Atlanta Regional Commission

For more information contact: mcarnathan@atlantaregional.com

Taking the Pulse of Metro Residents

This public opinion survey, conducted by the A.L. Burruss Institute of Public Service and Research at Kennesaw State University, asked more than 2,100 voting-age residents to voice their opinions on how the 10-county Atlanta region rates in terms of key quality-of-life issues like transportation, education, the economy, the arts and aging in the Atlanta region. This statistically-significant survey paints a fascinating picture of the Atlanta region. While it is important to get a point-in-time understanding of how residents perceive the quality-of-life in metro Atlanta, the true value of this survey will be to understand how these perceptions change over time. This is the first year we have conducted Metro Atlanta Speaks. ARC, along with other community partners, plans to continue this survey so we can build on this valuable intelligence every year. Survey margin of error is +/- 2.1 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.

Metro Atlanta Speaks

What is the Biggest Problem Facing The Atlanta Region?

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

Rate The Availability of Job Opportunities in Metro Atlanta...

Excellent, 6.7%

Good, 29.0%

Fair, 36.3%

Poor, 20.3%

Don't Know, 7.7%

Compared to Other Metropolitan Areas, Rate the Economy of Metro Atlanta...

38.0%

17.3%

36.6%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

Much or Slightly Better Much or Slightly Worse About the Same

Excellent, 14.5%

Good, 52.5%

Fair, 27.5%

Poor, 4.6% Don't Know, 0.8%

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Don't Know

Rate Metro Atlanta As A Place To Live...

Better in 3-4 years, 27.8%

Worse in 3-4 years, 30.5%

About the same, 39.1%

Better in 3-4 years

Worse in 3-4 years

About the same

Will Living Conditions Be Better or Worse in Metro Atlanta in 3-4 years?

Has Traffic in Metro Atlanta Gotten Better or Worse in Last 3-4 Years?

Gotten Better 7.0%

Gotten Worse, 56.8% About the Same, 33.8%

Don't Know 2.4%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Best Long-Term Solution to Traffic Problems in Metro Area?

Improvements to Public

Transportation, 40.9%

Better Roads & Highways, 30.0%

Develop Communities in

Which People Live Close to Where They

Work, 21.9%

Do Nothing, 2.7%

Don't Know, 4.5%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Very Important 71.3%

Somewhat Important

17.1%

Not Important At All 8.8%

Don't Know 2.7%

How Important is Improved Public Transportation For Metro Atlanta's Future?

Redevelop Older Areas, 75.8%

Build New Suburbs, 18.3%

Other, 0.9% Don't Know, 5.0%

Best Way for Metro Atlanta to Accommodate Growth?

Single Family Residential Area,

57.9%

Mixed Development, 39.2%

Don't Know, 2.9%

Single Family Residential Area

Mixed Development

Don't Know

If You Could Live Anywhere in Metro Area, What Type of Neighborhood Would You Prefer?

Rate Public Education In...

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

Your District Metro-Wide Your District Metro-Wide Your District Metro-Wide Your District Metro-Wide

Excellent Good Fair Poor

Excellent, 33.2%

Good, 47.0%

Fair, 15.0%

Poor, 4.7% Don't Know, 0.2%

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Don't Know

How Would You Rate Your Neighborhood As A Place To Live?

32.5

25.0

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

Average Commute Time Median Commute Time

How Long Does It Take You to Get to Work From Your Home?

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 Metro Area

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

Staying inOwn Home

FinancialIssues

AffordableHousing

LocatingOther

Services

Transpor-tation

Don't Know Other

Biggest Problem Associated With Growing Old in Metro Atlanta?

Television, 38.7%

Radio, 11.1%

Newspapers, 8.7%

Internet, 34.0%

Word of Mouth, 5.3%

Other, 1.6% Don't Know, 0.6%

Television

Radio

Newspapers

Internet

Word of Mouth

Other

Don't Know

Primary Source of Information on Current Events?