Atlanta, GAThe Southeast's corporate and logistics capital, with the largest housing market in the region
Sources: FHFA House Price Index (MSAD 12054 + MSAD 31924, retrieved from FHFA), U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey and Population Estimates, BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics — retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. 2BR Fair Market Rent from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. SunBeltPulse is independent and not affiliated with any of these agencies.
Sourced, dated figures for Atlanta — cite freely.
Side-by-side stats, charts & AI analysis
Atlanta — quarterly, Q3 2016 – Q2 2026 · 40 quarters
FHFA House Price Index for Atlanta moved from 183.3 in 2016-Q3 to 374.5 in 2026-Q2 across 40 quarters of data.
| Quarter | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | Marietta |
|---|---|---|
| 2016-Q3 | 183.3 | 182.7 |
| 2016-Q4 | 185.2 | 185.3 |
| 2017-Q1 | 186.2 | 188.5 |
| 2017-Q2 | 192.1 | 193.9 |
| 2017-Q3 | 195.4 | 196.3 |
| 2017-Q4 | 197.2 | 199.7 |
| 2018-Q1 | 202.3 | 205.5 |
| 2018-Q2 | 207.5 | 209.6 |
| 2018-Q3 | 211.6 | 214.6 |
| 2018-Q4 | 211.8 | 215.8 |
| 2019-Q1 | 215.5 | 219.4 |
| 2019-Q2 | 220.4 | 223.8 |
| 2019-Q3 | 223.4 | 227.9 |
| 2019-Q4 | 225.4 | 229.7 |
| 2020-Q1 | 229.0 | 233.7 |
| 2020-Q2 | 231.2 | 235.9 |
| 2020-Q3 | 235.8 | 241.8 |
| 2020-Q4 | 240.3 | 247.0 |
| 2021-Q1 | 247.6 | 255.5 |
| 2021-Q2 | 262.5 | 271.7 |
| 2021-Q3 | 277.9 | 289.4 |
| 2021-Q4 | 292.8 | 303.1 |
| 2022-Q1 | 308.3 | 321.0 |
| 2022-Q2 | 329.3 | 345.3 |
| 2022-Q3 | 338.4 | 355.1 |
| 2022-Q4 | 336.0 | 353.2 |
| 2023-Q1 | 339.0 | 356.9 |
| 2023-Q2 | 347.4 | 364.7 |
| 2023-Q3 | 351.4 | 375.2 |
| 2023-Q4 | 352.5 | 369.6 |
| 2024-Q1 | 357.1 | 379.0 |
| 2024-Q2 | 363.1 | 383.6 |
| 2024-Q3 | 366.9 | 389.7 |
| 2024-Q4 | 365.4 | 393.3 |
| 2025-Q1 | 367.7 | 393.6 |
| 2025-Q2 | 370.7 | 394.7 |
| 2025-Q3 | 372.8 | 395.2 |
| 2025-Q4 | 374.1 | 399.1 |
| 2026-Q1 | 375.9 | 399.4 |
| 2026-Q2 | 374.5 | 396.7 |
Atlanta — new private housing units authorized, monthly, Oct 2024 – Sep 2026 · 24 readings
Monthly building permits authorized in Atlanta over 24 months (Oct 2024 – Sep 2026). Range: 1,998 to 4,360. Latest reading: 3,044.
| Month | Permits authorized |
|---|---|
| Oct 24 | 2,623 |
| Nov 24 | 3,055 |
| Dec 24 | 4,360 |
| Jan 25 | 3,335 |
| Feb 25 | 2,699 |
| Mar 25 | 2,630 |
| Apr 25 | 2,743 |
| May 25 | 2,715 |
| Jun 25 | 2,425 |
| Jul 25 | 2,810 |
| Aug 25 | 1,998 |
| Sep 25 | 3,503 |
| Oct 25 | 3,026 |
| Nov 25 | 2,222 |
| Dec 25 | 2,866 |
| Jan 26 | 2,355 |
| Feb 26 | 2,854 |
| Mar 26 | 2,732 |
| Apr 26 | 3,272 |
| May 26 | 2,683 |
| Jun 26 | 3,034 |
| Jul 26 | 2,823 |
| Aug 26 | 2,542 |
| Sep 26 | 3,044 |
Atlanta — BLS LAUS, monthly, Sep 2024 – Sep 2026 · 24 readings
Unemployment rate in Atlanta, Sep 2024 – Sep 2026 · 24 monthly readings. Range: 2.8% to 3.6%. Latest reading: 3.5%.
| Month | Unemployment rate (%) |
|---|---|
| Sep 24 | 3.3% |
| Oct 24 | 3.4% |
| Nov 24 | 3.3% |
| Dec 24 | 3.1% |
| Jan 25 | 3.4% |
| Feb 25 | 3.4% |
| Mar 25 | 3.3% |
| Apr 25 | 2.9% |
| May 25 | 3.2% |
| Jun 25 | 3.5% |
| Jul 25 | 3.4% |
| Aug 25 | 3.6% |
| Sep 25 | 3.4% |
| Nov 25 | 3.6% |
| Dec 25 | 3.3% |
| Jan 26 | 3.6% |
| Feb 26 | 3.6% |
| Mar 26 | 3.3% |
| Apr 26 | 2.8% |
| May 26 | 3.2% |
| Jun 26 | 3.5% |
| Jul 26 | 3.2% |
| Aug 26 | 3.4% |
| Sep 26 | 3.5% |
Latest figures: FHFA HPI (Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell division) +1.0% YoY, -0.4% QoQ (Q2 2026); unemployment 3.5% (Sep 2026); population +0.96% YoY (2025). Pandemic run-up on the same index: +47.8% from Q1 2020 to Q3 2022.
Atlanta continues to outperform most of the Southeast on both volume and diversity of demand, with film, logistics, fintech, and healthcare giving the job base unusual breadth. Institutional investor activity remains notable, though retail buyer share has been rising as build-to-rent communities absorb investor interest and resale inventory opens up. Suburbs north of the perimeter remain the affordability pressure point.
Figures from FHFA House Price Index (MSAD 12054, MSAD 31924, retrieved from FHFA), U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits and Population Estimates, and BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis), plus HUD Fair Market Rents, refreshed with each release. The analysis is editorial, dated above, and names any third-party source it cites.
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The A
The A — capital of the New South
Total jobs
3.1M
BLS CES · curated Aug 2026
Unemployment
3.5%
BLS LAUS · Sep 2026
Job growth YoY
0.0%
BLS CES · curated Aug 2026
Median HH income
$92K
Census ACS 2024, metro area
Share of total nonfarm employment
Metro-area headcount estimates
Delta Air Lines
LogisticsEmory Healthcare
HealthcareWellstar Health System
HealthcarePiedmont Healthcare
HealthcareUPS
LogisticsThe Home Depot
RetailAT&T
TechCox Enterprises
TechSouthern Company
EnergyThe Coca-Cola Company
RetailA logistics-and-corporate-HQ powerhouse, with film and fintech adding layers — Atlanta hires wide across most white-collar functions.
If you're moving to Atlanta, you're landing in the metro with the most Fortune 500 HQs in the South: Delta, Home Depot, UPS, Coca-Cola, Southern Company, Truist, Norfolk Southern (since 2021), Inspire Brands. Hartsfield-Jackson is the busiest airport in the world and anchors a logistics ecosystem far larger than Delta's own footprint. Three hospital systems (Emory, Piedmont, Wellstar) each employ 20,000+ locally. The metro's scale rivals Dallas for job-base diversification — the closest Southern equivalent.
Target corporate functions at any of the Fortune 500 anchors, film and TV production (Georgia's tax credit keeps Atlanta the third-largest US production market), fintech (NCR, Global Payments, Visa's new Westside tech hub), and healthcare. Wages have compressed against housing gains since 2021, especially inside the perimeter — plan your commute-versus-cost math carefully. Tech hiring slowed after the 2022–2023 correction at Microsoft's and Cisco's Atlanta offices, so don't assume 2021 comp.
Timing: EV manufacturing is the next tier — Hyundai's Metaplant is pulling suppliers into the broader region, and AI-datacenter power demand in the exurbs is driving Southern Company hiring. Rivian's Stanton Springs plant is back on — ground broke in late 2025, targeting 7,500 jobs by 2030 — while Norfolk Southern's pending Union Pacific merger would move about 1,000 Atlanta office jobs to Omaha if approved. For movers in energy, EV, or data-center infrastructure, Atlanta's 2026–2028 pipeline is genuinely strong. For film, it's cyclical but a real career track with real unions.
Recent corporate moves
Microsoft
ExpansionPaused planning on its 90-acre Westside campus once slated for up to 15,000 jobs; the project remains stalled, with city officials pressing the company to build or move on.
Visa
ExpansionOpened a new Atlanta technology hub targeting 1,000 engineering and product roles, reinforcing the fintech corridor on the Westside.
Rivian
LayoffsPaused construction at its Stanton Springs plant and deferred 7,500 planned jobs, directing near-term production to Illinois instead.
Norfolk Southern
LayoffsCut roughly 300 corporate roles in Atlanta as part of a broader operational restructuring under new leadership.
Rivian
ExpansionBroke ground at Stanton Springs in September 2025 on its restarted $5B EV plant, promising 7,500 jobs by 2030 with R2 production targeted for 2028.
Norfolk Southern
LayoffsDisclosed that its pending $85B merger with Union Pacific would cut or relocate about 1,000 Atlanta headquarters jobs to Omaha over three years, pending a regulatory review the companies hope to complete in 2027.
Yamaha Motor
RelocationAnnounced in March 2026 it will move its US headquarters from California to Kennesaw, transitioning roles through 2028 and adding to the 2,300 people it already employs in Georgia.
Source: NOAA NCEI, retrieved Oct 2026
Days ≥ 100°F
1
Extreme-heat days per year
Days ≥ 90°F
47
Hot days per year
Days ≤ 32°F
36
Freezing days per year
Annual precip
50.4"
116 rainy days/year
Atlanta — 1991-2020 normals · Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Intl Airport
Atlanta monthly climate normals. Average highs range from 54°F to 90°F (hottest: Jul at 90°F). Average lows range from 36°F to 72°F (coldest: Jan at 36°F). Total annual precipitation: 50.4".
| Month | Avg high (°F) | Avg low (°F) | Precipitation (") |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54 | 36 | 4.59 |
| Feb | 58 | 39 | 4.55 |
| Mar | 66 | 45 | 4.68 |
| Apr | 74 | 53 | 3.81 |
| May | 81 | 61 | 3.56 |
| Jun | 87 | 69 | 4.54 |
| Jul | 90 | 72 | 4.75 |
| Aug | 89 | 71 | 4.3 |
| Sep | 84 | 66 | 3.82 |
| Oct | 74 | 55 | 3.28 |
| Nov | 64 | 44 | 3.98 |
| Dec | 56 | 38 | 4.57 |
Cfa · Humid subtropical
Hazard levels are editorial ratings aggregated from FEMA, USDA wildfire risk, NOAA storm tracks, and NWS hail climatology. Not insurance or investment advice.
Mild four-season climate with hot, humid summers — and a surprise vulnerability to ice, tornadoes, and occasional inland hurricanes.
Atlanta's Piedmont elevation (~1,050 feet) makes it slightly cooler than its latitude suggests. July and August highs average near 90°F with 70% humidity; winters are mild with January highs near 54°F and infrequent snow. Spring and fall are long and lovely. The city's defining climate feature is variability: a week of 70-degree sunshine in February, two inches of ice the following week, violent spring thunderstorms, and tropical rain bands from late-season hurricanes that can dump 4–6 inches in hours on a metro whose storm drains weren't designed for it.
Two realities catch transplants off guard. First, snow and ice cripple Atlanta disproportionately — the 2014 'Snowmageddon' stranded over a million commuters on highways for 12+ hours after just 2.5 inches of snow, because the metro has minimal equipment and sprawling, hill-heavy road geometry. Second, inland tornadoes are real: the March 2008 EF-2 tore through downtown, damaging Westin Peachtree Plaza, SunTrust Plaza, and the Georgia World Congress Center. Tree-canopy damage from summer storms and winter ice is the #1 homeowners claim driver across much of the metro.
Atlanta's distance from the coast (~250 miles) moderates direct hurricane impact, but Helene (2024) knocked out power to 570,000+ Georgia Power customers across the state and demonstrated that even the Piedmont isn't immune. The grid generally recovers within 3–5 days from major events. Insurance remains moderate. If you want four real seasons with a mild winter and you accept 1–2 genuinely disruptive weather events per year, Atlanta offers one of the more balanced Sun Belt climates.
Historical edge scenarios
'Snowmageddon' / Snow Jam gridlock
On January 28, 2014, about 2.5 inches of snow fell on Atlanta mid-workday, turning interstates into parking lots. Over a million commuters were stranded, some for 12+ hours in sub-freezing temperatures; schoolchildren slept on buses and in schools overnight. The National Guard deployed Humvees to rescue drivers.
March 14 EF-2 tornado through downtown
An EF-2 tornado with 130 mph winds cut a 6-mile path through downtown Atlanta at 9:38 p.m. on March 14, 2008. One death, 30+ injuries; Georgia Dome, Westin Peachtree Plaza, SunTrust Plaza, and Georgia World Congress Center sustained heavy damage totaling roughly $500 million.
Hurricane Helene power outages
Helene barreled through Georgia on September 26–27, 2024, as the most destructive storm in Georgia Power's history. 570,000+ customers lost power statewide at peak; the utility logged 5,000+ downed poles and 425 miles of wire damage. Augusta was hardest hit; metro Atlanta saw shorter-duration outages.
Neighbourhoods
Where people actually live — from historic bungalows to new-build cul-de-sacs.
Atlanta's intown neighbourhoods are defined by the BeltLine — the converted rail corridor that has become the city's most consequential real estate catalyst. Inman Park and Ponce City Market's Old Fourth Ward sit at the BeltLine's most active nodes: Victorian bungalows and new condo towers in close proximity, top walkability for Atlanta's sprawl-heavy geography, and prices that climbed 40–60% over the BeltLine's first decade of buildout. Virginia-Highland is the quieter, more residential alternative to the north — bungalows on tree-lined streets, independent restaurants along the commercial strip, and a neighbourhood association that has aggressively managed density. Decatur functions as a walkable urban village just east of the city limits: a genuine downtown square, the City Schools of Decatur, and a strong sense of place that draws buyers who would otherwise head to Alpharetta.
Alpharetta in North Fulton County is Atlanta's tech-corridor suburb — a walkable Avalon and Downtown Alpharetta town center, and a corporate campus strip along GA-400 that makes it one of the shortest commutes in the metro for knowledge-economy workers. Sandy Springs and Dunwoody offer Perimeter Center job access at slightly lower price points. Marietta and East Cobb in Cobb County are the volume suburban market: strong resale history and the most new-construction activity in metro Atlanta.
The value and appreciation plays: East Atlanta Village for walkable bungalows at the most affordable intown price point still with BeltLine adjacency, Grant Park and Ormewood Park for Craftsman housing stock under $500K near intown schools (Burgess-Peterson, Toomer), and College Park near Hartsfield-Jackson for investors seeking the highest gross cash flow yields in the metro at prices well below the regional average.
As of Q2 2026, home prices in Atlanta rose 1.0% over the past year and slipped 0.4% in the most recent quarter. Prices remain above year-ago levels, though the recent quarterly dip points to softening momentum. Figures reflect the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metropolitan division; the metro page chart shows both divisions. Source: FHFA All-Transactions House Price Index (MSAD 12054), retrieved from FHFA.
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in the Atlanta metro is $1,762 per month (FY2027). HUD publishes Fair Market Rents annually as the benchmark for housing voucher payment standards — they reflect typical asking rents for modest, standard-quality units in the area. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Atlanta is growing — population rose 0.96% year-over-year; the 2025 Census estimate puts the metro at 6,482,182 residents. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates, retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
The Atlanta metro unemployment rate was 3.5% in September 2026 — a healthy reading, below the national 4.0% (BLS, September 2026). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; national rate: BLS Current Population Survey, retrieved from FRED.
Builders pulled permits for roughly 3,044 new private housing units in Atlanta in September 2026, running sharply lower than a year earlier (-13.1%). Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
About 9.9 cents of every dollar a first-year owner of the median Atlanta home pays (principal, interest, property tax and insurance) becomes equity, at the 7.18% 30-year rate of the week of Nov 5, 2026 with 10% down. Interest takes the largest share, and property tax plus insurance come to 1.81 times the first year's principal. Sources: Census ACS 2024 median home value and real-estate taxes; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey®; Insurify 2026 premium estimate. See Atlanta against all 12 metros in our mortgage guide
Tracking a move beyond Atlanta? Every metro profile carries the same FHFA, Census, BLS, and HUD data, refreshed with each release.
Data sources: FHFA House Price Index (MSAD 12054, MSAD 31924, retrieved from FHFA), U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey and Population Estimates, BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics — retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. 2BR Fair Market Rent from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. SunBeltPulse is independent and not affiliated with any of these agencies. Statistics represent metro-area figures and are updated monthly. Not financial or investment advice.