number of housing options near employment centers has grown, combined housing and transportation costs remain high. Commute times in Atlanta also tend to be longer than average. However, Atlanta has a vibrant arts community, ranking in the top 15% of major metros for creative establishments per capita.
Do Metro Atlanta Residents Have Access to Jobs & Amenities?
1. Do Metro Atlanta Residents
Have Access To Jobs and
Services?
Plan 2040 Goal: Community Development
Atlanta Regional Commission
For more information contact:
mcarnathan@atlantaregional.com
2. Are there enough housing options with
access to jobs?
• The Atlanta region must ensure that there are ample housing options close to
where the jobs are located
• Affordable housing options currently exist throughout the region, but there
are not enough around employment centers
• Families are forced to make tough choice:
• Live close to work, but pay too much for housing?
• Live in affordable community, but pay too much for transport to work?
• We will explore how families make this decision by examining key indicators
relating to job availability, socioeconomics, and quality of life.
Source: OnTheMap Program, U.S. Census Bureau
3. Proximity to Jobs
99.85
99.9
99.95
100
100.05
100.1
100.15
100.2
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Annual Growth Index for Workers:
Centers Compared to Region
Growth in Centers
Growth in Metro
• The chart depicts growth
conditions in 2002 as a baseline
“100,” where each subsequent
year is compared to the
baseline year
• Growth of workers living near
job core and corridors (Centers)
has grown faster than overall
growth of workers in the Metro
area
• Since 2002, job centers have
experienced a 16.5% growth
increase, whereas the Metro
area has only seen about 7%
Source: OnTheMap Program, U.S. Census Bureau
5. Proximity to Jobs
50,000
52,000
54,000
56,000
58,000
60,000
62,000
64,000
66,000
68,000
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Residents Who Live and Work in Centers • This chart shows that the
number of workers who both
live and work in these high-
density employment corridors
has risen steadily since 2002
• The Great Recession greatly
impacted development from
2008-2010
• As of 2011, more housing
options have been developed
to meet the demand
Source: OnTheMap Program, U.S. Census Bureau
6. Percent of Income Spent on Housing
• The U.S. Census Bureau
tracks housing affordability
by counting how many
people spend more than
30% of their income toward
housing costs
• 39% of all individuals in
metro Atlanta spend at least
30% of their income on
housing (renters & owners)
• A decreasing trend line
indicates improving
conditions with housing
affordability
Source: OnTheMap Program, U.S. Census Bureau
33.0%
34.0%
35.0%
36.0%
37.0%
38.0%
39.0%
40.0%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
% Spending At Least 30% of Income on
Housing
7. Percent of Income Spent on Housing
Source: 2008-2012 American Community Survey, Neighborhood Nexus
The reds & oranges show those
areas where people spend more
than 41 percent of their income
on housing costs. These areas
are clustered in the regional
core (south of I-20) as well as
town centers throughout the
region.
8. Percent of Income Spent on Housing &
Transportation
• Tracking transportation costs
along with housing costs give
us a better picture of
Atlanta’s affordability
• Moderate-income
households (defined as
between 50% and 100% of
median HH income) spent
63% of their incomes on
housing and transportation
combined
• Atlanta falls among the
highest of the top 25 U.S.
metros
Source: Center for Neighborhood Technology
9. Location Affordability Index – “Typical
Household”
• The Location Affordability Index is
a new tool developed by HUD and
US DOT to look at transportation
and housing costs by
neighborhood
• This map looks at the areas (in
Dark Green) in the Atlanta region
where the typical household could
afford to live and still pay less than
50% of their income on housing
and transportation costs – you see
that there are still several areas
where this is possible
• In metro Atlanta, the “typical”
household has an annual income
of $57,550, a size of 2.69 people
along with 1.21 commuters.
Source: Location Affordability POrtal
10. Location Affordability Index – “Moderate-
Income” Household
• This map looks at the areas
(in Dark Green) in the Atlanta
region where a “moderate-
income” household could
afford to live and still pay less
than 50% of their income on
housing and transportation
costs. Compared to the last
map, there are a lot fewer
areas where this is possible
• Also notice that these areas
cluster near interstates and
transit service
• In metro Atlanta, the
“moderate-income”
household has an annual
income of $46,060, a size of
2.69 people along with 1.21
commuters.
Source: Location Affordability POrtal
11. Commute Length
• The shorter the commute,
the more free time workers
will have to enjoy
• Over the 5 year span, about
76% of all metro Atlanta
workers have had a one-way
commute of less than 45
minutes
• Atlanta ranks the 6th lowest
among the top 100 U.S.
metros in terms of workers
with a 45 minute or less
commute time; not a good
metric
Source: American Community Survey, Brookings State of Metropolitan America
70.0%
72.0%
74.0%
76.0%
78.0%
80.0%
82.0%
84.0%
100 metro Average Metro Atlanta
% of Commuters with Less Than a 45 Minute
One-Way Commute To Work, 2010
75%
75%
76%
76%
77%
77%
78%
78%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
% of Workers With Less Than a 45 Minute
Commute To Work
12. Access to Arts
Source: Benchmarking Central Ohio, Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Though difficult to
quantify, art
community vibrancy is
a key feature of “cool”
cities
• In terms of “creative
establishments” per
capita, Atlanta ranks
8th out of the top 25
largest U.S. metros.
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2
LosAngeles
Miami
SanAntonio
NewYork
Portland
Boston
Washington
Atlanta
Minneapolis
Denver
Tampa
Pittsburgh
Houston
SanFrancisco
Baltimore
Phoenix
Chicago
Philadelphia
St.Louis,MO
Dallas
Sacramento
SanDiego
Seattle
Detroit
Riverside
Creative Establishments per 1,000 population, 2011
13. • Atlanta ranks
15th for the
number of
creative
establishments
per 1,000
population in
terms of the top
100 U.S. metros
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
SarasotaLos AngelesMiamiSan AntonioDaytonNew YorkProvoChattanoogaRaleighPortland, ORBostonOxnardWashington, DCNashvilleAtlantaSan JoseOgdenAustinMinneapolisLas VegasCharleston, SCDenverMadisonClevelandSpringfield, MATampaJacksonvilleHartfordJacksonBuffaloBoisePittsburghNew OrleansProvidenceHoustonPalm Bay, FLOrlandoSan FranciscoBaltimoreGrand RapidsLittle RockPoughkeepsiePhoenixCincinnatiTulsaCape Coral, FLColumbus, OHAlbuquerqueSan JuanRichmondMilwaukeeSalt Lake CityHarrisburgAkronLouisvilleAlbany, NYChicagoColumbia, SCPhiladelphiaRochesterOklahoma CityFresnoGreensboro, NCOmahaGreenville, SCPortland, MENew HavenSt. LouisTucsonBaton RougeKansas CityBirminghamWorcesterWichitaDes MoinesSyracuseBridgeportIndianapolisLakeland, FLColorado SpringsDallasVirginia BeachSacramentoHonoluluCharlotteAllentownSan DiegoToledoKnoxvilleSeattleYoungstownMemphisAugusta, GAScrantonDetroitEl PasoRiversideStocktonBakersfieldMcAllen, TX
Rank: Number of Creative Establishments per 1,000 Population (1=
Most)
Source: Benchmarking Central Ohio, Bureau of Labor Statistics
14. • The Metro Atlanta Speaks survey asked residents to rate the availability
of cultural events and venues in the Atlanta area. More than two-thirds
responded “Excellent” or “Good,” which is very positive.
Source: Metro Atlanta Speaks Survey
Excellent, 23.7% Good, 44.6% Fair, 22.6%
Poor
5.6%
Don't Know
3.6%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Rate Availability of Cultural Events and Venues in Atlanta Area
Access to Arts: Perceptions from Metro
Atlanta Speaks Survey
15. Summary
• Atlanta is improving in terms of developing livable communities near job-
dense areas
• However, combined housing and transportation costs in Atlanta are higher
compared to similar U.S. metros
• Commute times in Atlanta remain high compared to the national average,
with little change over the past several years
• Atlanta’s art community is vibrant, outranking 85% of the top 100 U.S.
metros in creative establishments per capita