Metro Atlanta

Metro Atlanta, known officially as the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell metropolitan statistical area, is the biggest 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 a very important place for work, culture, and everyday life.

The main part of Metro Atlanta includes five counties: Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb, and Clayton. Most people live in these five counties. All together, the area reaches across up to 39 counties in North Georgia, creating a huge region for trade and living. In the year 2020, about 6.9 million people called this bigger area home.

Definitions

The Atlanta area covers a large space of 8,376 square miles (21,694 km²), about the size of New Jersey. It includes many cities and towns 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 also 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 divided 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

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 population lives in areas that are not part of 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 metro area after Atlanta.

Metro Atlanta includes many cities and suburbs both inside and outside Atlanta, listed here by population:

Cities and suburbs

Principal Cities

• Atlanta pop. 498,044
• Athens (included in CSA) pop. 127,315

Places with 100,000 to 399,999 inhabitants

• East Cobb (unincorporated) pop. 164,055
• Sandy Springs pop. 108,080
• South Fulton pop. 107,436

Places with 75,000 to 99,999 inhabitants

• Roswell pop. 92,833
• Big Creek (unincorporated) pop. 83,277
• Johns Creek pop. 82,453
• Mableton (incorporated 2022) pop. 78,000

Places with 50,000 to 74,999 inhabitants

• Lost Mountain (unincorporated) pop. 73,312
• Alpharetta pop. 65,818
• Marietta pop. 60,972
• Stonecrest pop. 59,194
• Smyrna pop. 55,663
• Brookhaven pop. 55,161
• Dunwoody pop. 51,683

Places with 25,000 to 49,999 inhabitants

• Ellenwood (unincorporated) pop. 46,967
• Bill Arp (unincorporated) pop. 44,518
• Peachtree Corners pop. 43,905
• Newnan pop. 42,549
• Gainesville (included in CSA) pop. 42,296
• Milton pop. 41,296
• East Point pop. 38,358
• Tucker pop. 35,322
• Woodstock pop. 35,065
• Douglasville pop. 34,650
• Peachtree City pop. 34,364
• Kennesaw pop. 33,036
• Canton pop. 32,973
• Chamblee pop. 32,251
• Duluth pop. 31,873
• Redan (CDP) pop. 31,749
• Lawrenceville pop. 30,629
• Silver City (unincorporated) pop. 29,495
• McDonough pop. 29,051
• Stockbridge pop. 28,973
• Union City pop. 26,830
• Carrollton pop. 26,738
• Sugar Hill pop. 25,076

Places with 24,999 or fewer inhabitants

• Decatur pop. 24,928
• Griffin pop. 23,478
• Clarkdale (unincorporated) pop. 23,401
• Cartersville pop. 23,187
• Candler-McAfee (CDP) pop. 22,468
• Acworth pop. 22,440
• Lathemtown pop. 21,110
• Suwanee pop. 20,786
• Snellville pop. 20,573
• North Druid Hills (CDP) pop. 20,385
• Forest Park pop. 19,932
• Fayetteville pop. 18,957
• Winder pop. 18,338
• North Decatur (CDP) pop. 18,511
• Conyers pop. 17,305
• Norcross pop. 17,209
• Buford pop. 17,144
• Villa Rica pop. 16,970
• Powder Springs pop. 16,887
• Lithia Springs (CDP) pop. 16,644
• Rex (unincorporated) pop. 16,580
• Fairburn pop. 16,483
• Riverdale pop. 15,129
• Belvedere Park (CDP) pop. 15,113
• Monroe pop. 14,928
• Clarkston pop. 14,756
• Druid Hills (CDP) pop. 14,568
• Lilburn pop. 14,502
• Covington pop. 14,192
• Loganville pop. 14,127
• Dallas pop. 14,092
• College Park pop. 13,930
• Braselton pop. 13,403
• Mountain Park (Gwinnett) (CDP) pop. 13,089
• Vinings (CDP) pop. 12,581
• Panthersville (CDP) pop. 11,237
• Doraville pop. 10,623
• Thomaston pop. 9,816
• Irondale (CDP) pop. 8,704
• Tyrone pop. 7,658
• Hampton pop. 6,987
• Auburn (CDP) pop. 6,887
• Barnesville pop. 6,775
• Austell pop. 6,581
• Morrow pop. 6,445
• Lovejoy pop. 6,422
• Hapeville pop. 6,373
• Conley (CDP) pop. 6,228
• Stone Mountain pop. 5,802
• Flowery Branch pop. 5,679
• Cumming pop. 5,430
• Locust Grove pop. 5,402
• Jonesboro pop. 4,724
• Palmetto pop. 4,448
• Dacula pop. 4,442
• Bonanza (CDP) pop. 3,135
• Avondale Estates pop. 2,960
• Lakeview Estates (CDP) pop. 2,695
• Grayson pop. 2,666
• Lake City pop. 2,612
• Chattahoochee Hills pop. 2,378
• Lithonia pop. 1,924
• Berkeley Lake pop. 1,574

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 tend to be 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 area’s soil is dense clay that can become very muddy when wet and hard when dry. It also has a low pH, which can be challenging for gardeners.

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

The metro area is drained by several rivers and streams, including the Chattahoochee River. The region’s 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 quickly 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, showing steady growth over the years.

^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 made up most of metro Atlanta's population in 2010, but their share of the total grew smaller compared to ten years earlier. Still, the number of white Americans increased 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. Over time, many African Americans moved from the city of Atlanta to live in other parts of the metro area.

Hispanic Americans have grown 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 where young people can go to learn and grow. There are big colleges and smaller schools all around the area. Some of the 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 make sure every child in Metro Atlanta has chances to learn and succeed.

Government and politics

Georgia has smaller counties than any other state, which 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, which runs the public buses and trains. Some counties decided not to join this system in the 1970s, which 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 even 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 about 37 hospitals in the area, including big ones and smaller ones. Some hospitals are run by companies that make money, while others are meant to help the community without making money.

Media

Culture and attractions

See also: Sports in Atlanta

Some teams that used to play in Atlanta are 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 that compete at the highest level. 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, while Kennesaw State will join a top league soon.

Military presence

Metro Atlanta has had important military bases in the past. Dobbins Air Reserve Base is still active 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 got to work by driving alone, with some carpooling or using public transport. Very few walked, biked, or used other methods, and a small number worked from home.

Transit systems

Atlanta has a long history with trains, once having many streetcars that traveled even 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.