This document provides a summary of survey results from 2016 on key issues facing the Atlanta region. Transportation remained the top concern, though crime saw a rise in concern from 17% to 23% of respondents rating it the biggest problem. Support for public transit continues to increase, with over 90% saying it is important. When asked how to best address traffic, 43% favored expanding public transit. While crime is a greater regional issue, two-thirds rate safety in their own communities as good or excellent. The document analyzes responses by county and compares results to previous years.

1. Shifting Sands on the Same Beach
2016 Results Overview
Comparisons between Years and Counties where applicable/ available
Jim Skinner
jskinner@atlantaregional.com
November, 2016

2. 2016 Headlines
• Transportation stays the #1 concern
–Transit support ticking up
• Caveat: Concern with Crime Rising…
–BUT we will safe in our own communities
• Economy is getting better and better
• AND...Happy to be Here (Strong Quality of Life, especially “In Our Back Yards)
– Civic Involvement steady
• Optimism for The Future Remains
–1/3 See Things “Better next 3-4 years”

3. TRANSPORTATION

4. 2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
9%
12%
12%
23%
25%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
DK
Other
Taxes
Public Health
Race Relations
Human Services
Public Education
Economy
Crime
Trans
2016
2015
2014
2013
Transportation is again the #1 problem in the 2016 survey, as it has been every year since 2014. In 2013, with the region still
coming out of the Great Recession, residents rated “the economy” the #1 problem.
Biggest Problem Facing Residents in Metro Atlanta:
Responses - 2013-2016

5. 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0%
Butts
Rockdale
Clayton
Coweta
City of Atlanta
Henry
Douglas
Paulding
DeKalb
Fayette
Fulton
Gwinnett
Cobb
Cherokee
ARC Region
11.2%
14.3%
17.1%
17.2%
19.1%
19.5%
19.8%
21.4%
22.3%
23.8%
25.2%
27.8%
29.2%
29.8%
24.5%
29.1%
17.0%
10.8%
13.5%
7.1%
14.2%
14.0%
15.0%
13.4%
9.8%
8.3%
12.5%
14.5%
13.5%
12.3%
21.8%
30.8%
27.1%
31.4%
30.6%
28.4%
23.3%
28.7%
23.2%
21.3%
25.2%
19.5%
16.7%
19.8%
22.8%
12.1%
12.8%
11.3%
11.5%
13.8%
12.7%
13.5%
6.7%
15.5%
17.5%
12.8%
10.0%
11.0%
7.8%
12.0%
Biggest Problem for Metro Atlanta: 2016
Transp Economy Crime Public Education
At the county level in 2016, Transportation is the biggest problem for five of the fourteen jurisdictions for which
data was gathered. In half of the jurisdictions, fewer than 20 percent of respondents rated transportation as
the biggest problem for the metro area.

6. 33.9%
27.1%
24.0%
25.8%
12.3%
8.7%
10.3%
21.0%
18.8%
13.3%
29.8%
29.2%
27.8%
25.2%
23.8%
22.3%
19.8% 19.5%
17.1%
14.3%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
Cherokee Cobb Gwinnett Fulton Fayette DeKalb Douglas Henry Clayton Rockdale
Share by County: Transportation as Biggest Problem 2014-2016
2014 2015 2016
From 2015 to 2016, the overall regional responses rating transportation the #1 problem ticked down from a 27% share
to 25%. Looking at the trends by county, between 2015 and 2016, the share of residents rating transportation the
biggest problem declined in all but four of the jurisdictions. In Fulton, Fayette, DeKalb, and Clayton, transportation was
assessed a bigger problem (relatively) in 2016 than it was in 2015.

7. DK, 3.2%
Strongly Agree, 10.5%
Agree, 18.9%
Disagree, 37.0%
Strongly Disagree,
30.4%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
A new question this year asks whether residents frequently lack transportation to get to where they need to go. In 2016,
almost 30% agreed or strongly agreed that they lacked this access to transportation. This 30%, interestingly, is even
higher than the 25% share of regional residents that rate transportation as the biggest problem in the region.
"I Frequently Lack Transportation to Get to Places I Need to Go..."

8. 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
ARC Region
Clayton
Rockdale
DeKalb
City of Atlanta
Gwinnett
Coweta
Butts
Fulton
Douglas
Henry
Cherokee
Fayette
Paulding
Cobb
30.4%
22.1%
29.0%
26.1%
29.8%
25.8%
27.7%
24.6%
31.8%
31.7%
33.3%
35.1%
36.8%
28.0%
39.0%
37.0%
30.3%
31.8%
35.2%
33.4%
40.3%
38.9%
42.5%
35.5%
36.2%
36.6%
36.8%
35.3%
45.2%
39.0%
10.5%
18.0%
12.0%
10.2%
14.3%
12.3%
7.2%
7.2%
12.2%
7.7%
10.0%
7.5%
5.0%
7.9%
7.3%
18.9%
25.1%
25.3%
26.7%
21.0%
16.0%
19.7%
25.1%
18.6%
21.4%
19.2%
16.5%
20.0%
16.4%
11.5%
Strongly Disagree Disagree Strongly Agree Agree DK
At the jurisdiction level, the areas of Clayton, Rockdale, DeKalb, and the City of Atlanta feel that they have the greatest
challenges accessing transportation to get to where they need to go. For example, about 43% of Clayton residents frequently
lacked transportation. The suburban counties of Paulding, Fayette, and Cherokee felt that they had the least problems with
access to transportation. Only 24% of Paulding residents said that they frequently lacked transportation.
"I Frequently Lack Transportation to Get to Places I Need to Go...“
(By County)

9. 1.1%
6.7%
18.7%
73.5%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0%
DK
Not important at all
Somewhat important
Very important
2016
2015
2014
2013
An overwhelming percentage of regional residents continue to feel that public transit is “very important” or
“somewhat important” to the region. 92% said so in 2016, up from 88% in 2013. A declining share, from about
9% in 2013 down to 6.7% in 2016, said that public transit was “not important at all”.
Importance of Public Transit:
Responses 2013-2016

10. 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0%
Butts
Paulding
Cherok…
Fayette
Douglas
Rockdale
Gwinn…
Coweta
Cobb
Henry
Fulton
Clayton
DeKalb
City of…
ARC…
59.9%
62.6%
62.9%
63.0%
65.3%
65.4%
65.5%
66.3%
73.8%
75.1%
78.3%
80.2%
83.6%
84.6%
73.5%
28.5%
21.4%
28.6%
31.0%
18.5%
25.1%
21.3%
20.2%
18.7%
17.2%
16.5%
15.8%
13.9%
13.0%
18.7%
10.6%
13.7%
7.0%
5.3%
12.8%
7.5%
12.8%
12.5%
5.7%
6.0%
4.5%
3.5%
1.9%
2.0%
6.7%
Very Important Somewhat Important Not Important At All DK
At the county level in 2016, in seven of the fourteen jurisdictions, more than two-thirds of residents said that public transit
is “very important” to the region. In five (City of Atlanta, DeKalb, Clayton, Fulton, and Henry, more than three-fourths said
so.
Importance of Public Transit to the Region: 2016

11. 3.7%
4.0%
17.2%
31.7%
43.4%
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0% 35.0% 40.0% 45.0% 50.0%
DK
Do nothing
Develop communities live close to work
Improve roads/ highways
Expand public transit
2016
2015
2014
2013
A plurality (i.e. the highest share among possible options) of regional residents continue to feel that expanding public
transit is the best way to fix traffic. 43% said so in 2016, up very slightly from 41% in 2013. Overall, from 2013 to 2016,
slightly increasing shares prefer transit or road improvements than favor developing live-work communities.
Best Way to Fix Traffic? Responses 2013-2016

12. 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0%
Butts
Douglas
Henry
Cherokee
Paulding
Rockdale
Cobb
Clayton
City of Atlanta
Gwinnett
Coweta
Fayette
Fulton
DeKalb
ARC Region
25.1%
31.7%
35.9%
37.8%
40.4%
40.8%
41.9%
42.0%
43.9%
44.0%
44.9%
45.3%
45.8%
48.0%
43.4%
47.8%
39.9%
39.2%
37.5%
34.2%
30.3%
28.9%
28.0%
34.8%
29.3%
30.9%
33.8%
33.2%
30.3%
31.7%
17.4%
19.7%
18.7%
16.0%
20.0%
15.8%
20.2%
19.8%
17.8%
15.5%
16.2%
15.5%
15.7%
16.8%
17.2%
6.8%
4.0%
3.5%
4.5%
1.7%
9.8%
5.2%
7.0%
1.1%
4.5%
4.7%
3.3%
2.5%
2.6%
4.0%
Best Long-Term Solution to Traffic?: 2016
Expand Public Transit Improve Roads and Highways Develop Communities in Which People Live Close to Where They Work Do Nothing DK
In DeKalb, Fulton, and Fayette, over 45% of residents feel that expanding public transit is the best was to fix traffic.
Public transit is the preferred alternative in eleven of the fourteen jurisdictions surveyed. Residents in Butts, Douglas,
and Henry felt that improving roads and highways was a better long-term solution.

13. CRIME

14. 2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
9%
12%
12%
23%
25%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
DK
Other
Taxes
Public Health
Race Relations
Human Services
Public Education
Economy
Crime
Trans
2016
2015
2014
2013
Crime is the #2 rated problem (after transportation) in the 2016 survey, as it was in 2015. However, there was a six
percentage point increase (from 17% in 2015 to 23% in 2016) in the share of residents that felt that crime was the biggest
problem in the region. And the “gap” in the shares selecting transportation and crime (as #1 problems) was 10 percentage
points in 2015; in 2016, it is only two percentage points (25% transportation compared to 23% crime).
Biggest Problem Facing Residents in Metro Atlanta:
Responses - 2013-2016

15. 22.2%
28.6%
22.6%
20.2%
23.5% 23.2%
19.3%
6.3%
14.3%
7.3%
30.8%
28.4%
27.1%
25.2%
23.3% 23.2%
21.3%
19.8% 19.5%
16.7%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
Rockdale Henry Clayton Fulton Douglas DeKalb Fayette Cherokee Gwinnett Cobb
2014 2015 2016
From 2015 to 2016, the overall share of regional population rating transportation the #1 problem rose from 17% to 23%.
Looking at the trends by county, between 2015 and 2016, the share of residents rating crime the biggest problem rose in
all jurisdictions except Fayette County. In all fourteen areas, crime is seen as an increasingly significant problem for the
region over the 2014-2016 period.
Share by County: Crime as Biggest Problem 2014-2016

16. 15.5%
44.9%
28.4%
11.0%
0.2%
16.9%
48.5%
25.3%
9.0%
0.4%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
DK
2016
2015
Yet crime seems to remain a greater issue for the region than for local communities. While the share of residents
rating crime the #1 problem increased from 17% to 23%, 2015-2016, across the region, the share of residents rating
safety in their own communities “good” or “excellent” increased from 60% to 65%.
Safety of Residents in Community: 2015-2016

17. 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0%
City of Atlanta
DeKalb
Clayton
Fulton
Rockdale
Henry
Douglas
Butts
Gwinnett
Cobb
Coweta
Paulding
Fayette
Cherokee
ARC Region
11.7%
10.0%
11.3%
16.3%
10.5%
14.9%
12.8%
11.2%
17.3%
20.0%
25.2%
21.1%
35.5%
27.6%
16.9%
38.0%
42.7%
42.1%
42.6%
49.1%
47.8%
52.3%
59.2%
54.0%
53.4%
48.1%
54.0%
49.8%
59.1%
48.5%
34.9%
37.5%
33.3%
27.6%
30.3%
25.1%
22.5%
23.3%
23.3%
18.5%
18.5%
17.4%
8.8%
11.5%
25.3%
15.4%
9.4%
13.0%
13.4%
9.3%
11.9%
12.3%
6.3%
5.5%
7.0%
7.2%
7.2%
5.8%
1.8%
9.0%
Excellent Good Fair Poor DK
At the jurisdiction level, in thirteen of fourteen jurisdictions, more than half of residents rated their local safety “good” or
“excellent”. In three jurisdictions (Cherokee, Fayette, and Paulding), over three-fourths of residents did so.
Rate Resident Safety in your Community: 2016

18. ECONOMY

19. 2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
9%
12%
12%
23%
25%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
DK
Other
Taxes
Public Health
Race Relations
Human Services
Public Education
Economy
Crime
Trans
2016
2015
2014
2013
Unemployment rates have plummeted in the last five years, and job levels have now fully recovered from the declines of
the Great Recession. Residents have noticed. The economy is the #3 rated problem (just above public education) in the
2016 survey. The share rating economy the biggest problem in the region has fallen from 24% in 2013 (when it was the #1
problem, overall) to 12% in 2016.
Biggest Problem Facing Residents in Metro Atlanta:
Responses - 2013-2016

20. 28.9% 28.7%
11.4%
26.5%
24.1%
29.5%
20.9%
27.1%
33.3%
20.6%
17.0%
14.5% 14.2% 14.0% 13.5% 13.4%
12.5%
10.8%
9.8%
8.3%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
Rockdale Cobb Henry Douglas Cherokee DeKalb Gwinnett Clayton Fayette Fulton
2014 2015 2016
From 2014 to 2016, the overall regional population rating economy the #1 problem plummeted from 24% to 12%.
Looking at the trends by county over that period, the share of residents rating economy the biggest problem declined
in all fourteen jurisdictions. The declines were most significant between 2014 and 2015. Between 2015 and 2016, the
share stayed the same or ticked up in five of the fourteen areas ( Cobb, DeKalb, Henry, Gwinnett, and Rockdale).
Share by County: Economy as Biggest Problem 2014-2016

21. So trends are positive in terms of how residents view economic opportunity. But economic stressors remain, and the
“safety margins” for consumers remain small. A new question this year asks residents to say how they would respond to a
$400 financial emergency. Only 50% would pay with cash, check, or debit. Fully 1 in 5 would either have to sell or pawn
something or not be able to pay at all.
Methods of Paying for a $400 Financial Emergency

22. 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0%
Clayton
Butts
City of Atlanta
DeKalb
Rockdale
Fulton
Gwinnett
Cobb
Douglas
Henry
Cherokee
Coweta
Paulding
Fayette
ARC Region
39.0%
39.4%
40.9%
41.1%
48.2%
49.9%
51.3%
52.0%
53.6%
55.4%
55.9%
57.7%
60.7%
63.3%
49.8%
14.0%
19.7%
16.4%
17.9%
13.6%
17.7%
18.8%
19.5%
15.0%
15.7%
18.7%
12.7%
10.7%
17.8%
17.4%
13.0%
13.0%
14.9%
10.2%
12.8%
10.4%
10.3%
9.3%
10.5%
10.2%
5.0%
6.2%
8.0%
3.0%
9.7%
9.5%
2.4%
11.1%
10.4%
1.8%
6.4%
3.5%
4.0%
5.2%
4.5%
4.7%
6.5%
9.0%
2.5%
6.0%
19.3%
22.1%
15.5%
18.8%
20.6%
13.7%
11.5%
12.8%
11.5%
10.5%
12.7%
14.4%
8.2%
9.5%
14.0%
Financial Emergency: 2016
Pay with Cash, Check or Debit Pay with Credit Card Would Borrow Money Would Sell or Pawn Something Would Not Be Able to Pay Now DK
At the county level, residents in suburban, relatively higher income/ lower poverty counties like Fayette and
Cherokee are more likely to be able to handle a $400 financial emergency with cash,. check, or debit. In more
urban and higher poverty areas such as Clayton and Butts, a relatively higher share would have to sell
something or would not be able to pay at all.

23. 18.9%
80.4%
0.6%
Yes
No
DK
Another new question probes whether residents ever go hungry. And even with improvement in the economy,
the answer surprisingly is yes, for one in five. 20% of respondents regionwide in 2016 have had to skip meals or
reduce portions due to lack of money. So again, ecomomic “safety margins” appear low.
Skipped Meals or Reduced Portions re: Lack of Money

24. 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0%
Fayette
Cherokee
Coweta
Fulton
Paulding
Gwinnett
Cobb
Henry
Douglas
Butts
Rockdale
City of Atlanta
DeKalb
Clayton
ARC Region
10.5%
14.0%
15.9%
15.9%
15.7%
18.5%
17.7%
20.3%
21.0%
21.7%
22.4%
22.3%
24.4%
27.8%
18.9%
89.5%
86.0%
83.8%
83.7%
83.3%
81.0%
80.0%
79.3%
78.8%
77.8%
77.3%
77.3%
75.6%
72.0%
80.4%
Yes No DK
As seen in the distribution of responses to the financial emergency question, the residents of more urban, higher
poverty counties are more likely to have to skip meals or reduce portions due to lack of money. In Clayton and in
DeKalb, around 1 in 4 have had to, compared to 1 in 5 across the region as a whole. In suburban and higher-income
Fayette, only 1 in 10 have had to go hungry at times
Skipped Meals or Reduced Portions: 2016

25. THE FUTURE?

26. 3%
20%
35%
42%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
DK
Worse in 3-4 years
Better in 3-4 years
About the same
2016
2015
2014
2013
As a region, we have gotten increasingly optimistic about the future, from 2013 to 2016. In 2013, 28% of residents felt that
things would get better in the next three to four years; this share had risen to 35% by 2016. While the overall trend is
positive, from 2015 to 2016, there has been a six percentage point increase in the share that think things in our region
might get worse over the next three to four years BUT this share is still down a lot since 2013 (from 31% to 20%).
Future Assessment of Living Conditions:
Responses 2013-2016

27. 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0%
Butts
Cherokee
Paulding
Fayette
Henry
Rockdale
Coweta
Cobb
Gwinnett
Douglas
Clayton
Fulton
City of Atlanta
DeKalb
ARC Region
18.9%
27.0%
27.1%
29.1%
29.4%
29.8%
29.9%
30.4%
31.9%
32.4%
38.8%
39.2%
44.1%
44.3%
34.9%
16.0%
23.8%
27.9%
15.5%
23.4%
20.0%
19.5%
20.2%
22.7%
20.7%
23.5%
17.1%
15.9%
17.1%
20.1%
62.1%
47.0%
41.0%
54.1%
43.9%
46.0%
46.9%
46.4%
42.6%
45.4%
33.8%
42.1%
37.4%
36.3%
42.4%
Better in 3-4 years Worse in 3-4 years About the Same DK
At the county level, very interestingly, we are more optimistic in more urban, higher poverty areas such as DeKalb and
Clayton—areas which are less positive about neighborhood quality of life and less likely to be civically engaged. Conversely,
residents in higher-income counties like Cherokee, Paulding, and Fayette are relatively less optimistic about the next three
to four years.
Things in the Future Will Be… (by County): 2016

28. 36%
31%
33%
24%
26%
25%
20%
26%
25%
19%
44.3%
39.2% 38.8%
32.4% 31.9%
30.4% 29.8% 29.4% 29.1%
27.0%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
DeKalb Fulton Clayton Douglas Gwinnett Cobb Rockdale Henry Fayette Cherokee
2014 2015 2016
Finally, we look at time trends at the county level, for the share of residents who believe that things will be better in
three to four years. In each of the ten jurisdictions, a larger share are optimistic in 2016 than in 2013. In six
jurisdictions, shares of “optimistic” residents have increased every year from 2013 to 2016—including counties like
Fayette and Cherokee that are, overall, relatively pessimistic.
Share by County: Things Better Next 3-4 Years 2014-2016

29. For More Information
http://www.atlantaregional.com/info-center/metro-atlanta-speaks
The (many) slides you just reviewed are only a taste of the extensive information available from the 27 questions in the 2016
survey—as well as from comparisons to past years. Check out our Metro Atlanta Speaks web page (as shown above) Watch the
video, look at reports and slides, and also visit the dashboard (red circle above), where you can do your own custom queries on
how the answers to selected questions break down, regionally, by factors like age, race, income, and educational attainment.
Finally, if you have any questions, contact Jim Skinner at jskinner@atlantaregional.com

30. Sponsors 2016