Why Moving To Atlanta Is More Popular Than Ever

These days moving to Atlanta is more popular than ever. Indeed, recently Money Magazine called Atlanta the “Soul of The South” and named it the best place to live in America.

Seems Americans have been increasingly in the mood to move. People are fed up with overly expensive cities like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. They’re opting for more affordable cities that offer idilic neighborhoods like Virginia-Highland and Morningside and where career, cultural and outdoor opportunities abound.

Atlanta’s population has grown between 1.5 and 2% per year over the past 5 years. According to the Census Bureau, more than 6 million people now live in the region. That’s about a 50% increase from 20 years ago.

Here’s why more and more people are moving to Atlanta:

Booming Economy

The Atlanta economy ranks as the 10th largest in the US. Moreover, it’s multi-faceted with career opportunities in a wide variety of industries.

Here are some of the driving factors.

Resource: Buy or Rent in Atlanta?

First, it’s easy to get almost anywhere from Atlanta

One big reason the Atlanta economy thrives is its super easy to get almost anywhere from Atlanta.

80 percent of the United States is accessible within a two-hour flight from Atlanta

The attractiveness of this feature to employers and residents really can’t be overstated.

Located only 10 miles south of Downtown Atlanta, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the busiest and most efficient airport in the world.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Stats:

• World’s largest airline mega hub (Delta Air Lines)
• Over 225 domestic and international destinations
• Over 1,000 flights a day
• More than 100 million passengers a year
• Largest employer in Georgia employing over 60,000 people

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is a major draw for employers and new residents looking to build a quality life.

So with a world-class airport as its foundation, let’s look at the Atlanta economy’s other driving factors.

Atlanta has become a mecca for TV and film production

Atlanta is among the top 10 cities in the world for TV and film production.

Think Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3, The Walking Dead and Stranger Things 

This is thanks in part to the success of the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act. The act made Atlanta and Georgia a very attractive location by offering grants an income tax credit of 20% to qualified productions. These include films, TV series and movies. And even commercials and music videos get the credit.

According to the website MovieMaker, “the 366 productions filmed in Georgia included 21 feature films, 45 independent films, 222 television and episodic productions, 57 commercials and 21 music videos”.

With those numbers, it’s easy to see why they named Atlanta the third best place to live and work as a movie maker in 2022.

The HQ for 16 Fortune 500 companies

In addition, Atlanta ranks fourth in the number of Fortune 500 companies located within the city boundaries.

Some of the world’s biggest brands are located here.

AT&T Mobility, Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, Home Depot, Newell Rubbermaid and UPS all call Atlanta home

Moreover, about 75% of Fortune 1000 companies have a presence in the Atlanta area. Plus the Atlanta region hosts approximately 1,250 multinational corporations including Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.

Plus, there are more than 700 start-up companies that call Atlanta home.

The Silicon Valley of the South

Moreover, Atlanta is home to dozens of tech companies.

From giants like NCR and Fiserv to medium sized players like MailChimp and InstaCart to multiple bootstrap start-ups Atlanta has plenty of opportunities in tech.

When tech people move to Atlanta they can’t believe how much house their money can buy

Great for digital nomads

Post-pandemic, Atlanta is ranked as the 3rd best state for remote work. As such, we’re seeing more and more work-from-home buyers.

The vibrant economy provides the foundation for limitless options when it comes to entertainment, restaurants and shopping

With all this going on, it’s no wonder Atlanta has become a magnet for people seeking a better quality of life.

Explore: Top 10 Reasons To Love Intown Atlanta Living

Pleasant Weather

The truth is, even with the occasional hard freeze in winter or 100 degree day in Summer, Atlanta weather is generally mild and pleasant.

U.S. News ranked Atlanta 13th on their list of best places to live for the weather

Their criteria: “We looked for places that had the fewest average number of days above 90 degrees and below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as those with the fewest fully cloudy days, based on information from the National Weather Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information.”

On average, Atlanta has 44 days below freezing and 44 days above 90 degrees. There are an average of 217 sunny days a year.

Let’s face it, sunny days equals happy people.

So the weather is another big reason people feel comfortable moving to Atlanta.

Reasonable Cost of Living

When compared to other large US cities, living in Atlanta is a real bargain.

For example, Salary.com’s cost of living calculator shows:

Living in Atlanta is 44.4% less than New York City, 21.4% less than San Francisco and 14.7% less than Chicago

That’s not to say the city is inexpensive, it’s not. But for the money, you can enjoy an excellent quality of life here.

Cultural Opportunities

Next up is culture. Namely arts, education and sports.

The Arts

Let’s start with the Woodruff Arts Center. It’s home to the award winning High Museum of Art, the Tony award-winning Alliance Theater and the Grammy award-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. And of course there’s the legendary Fox Theater.

For more information about the latest happenings, explore Atlanta’s Arts & Culture Scene at Discover Atlanta.

Higher education

The Atlanta area offers some of the country’s best universities including Georgia Tech, University of Georgia, Spelman College, Agnes Scott and Emory University to name a few.

In addition, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is located here in Atlanta as well.

For more info on the 19 higher education institutes in Atlanta, check out the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education.

Professional sports

Atlanta has seemingly endless professional sports options. For example, the Atlanta Braves (baseball), Atlanta Falcons (football), Atlanta Hawks (basketball) and Atlanta United FC (soccer).

Plus, Atlanta is host to the Truist Atlanta Open (tennis) and the FedX Cup PGA Tour Championship (golf).

For a more in-depth look at the Atlanta sports scene, explore The Atlanta Sports Guide.

Conclusion

In conclusion, with all these amazing benefits, it’s easy to see why so many decide to move to Atlanta.

Moreover, once people move to Atlanta, the booming economy, reasonable cost of living, pleasant weather, the arts, culture and sports has them deciding to plant themselves and call the ATL home sweet home.

If you or someone you know is considering moving to Atlanta, explore our Relocation Guide or just contact us. We’re here to help!