How has the perception of the biggest problem changed for Metro Atlantans over time? Let’s start with the biggest milestone event for society in recent history, the COVID-19 pandemic onset.

Where Are We Now (2024)?

table chart of change in biggest problem since COVID

Figure 1: Biggest Problem in Metro Atlanta Change since COVID(2020)

COVID-19 era dynamics changed our world. Looking at our current and historical ARC Metro Atlanta Speaks (MAS) survey responses, we can see several striking ways our perception has changed since then. *These survey responses are also available to you to use following our support of OpenData policy.

  1. We have moved past public health as the biggest concern – a 12 percentage point (pct. point) drop in the highest concern since the pandemic’s onset.
  2. We have moved on from race relations as the biggest concern – a 10 percentage point drop in the highest concern since the 2020 racial unrest [1]. See some of the awesome work our friends at Kindred Futures are continuing to do in spite of that.
  3. We have NOT moved past economic challenges as the biggest concern – a 17 percentage point jump in the highest concern since the pandemic’s onset [2].

 

Figure 2: Rank Change in Biggest Concern Since 2020

It’s clear that Metro Atlantans care about the economy as the biggest problem in 2024, even though many trends in the data suggest that the macro economy is improving since COVID-19 onset [3]. Coincidentally or not, “Human Services” and “Taxes” concerns have also risen by a large amount for Metro Atlantans, up 3 ranks out of the nine answer choices. While we cannot determine exactly why Metro Atlantans experienced these jumps in concern[4], the economy, human services, and taxes are all related to the perception of Atlantans feeling in need. 

  • The economy is a system by which we receive what we feel we need. 
  • Human services provide services that we feel we need.
  • Taxes eat into our immediate control over resources to fulfill what we feel we need – ignoring tax-fueled government programs that are meant to fill our needs and their efficacy or lack thereof. 

Perhaps there is a deeper problem itching the mind of Metro Atlantas about our need and how we go about addressing our need?

The Longer View

Let us take a step back and take a longer view before the COVID-19 era of our Metro Atlanta perceptions.

Table Chart Graphic of the biggest problem change since 2016 pre-covid

Figure 3: Biggest Problem in Metro Atlanta Change since Pre-COVID(2016)

Since 2016, we see that the economy in the long view has risen even more, by 20 percentage points,  as the biggest problem than that in the post pandemic era, which was by 17 percentage points. We also see that crime has stayed in its position as a top ranked concern for the region both in the short and long run.

There are some big losers here though.

  1. Metro Atlantans have accepted the state of transportation for now– a drop by 13 pct points, from 1st to 4th over this eight- year period.
  2. Public Education has been relegated from our minds– a drop of 8 pct points (and 5 ranks) since 2016 and a drop of 3 pct points and 2 ranks since 2020– ending in the next to last spot as of 2024.
  3. Race Relations had a momentary “spotlight” but continues a downward drift– dropped 3 ranks over the eight- year period to the last spot (in greatest concern) in 2024.

Unfortunately, the way this survey question works only allows the survey to capture a zero-sum game about regional concerns, so when some concerns rise like the economy, it mandates that others fall like public education. This is fortunately not how real life works and not how we must think or invest public funds, but the results give us insight into what people may prioritize with their zero- sum resources, like how they spend their time. 

If you want to do analysis like this, yourself,  access MAS data from our data dashboard or question cross tabs spreadsheets at the bottom of this page.

* Look out for the next series of Metro Atlanta Speaks 2024 blog posts where we will explore what different types of people in our region think!

 

Notes

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/03/us/george-floyd-protests-crowd-size.html 

[2] https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2022/brief/chapter-1-introduction-the-economic-impacts-of-the-covid-19-crisis 

[3] https://www.atlantafed.org/economy-matters/regional-economics/2024/08/15/entering-the-second-half-of-2024-rein-takes-the-economys-temperature

[4] The data from this blog post is from the Metro Atlanta Speaks Survey from the ARC. It is not designed to be used to explore causal relationships about how or why respondents think the way that they do, but to give touchpoints on how respondents view or perceive topics and/or issues.