Crime and the economy are the Atlanta region’s top concerns, according to the 2023 Metro Atlanta Speaks public opinion survey, released today by the Atlanta Regional Commission.
When asked about the biggest challenge facing metro Atlanta, 27% of the respondents said crime, followed by the economy at 24% and transportation at 11%.
Even though crime remains top of mind for metro Atlanta residents, more than 2 out of 3 respondents said they feel safe walking in their neighborhoods at night. Crime was also the region’s top concern in 2021, when the last survey was conducted.
ARC conducts the Metro Atlanta Speaks survey to gather key insights into quality-of-life issues such as transportation, the economy, and housing. Highlights of this year’s survey include:
-
Housing affordability is a challenge for many: Six of 10 respondents said they could not afford to move to another house or apartment in their current neighborhood. Nearly as many said they could not afford to move anywhere in the metro Atlanta area.
-
Residents are concerned about how technology may impact the workplace: More than 75% of respondents believe “too many” workers will lose their jobs to automation or artificial intelligence.
-
Support for public transit remains strong: About 90 percent of respondents feel an improved public transit system is either “very important” or “somewhat important” to the future of metro Atlanta. However, less than half said they’d pay more taxes to fund transit improvements.
-
Mixed views on climate change: Nearly half of respondents believe that climate change is a “major threat” to our region, while a third feel it will be a “minor threat.” Those figures rise when respondents are asked about the threat climate change poses globally.
-
Environmental concerns spark interest in electric vehicles: Nearly 1 out of 3 respondents said they plan to buy an electric vehicle in the next 5 years. About half cited the environment as the…
Read the full article here