GOAL 9: Create more economic opportunities for people from disadvantaged groups.
INDICATOR: Average household income
Why is this important?
Household income reflects the region's economy and quality of life. By analyzing household income by county, we can evaluate how the region's prosperity is distributed among residents.
How are we doing?
In 2004, the inflation-adjusted (2004) median household income for the federally designated 28-county Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was $51,654. Using this measure, the median income for the 28-county area in 2004 was $1,788 lower than in 2003 - and $3,827 lower than in 2000. 2004 American Community Survey data show that median household incomes in the Atlanta region varied by county (where available; in the five core counties), from a low of $40,845 (Clayton) to a high of $61,087 (Cobb).
When viewed by mean (average) household incomes, the picture is similar. On average, income in metro Atlanta households decreased by $1,930 between 2002 and 2004, in 2004 adjusted dollars. In 2004, some 20,000 fewer households had incomes above $50,000 than in 2003. The number of households with incomes of less than $10,000 a year increased from 6 percent (2003) to 7 percent of all households (2004).
Regional Prosperity
