As the capital of the South, Atlanta is home to one of the nation’s fastest-growing economies and most diverse communities. It’s a global leader in logistics, one of the world’s top aviation hubs, and home to a rapidly growing technology sector. It also ranks as the #1 city for doing business and has a skilled workforce of over 2.5 million people.

Atlanta Metro is one of the most popular public transportation systems in the country, with trains and buses providing more than 500,000 passenger trips on weekdays. MARTA serves the City of Atlanta and the suburbs of Fulton and DeKalb counties. The system is often criticized by suburban residents who believe that MARTA will speed up the racial integration of the metropolitan area’s public spaces, and reduce their property values and tax base.

Selling Your Home in the Atlanta Metro: Cash Buyers to Consider

MARTA’s critics were ultimately silenced by the statewide ballot measure, and by the board’s concessions—welcoming its suburban critics to the negotiating table, restructuring routes to better serve Black communities, implementing a minority employment plan, shoring up federal financial support, and proposing that the system be extended into the suburbs of Clayton and Gwinnett. Despite this, suburban communities remain divided over the issue of MARTA expansion, with some counties (Clayton and Gwinnett) voting against it, while others (Fayette, Clayton, Cobb, Newton, Rockdale, Douglas) have approved referendums to join the system.

The City of Atlanta is home to several large employers, including Delta Air Lines, Coca-Cola, AT&T, UPS, and the Centers for Disease Control. The region is also a hub for professional and scientific services, retail and education. Nearly 70 percent of the metro’s population is made up of racial and ethnic minorities, and this proportion is expected to grow.