The city of Atlanta was founded in 1837 at the end of the Western & Atlantic railroad line. The city became the state capital in 1868 and grew to become the leading economic center in the Southeast U.S. In 1996, Atlanta hosted the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.
Notable landmarks include the Georgia state Capitol, Georgia World Congress Center, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and Ebenezer Baptist Church, where the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. served as pastor. Large employers include Delta Air Lines, Coca-Cola, AT&T and Truist (formerly SunTrust) Banks.
Atlanta’s population is growing as the city’s diversified economy has gathered steam following the recession. Atlanta is 132 square miles and is in parts of Fulton and DeKalb counties.
Atlanta by the Numbers (2022)
Population |
499,127 |
Population Change (since 2010) |
+18.8% |
Population Forecast (2050) |
792,367 |
Median Household Income* |
$83,251 |
Unemployment Rate |
4.5% |
Mean Travel Time to Work* |
28 minutes |
Single Family Building Permits |
1,775 units |
Multifamily Building Permits |
10,078 units |
Data Resources

2023 Annual Report – City of Atlanta (pdf)
Other City of Atlanta Resources
ARC Board Members Representing All of Parts of City of Atlanta
- Andre Dickens, Mayor, City of Atlanta
- Vacant, Council Member, City of Atlanta
- Amol Naik, Citizen Member, District 4
- Angelia O’Neal, Citizen Member, District 5
- Julie Keeton Arnold, Citizen Member, District 11
Data Sources
- US Census Bureau, County Population Estimates, 2022
- US Census Bureau, Small-Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2021
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (1-year estimates), 2022
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year estimates), 2017-2021
- Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), Series 16 Forecasts
- HUD, State of the Cities Data System (SOCDS), 2022