Do Metro Atlanta Residents Have Access to Jobs & Amenities?

Do Metro Atlanta Residents Have Access To Jobs and

Services? Plan 2040 Goal: Community Development

Atlanta Regional Commission

For more information contact: [email protected]

Are there enough housing options with access to jobs?

• The Atlanta region must ensure that there are ample housing options close to where the jobs are located

• Affordable housing options currently exist throughout the region, but there are not enough around employment centers

• Families are forced to make tough choice: • Live close to work, but pay too much for housing? • Live in affordable community, but pay too much for transport to work?

• We will explore how families make this decision by examining key indicators

relating to job availability, socioeconomics, and quality of life.

Source: OnTheMap Program, U.S. Census Bureau

Proximity to Jobs

99.85

99.9

99.95

100

100.05

100.1

100.15

100.2

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Annual Growth Index for Workers: Centers Compared to Region

Growth in Centers

Growth in Metro

• The chart depicts growth conditions in 2002 as a baseline “100,” where each subsequent year is compared to the baseline year

• Growth of workers living near job core and corridors (Centers) has grown faster than overall growth of workers in the Metro area

• Since 2002, job centers have experienced a 16.5% growth increase, whereas the Metro area has only seen about 7%


Regional Core

Employment Corridors




Proximity to Jobs

50,000

52,000

54,000

56,000

58,000

60,000

62,000

64,000

66,000

68,000

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Residents Who Live and Work in Centers • This chart shows that the number of workers who both live and work in these high-density employment corridors has risen steadily since 2002

• The Great Recession greatly impacted development from 2008-2010

• As of 2011, more housing options have been developed to meet the demand


Percent of Income Spent on Housing

• The U.S. Census Bureau tracks housing affordability by counting how many people spend more than 30% of their income toward housing costs

• 39% of all individuals in metro Atlanta spend at least 30% of their income on housing (renters & owners)

• A decreasing trend line indicates improving conditions with housing affordability


33.0%

34.0%

35.0%

36.0%

37.0%

38.0%

39.0%

40.0%

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

% Spending At Least 30% of Income on Housing

Percent of Income Spent on Housing

Source: 2008-2012 American Community Survey, Neighborhood Nexus

The reds & oranges show those areas where people spend more than 41 percent of their income on housing costs. These areas are clustered in the regional core (south of I-20) as well as town centers throughout the region.

Percent of Income Spent on Housing & Transportation

• Tracking transportation costs along with housing costs give us a better picture of Atlanta’s affordability

• Moderate-income households (defined as between 50% and 100% of median HH income) spent 63% of their incomes on housing and transportation combined

• Atlanta falls among the highest of the top 25 U.S. metros

Source: Center for Neighborhood Technology

Location Affordability Index – “Typical Household”

• The Location Affordability Index is a new tool developed by HUD and US DOT to look at transportation and housing costs by neighborhood

• This map looks at the areas (in Dark Green) in the Atlanta region where the typical household could afford to live and still pay less than 50% of their income on housing and transportation costs – you see that there are still several areas where this is possible

• In metro Atlanta, the “typical” household has an annual income of $57,550, a size of 2.69 people along with 1.21 commuters.

Source: Location Affordability POrtal

Location Affordability Index – “Moderate-Income” Household

• This map looks at the areas (in Dark Green) in the Atlanta region where a “moderate-income” household could afford to live and still pay less than 50% of their income on housing and transportation costs. Compared to the last map, there are a lot fewer areas where this is possible

• Also notice that these areas cluster near interstates and transit service

• In metro Atlanta, the “moderate-income” household has an annual income of $46,060, a size of 2.69 people along with 1.21 commuters.

Source: Location Affordability POrtal

Commute Length

• The shorter the commute, the more free time workers will have to enjoy

• Over the 5 year span, about 76% of all metro Atlanta workers have had a one-way commute of less than 45 minutes

• Atlanta ranks the 6th lowest among the top 100 U.S. metros in terms of workers with a 45 minute or less commute time; not a good metric

Source: American Community Survey, Brookings State of Metropolitan America

70.0%

72.0%

74.0%

76.0%

78.0%

80.0%

82.0%

84.0%

100 metro Average Metro Atlanta

% of Commuters with Less Than a 45 Minute One-Way Commute To Work, 2010

75%

75%

76%

76%

77%

77%

78%

78%

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

% of Workers With Less Than a 45 Minute Commute To Work

Access to Arts

Source: Benchmarking Central Ohio, Bureau of Labor Statistics

• Though difficult to quantify, art community vibrancy is a key feature of “cool” cities

• In terms of “creative establishments” per capita, Atlanta ranks 8th out of the top 25 largest U.S. metros.

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Creative Establishments per 1,000 population, 2011

• Atlanta ranks 15th for the number of creative establishments per 1,000 population in terms of the top 100 U.S. metros

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

SarasotaLos AngelesMiamiSan AntonioDaytonNew YorkProvoChattanoogaRaleighPortland, ORBostonOxnardWashington, DCNashvilleAtlantaSan JoseOgdenAustinMinneapolisLas VegasCharleston, SCDenverMadisonClevelandSpringfield, MATampaJacksonvilleHartfordJacksonBuffaloBoisePittsburghNew OrleansProvidenceHoustonPalm Bay, FLOrlandoSan FranciscoBaltimoreGrand RapidsLittle RockPoughkeepsiePhoenixCincinnatiTulsaCape Coral, FLColumbus, OHAlbuquerqueSan JuanRichmondMilwaukeeSalt Lake CityHarrisburgAkronLouisvilleAlbany, NYChicagoColumbia, SCPhiladelphiaRochesterOklahoma CityFresnoGreensboro, NCOmahaGreenville, SCPortland, MENew HavenSt. LouisTucsonBaton RougeKansas CityBirminghamWorcesterWichitaDes MoinesSyracuseBridgeportIndianapolisLakeland, FLColorado SpringsDallasVirginia BeachSacramentoHonoluluCharlotteAllentownSan DiegoToledoKnoxvilleSeattleYoungstownMemphisAugusta, GAScrantonDetroitEl PasoRiversideStocktonBakersfieldMcAllen, TX

Rank: Number of Creative Establishments per 1,000 Population (1= Most)

Source: Benchmarking Central Ohio, Bureau of Labor Statistics

• The Metro Atlanta Speaks survey asked residents to rate the availability of cultural events and venues in the Atlanta area. More than two-thirds responded “Excellent” or “Good,” which is very positive.

Source: Metro Atlanta Speaks Survey

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 Atlanta Area

Access to Arts: Perceptions from Metro Atlanta Speaks Survey

Summary

• Atlanta is improving in terms of developing livable communities near job-dense areas

• However, combined housing and transportation costs in Atlanta are higher compared to similar U.S. metros

• Commute times in Atlanta remain high compared to the national average, with little change over the past several years

• Atlanta’s art community is vibrant, outranking 85% of the top 100 U.S. metros in creative establishments per capita

Education

Do Metro Atlanta Residents Have Access to Jobs & Amenities?