Metro Atlanta

Metro Atlanta

Metro Atlanta, officially called the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell metropolitan statistical area, is the largest group of cities and towns around Atlanta. It is the most crowded area in the U.S. state of Georgia and the sixth-biggest in all of the United States. As of July 1, 2025, more than 6 million people live there, making it very important for work, culture, and daily life.

The main part of Metro Atlanta includes five counties: Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb, and Clayton. Most people live in these five counties. The area spreads across up to 39 counties in North Georgia, creating a large region for trade and living. In 2020, about 6.9 million people lived in this bigger area.

Definitions

The Atlanta area is very big. It covers 8,376 square miles (21,694 km²), about the size of New Jersey. Many cities and towns are in this area, spread across many counties. In 2000, most people lived outside the city of Atlanta.

The area grew over time. It started in 1950 with five counties: Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, and Clayton. More counties were added later. The bigger area now includes places like Gainesville and Athens.

Metropolitan statistical area

The counties listed below are part of the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell metropolitan statistical area. In 2023, the Office of Management and Budget split this area into two groups of counties.

The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell group includes these 24 counties:

• Barrow
• Butts
• Carroll
• Clayton
• Coweta
• Dawson
• DeKalb
• Douglas
• Fayette
• Forsyth
• Fulton
• Gwinnett
• Heard
• Henry
• Jasper
• Lumpkin
• Meriwether
• Morgan
• Newton
• Pickens
• Pike
• Rockdale
• Spalding
• Walton

The Marietta group includes these five counties:

• Bartow
• Cherokee
• Cobb
• Haralson
• Paulding

The five original counties of the Atlanta metropolitan area, defined in 1950, are Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, and Clayton. These, along with six others, are part of the Atlanta Regional Commission, which helps plan for the area.

The ten counties with fewer than 60,000 people are usually only included in the official government definition of the Atlanta area.

Hall County has grown to over 200,000 people and is now also considered part of the larger Atlanta area by tourism groups. The State of Georgia’s tourism website highlights eight counties as the "Atlanta Metro" region: Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, Clayton, Douglas, Fayette, and Henry.

Combined statistical area

Atlanta GA-AL CSA

The Atlanta GA-AL Combined Statistical Area, often called Metro Atlanta, is a big group of cities and towns in Georgia and Alabama. It includes the city of Atlanta and the areas around it. This area is one of the biggest in the United States.

Municipalities

The skylines of Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead (all within Atlanta), and Perimeter Center can be seen from the southwest near Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Edge cities

• Cumberland
• Perimeter Center
• Hartsfield-Jackson area
• Gwinnett Place/Sugarloaf area

More than half of Metro Atlanta’s people live in places that are not a single city. One example is East Cobb, an area next to Marietta and Roswell in Cobb County. If it were a city, East Cobb would be the second largest in the area after Atlanta.

Metro Atlanta includes many cities and suburbs both inside and outside Atlanta.

Cities and suburbs

Principal Cities

• Atlanta
• Athens (included in CSA)

Places with 100,000 to 399,999 inhabitants

• East Cobb (unincorporated)
• Sandy Springs
• South Fulton

Places with 75,000 to 99,999 inhabitants

• Roswell
• Big Creek (unincorporated)
• Johns Creek
• Mableton (incorporated 2022)

Places with 50,000 to 74,999 inhabitants

• Lost Mountain (unincorporated)
• Alpharetta
• Marietta
• Stonecrest
• Smyrna
• Brookhaven
• Dunwoody

Places with 25,000 to 49,999 inhabitants

• Ellenwood (unincorporated)
• Bill Arp (unincorporated)
• Peachtree Corners
• Newnan
• Gainesville (included in CSA)
• Milton
• East Point
• Tucker
• Woodstock
• Douglasville
• Peachtree City
• Kennesaw
• Canton
• Chamblee
• Duluth
• Redan (CDP)
• Lawrenceville
• Silver City (unincorporated)
• McDonough
• Stockbridge
• Union City
• Carrollton
• Sugar Hill

Places with 24,999 or fewer inhabitants

• Decatur
• Griffin
• Clarkdale (unincorporated)
• Cartersville
• Candler-McAfee (CDP)
• Acworth
• Lathemtown
• Suwanee
• Snellville
• North Druid Hills (CDP)
• Forest Park
• Fayetteville
• Winder
• North Decatur (CDP)
• Conyers
• Norcross
• Buford
• Villa Rica
• Powder Springs
• Lithia Springs (CDP)
• Rex (unincorporated)
• Fairburn
• Riverdale
• Belvedere Park (CDP)
• Monroe
• Clarkston
• Druid Hills (CDP)
• Lilburn
• Covington
• Loganville
• Dallas
• College Park
• Braselton
• Mountain Park (Gwinnett) (CDP)
• Vinings (CDP)
• Panthersville (CDP)
• Doraville
• Thomaston
• Irondale (CDP)
• Tyrone
• Hampton
• Auburn (CDP)
• Barnesville
• Austell
• Morrow
• Lovejoy
• Hapeville
• Conley (CDP)
• Stone Mountain
• Flowery Branch
• Cumming
• Locust Grove
• Jonesboro
• Palmetto
• Dacula
• Bonanza (CDP)
• Avondale Estates
• Lakeview Estates (CDP)
• Grayson
• Lake City
• Chattahoochee Hills
• Lithonia
• Berkeley Lake

Geography

Atlanta and its surrounding areas stretch from the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in the north to the Piedmont region in the south. The northern and western parts are higher and hillier, while the southern and eastern areas are lower and flatter. The average elevation is about 1,000 feet.

Some of the highest points nearby include Kennesaw Mountain, Stone Mountain, Sweat Mountain, and Little Kennesaw Mountain. The soil is dense clay that can become muddy when wet and hard when dry. It also has a low pH, which can be hard for gardeners.

The region has a humid subtropical climate with four seasons. Summers are long, hot, and humid, with afternoon thunderstorms. Winters are mild, with occasional snow. The area sometimes has minor earthquakes and has had tornadoes and severe winter storms in the past.

The metro area is drained by several rivers and streams, including the Chattahoochee River. Native plants include oak, redbud, hickory, and pine trees, along with flowering dogwood and various shrubs. Common animals include squirrels, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and deer. Birds such as the brown thrasher, American crow, and various hawks and woodpeckers are also common.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Metro Atlanta

Metro Atlanta is growing fast and was the third fastest-growing area in the United States. In 2020, about 6 million people lived in the area, which includes 28 counties. This was an increase of about 800,000 people from 2010.

^A Atlanta MSA in 2000 did not include Butts, Dawson, Haralson, Heard, Jasper, Lamar, Meriwether, and Pike counties, whose population totalled in 2000: 135,783; in 2010: 156,368 (2.96% of total new 28-county metro)
^B Compares the larger 28-county Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta MSA 2010 with a smaller 20‑county Atlanta MSA 2000; however the 8 new counties represent less than 3% of the larger 28‑county metro.
Source: for race and Hispanic population, U.S. Census Bureau 2010 and 2000 census; for foreign-born population: US Census Bureau 2010 and 2000 American Community Surveys; Immigrants in 2010 Metropolitan America, Brookings Institution

Race and ethnicity

White Americans were the largest group in metro Atlanta in 2010, but their share of the population grew smaller than ten years before. Still, the number of white Americans went up by over 330,000 people.

Black Americans are the largest minority group, making up about one-third of the population in 2010. Metro Atlanta has the second largest African American population in the United States, after the New York metropolitan area. Many African Americans moved from the city of Atlanta to live in other parts of the metro area.

Hispanic Americans grew the fastest. In 2010, they made up over 10% of the population, up from about 7% in 2000. Major groups include Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans.

The Asian-American population also grew quickly, with many Indian-Americans, Korean-Americans, Chinese-Americans, and Vietnamese-Americans moving to the area.

Metro Atlanta now has many people from around the world. In 2010, over 700,000 people were born in other countries, a big increase from 2000. Many of these people live in the suburbs rather than the city itself.

Language

In 2008, most people in Metro Atlanta spoke only English at home. However, many also spoke Spanish or other languages, showing the area's rich cultural mix.

Economy

Further information: Economy of Metro Atlanta

The Atlanta area has many big businesses, with 31 major companies based there. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta is one of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks in the United States, covering several states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, parts of Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Utilities

Atlanta has a big area for phone calls without extra charges. It uses several area codes for phone numbers. The city has many fast internet connections. Important pipelines for oil and gas pass through the area. Most homes use natural gas for heating, but some use electric heat. Electricity comes from Georgia Power and other local companies. Atlanta Gas Light has provided gas for over 150 years. Water comes from rivers and lakes, and during dry times, some people drill wells for extra water. Sewage is handled by local water companies.

Housing

Many homes in the Atlanta suburbs are spread out with lots of space between them.

Community improvement districts

All of Georgia's special areas for improving communities are in metro Atlanta. These include areas like Buckhead, Perimeter Center, Cumberland Mall, Town Center at Cobb, Gwinnett Place Mall, and others. In 2016, Atlanta started a project called Atlanta City Studio to help design better neighborhoods. The studio moves twice a year to different places where people can share ideas.

Education

Metro Atlanta has many places for young people to learn and grow. The area has big colleges and smaller schools. Well-known colleges include Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Emory University.

The area also has many school districts that help children get a good education. Some of these include Atlanta Public Schools, Cobb County Public Schools, and Gwinnett County Public Schools. These schools work together to help every child in Metro Atlanta learn and succeed.

Government and politics

Georgia has smaller counties than any other state. This means local governments have more power but can also argue more with each other.

The first big group to help the area was the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. It runs the public buses and trains. Some counties decided not to join this system in the 1970s. This made people rely more on cars.

The Atlanta Regional Commission tries to make sure big projects help the whole area. There is also a group called the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority that works on improving roads and buses. They have special buses called Xpress buses that serve many counties.

In recent years, Metro Atlanta has voted more for the Democratic Party. This helped Democrats win statewide elections, like when Joe Biden won Georgia in 2020 and when Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock became U.S. Senators.

Healthcare

Metro Atlanta has many hospitals and healthcare places to help people stay healthy. There are hospitals of different sizes. Some are run by companies, while others are meant to help the community.

Media

Culture and attractions

See also: Sports in Atlanta

Some teams used to play in Atlanta, like the Atlanta Flames, who now play in Calgary Flames, and the Atlanta Thrashers, who now play as the Winnipeg Jets. These teams were part of the National Hockey League.

Atlanta holds two big car races each year at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The Atlanta area has three college teams. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Georgia State Panthers are based in Atlanta, and the Kennesaw State Owls are located in Kennesaw. Georgia Tech and Georgia State play in big college football leagues, and Kennesaw State will join a top league soon.

Military presence

Metro Atlanta had important military bases in the past. Dobbins Air Reserve Base is still open today. Fort Gillem and Fort McPherson have both closed.

Transportation

The U.S. Census Bureau has defined a metropolitan area for Atlanta which includes, but is not limited to, Roswell, Georgia and Sandy Springs, Georgia. In 2016, most people in the area drove to work alone. Some carpooled or used public transport. Very few walked, biked, or used other ways to get to work, and a small number worked from home.

Transit systems

Atlanta has a long history with trains. It once had many streetcars that went to places like Marietta. These were later replaced by buses. Today, the MARTA system runs buses and a subway in several counties, though not all counties choose to join. Some counties have their own bus services that connect to MARTA.

There are plans for new train and bus routes in the future. One idea is the BeltLine, which would use old train tracks to create a loop around Atlanta with space for people to walk and bike.

Commercial railways

Before Atlanta became a big city, it was an important place for trains. Many old train stations are still around, though some were torn down. Today, big train companies operate in the area, and Amtrak stops in Atlanta on its way to cities like New Orleans and New York.

Air

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the busiest airport in the world and the main airport for the area.

Other smaller airports serve nearby communities for private planes and small flights.

Roads and freeways

Atlanta has many big highways, including I-75, I-85, and I-285, which loops around the city. There are also many other roads and highways that connect different parts of the metro area, sometimes with confusing names and paths.