ATLANTA, GA – The Atlanta metropolitan area, home to approximately 6.3 million residents, is witnessing a significant demographic shift as it reported a net loss in population for the first time in over three decades.

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, in the year leading up to mid-2024, the city experienced a decrease of roughly 1,330 residents who left the area, marking a departure from its historical trend of growth.

This shift comes as housing prices continue to surge, exacerbating the cost of living in one of the United States' largest metropolitan regions.

Additionally, traffic congestion and a lack of new construction have driven young couples and families to seek better quality of life options elsewhere.

Current data shows that approximately 25% of office spaces in Atlanta are vacant, surpassing the national average of 20.8%.

Moreover, major employers, including Microsoft, have halted large-scale projects in the area, opting to suspend plans for a new campus that was expected to employ 15,000 workers.

The situation is further reflected in the real estate sector, where a notable development in the upscale Buckhead neighborhood faced foreclosure, indicating challenges in maintaining occupancy amidst rising costs.

The trend of declining population echoes across major U.S. cities, including Phoenix and Tampa, as many areas grapple with the aftershocks of migration trends amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rising housing costs and persistent traffic problems are pushing residents towards smaller and more affordable cities.

This demographic shift now includes individuals relocating from Northern states, along with those leaving other large Southern metropolises like Atlanta.

For instance, a 29-year-old resident recently shared that she and her husband relocated to Chattanooga, Tennessee, finding more affordable housing options compared to their previous life in suburban Atlanta.

Historically, since 1950, the Atlanta area saw its population grow nearly tenfold.

Prior to the pandemic, the region recorded an average increase of approximately 33,000 new residents per year.

The attraction to Atlanta remained strong, aided by ample job opportunities, particularly for those migrating from higher-cost Northern cities.

However, construction did not keep pace with population growth, declining from an average of 3% in the 1990s and 2000s to just 1.1% between 2010 and 2019, and further dropping to 0.6% from 2020 to 2023.

Housing values in the Atlanta area have appreciated significantly, tripling to about $390,000 since February 2012, outpacing national growth averages.

Smaller Southern cities, such as Huntsville, Alabama, Wilmington, North Carolina, and Knoxville and Chattanooga in Tennessee, are now attracting a substantial portion of the population leaving larger metropolitan hubs, due in part to their lower housing costs and the rising trend of remote work, facilitating migration to more affordable locales.