The economy, rather than crime, is the top concern for metro Atlanta residents, according to a survey

The economy has replaced crime as the top concern for metro Atlanta residents, according to a new survey released Friday by the Atlanta Regional Commission.

This year also marks the first time in a decade that residents of the 11-county region ranked the economy as their top concern.

When asked about the biggest issue facing metro Atlanta, 32% of 4,000 respondents said the economy is, according to ARC's Metro Atlanta Speaks survey, a recurring survey that touches on a range of quality of life issues.

Crime, which has been the top concern for several years, has fallen to second place this year at 20%. For example, in the 2023 survey, crime was cited as the region's top concern at 27%, followed by the economy at 24%.

A new question this year asked how people felt about their financial situation compared to last year – 39% said they felt about the same, 31% said they were worse off and 28% said they were feeling better.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who also chairs the ARC board, said the Metro Atlanta Speaks survey is an “invaluable tool.”

“This year’s survey shows that people remain concerned about the economy and other pocketbook issues such as housing costs,” Dickens said. “Improving housing affordability remains a priority for ARC and our local partners. We are committed to driving meaningful change.”

Other key findings from the survey:

• Housing affordability remains a challenge for many: Nearly two in three respondents (64%) said they couldn't afford to move to another house or apartment in their current neighborhood, about the same as last year.
• Transport takes a back seat to other regional issues: Before the pandemic, transportation was always considered the region's biggest challenge. This year, transportation ranked fourth, with 11% of respondents citing it as the region's biggest problem. This is the same as last year's survey.
• Strong support for public transport: More than nine in 10 respondents said improved public transportation was “very important” (64%) or “somewhat important” (27%) to the region’s future. That's about the same as last year's survey.
• The majority are concerned about climate change: More than half of respondents (53%) said climate change is a “major global threat” in the next 10 years. That compares to 59% a year ago, the first year ARC asked the question.
• Concerns about AI: In a new question this year, 42% of respondents said they thought artificial intelligence would have a “mostly negative” impact on society, while 30% said it would be “more balanced” and 22% said “mostly negative.” positive”.
• Challenges in accessing emergency medical care: In another new question this year, nearly one in four respondents said they “strongly disagree” or “disagree” with the statement that an ambulance would arrive in a timely manner in the event of a medical emergency.

The 2024 survey was conducted in August by the AL Burruss Institute of Public Service and Research at Kennesaw State University. The Metro Atlanta Speaks survey covers Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties, as well as the city of Atlanta.

For more information about the 2024 survey, including county-level results, visit atlantaregional.org/metroATLspeaks.