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Atlanta Metro Population


tarikj

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It is very tough to figure out what the municipal population is - but based on ARC's estimate it is around 440k. But I think we all might be in for a surprise by 2010, because the city - like most large cities - haven't experienced such a demographic shift as we are now. There are fewer families, meaning smaller resident / household ratios, but there are many more condos, but it's unknown what the vacancy level for these new buildings are, due to condo flipping.

But ARC's estimate noted a large population gain in last year, & Atlanta should easily hit 450k, if not 475k by 2010. But it depends on what will happen in the city's poorest neighborhoods, in the southeast & west. If poor families continue to move out to the suburban counties, it could be a wash.

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I think it still really depends on several factors - there are more housing units in the city every year. But fewer residents per housing unit. Plus the city continues to experience a huge population drain from lower income Black families.

I admit I am very mixed at the future, particularly b/c I don't want to sound callous. But the liklihood of US cities in the future will be that they are home to either high income families or high middle income couples / singles. The suburbs will be home to lower / low middle income families. Maybe that is the way it should be - based on most world cities, but it does indicate that in reality, the suburbs will be the most racially diverse areas to be in. Anyone ever heard of the term 'ethnoburb'? Gwinnett Co / Dekalb Co in metro Atlanta, Arlington in metro Dallas.

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I think it still really depends on several factors - there are more housing units in the city every year. But fewer residents per housing unit. Plus the city continues to experience a huge population drain from lower income Black families.

I admit I am very mixed at the future, particularly b/c I don't want to sound callous. But the liklihood of US cities in the future will be that they are home to either high income families or high middle income couples / singles. The suburbs will be home to lower / low middle income families. Maybe that is the way it should be - based on most world cities, but it does indicate that in reality, the suburbs will be the most racially diverse areas to be in. Anyone ever heard of the term 'ethnoburb'? Gwinnett Co / Dekalb Co in metro Atlanta, Arlington in metro Dallas.

Possibly, but I've noticed that many world cities are not based on the model of a central business district(s) where most of the jobs are located surrounded by suburbs that get less dense as you move out. Instead they are based around transit centers where there is retail, work and residences located at each of these centers. I believe they are referred to as nodes in some circles.

Anyway, back to the USA. I completely agree that many of the central cities in the USA are becoming enclaves of the well off and the upper middle class. I am watching this phenomenia unfold in downtown Charlotte where everyone is being forced out of the CBD that isn't well off. Interesting despite the large number of condos having been constructed, the downtown population has stayed pretty much the same. This is because while they were building the condos, they were at the same time pushing down all of the public housing that used to exist in the center city. The land is too valuable now for public housing or anything else that doesn't cater to high income. So over the last decade or so, the population hasn't changed much, but the demographics have change greatly. I can't say that I really like it as it is about as exciting as a suburban shopping mall.

Maybe this is going on in Atlanta too.

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Interesting despite the large number of condos having been constructed, the downtown population has stayed pretty much the same. This is because while they were building the condos, they were at the same time pushing down all of the public housing that used to exist in the center city. The land is too valuable now for public housing or anything else that doesn't cater to high income.

Maybe this is going on in Atlanta too.

I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be what's happening here. However, I need to mention that a lot of infill (where there was absolutely nothing) has occurred in Cabbage Town, Grant Park, Morningside, Poncy Highlands, Kirkwood, Memorial, and now Techwood. So there has been a huge turnaround in formerly desolate spots of town. On the other hand, I'm sure the average size of households has gone down.

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From what I remember, this sign was in Buckhead on Peachtree--not very far from an older residential highrise, if that helps any.
Oh, thanks, krazeeboi, that's the one I was originally thinking of, outside the Darlington. I was thinking someone mentioned a sign in Midtown.

There's an interesting article in the Business Chronicle on the story behind the sign.

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The City of Atlanta is in a weird population limbo at the moment. As more people move into the city the population goes down. Yes this sounds backwards but most of the city catered to lower income families before. The new wealthier tenants are single or small families that may have a child or don't even have children yet. So a house of one or two adults and four children becomes a house of only one or two adults.

Just imagine if all of this redevelopment and new development was populated with families with two to three children, then we would have passed 500,000 some time ago.

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The City of Atlanta is in a weird population limbo at the moment. As more people move into the city the population goes down. Yes this sounds backwards but most of the city catered to lower income families before. The new wealthier tenants are single or small families that may have a child or don't even have children yet. So a house of one or two adults and four children becomes a house of only one or two adults.

Just imagine if all of this redevelopment and new development was populated with families with two to three children, then we would have passed 500,000 some time ago.

If it was a family like mine, we'd be a million. :rofl:

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I saw some news not too long ago on cnn about ATL population . They were saying that georgias poulation has surpassed the 9 million mark which was not expected for some years later. They also mentioned the the metro area of atlanta has over 5 million people and the metro area of Augusta (georgias second largest city) is over 800 thousand, not very far from one million in terms of cities growing.

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