US | City Economic Forecast: Atlanta

Atlanta has recovered 52% of its lost jobs from the pandemic as of Q1, which was in line with the US recovery rate of 52%. Atlanta is expected to see job growth of 2.6% in 2021 and 3.2% in 2022, while GDP is expected to grow 7.3% in 2021 and 3.3% in 2022. With a diverse economy that had seen sizable growth across a number of sectors including education, Atlanta is expected to recover its lost jobs in Q3 2022. Longer term, Atlanta is expected to see net 2019-2025 job growth of 3.2% which ranks 23rd of the top 51 metros. Its net GDP growth rate of 13.1% ranks 15th.

What you will learn:

• Although Atlanta’s economy has thrived on a diversity of headquarter firms including Coca Cola, CNN, and Delta—in industries that shed jobs in 2020—its burgeoning tech sector fared better as internet hosting firms added 1,400 jobs (+10%). 
• The busiest airport in the country, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International, serves the broad region. Air transportation jobs, however, fell by 6,900 (-23%) in 2020.
• With three large universities drawing many young people to the region, Atlanta was expected to grow at a healthy rate, but it struggles with wide income disparity and high living costs in many fast-growing suburban areas.