Cobb County Residents Join Metro Atlanta in Naming Housing Affordability as Top Concern, ARC Survey Finds

Cobb County residents, along with other metro residents, are increasingly worried about the cost of housing, according to the Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) 2025 Metro Atlanta Speaks survey, which found that housing affordability now ranks as the top concern across the 11-county metro area.

The annual public opinion survey, released Thursday, shows that 28% of respondents identified housing affordability as the region’s biggest problem, surpassing traffic (24%) and crime and the economy (13% each). This is the first year that housing affordability was listed as a response option — and its immediate rise to the top underscores how serious the issue has become for families across metro Atlanta.

In Cobb County, where home prices and rents have continued to climb, the findings mirror the experiences of many residents who are struggling to keep pace with rising costs. The median home price in Cobb has jumped significantly in recent years, while rental rates have surged amid a tightening housing supply.

“People who’ve lived here their entire lives are finding it difficult to stay, and younger workers can’t afford to move in,” said one local housing advocate. “That’s not sustainable for a county that prides itself on being a place where families can grow and thrive.”

According to the ARC survey, 62% of metro residents said they could not afford to move to another house or apartment in their current neighborhood, a nearly identical figure to last year’s. When asked about what’s driving the affordability crisis, 44% blamed developers for building homes that are too expensive, while 35% pointed to investors buying up homes to rent out.

In Cobb, housing affordability has become a flashpoint in community discussions about growth, zoning, and development density. Residents have voiced concerns over high-end housing projects pushing out long-time neighbors, while others argue the county must embrace more diverse housing options — including townhomes, mixed-use developments, and transit-connected communities — to meet demand and attract a stable workforce.

Beyond housing, the Metro Atlanta Speaks survey revealed other growing concerns about the economy and quality of life. More than half of respondents (53%) said it’s a bad time to find a well-paying job, a notable increase from 41% last year. Nearly half (46.5%) said they expect living conditions in metro Atlanta to worsen over the next three to four years.

Atlanta Mayor and ARC Chair Andre Dickens said the data provide valuable insight into how residents view the region’s biggest challenges. “The concerns over housing affordability came through loud and clear,” Dickens said in a statement. “Our region is making meaningful progress on this challenge, but there’s no doubt we have more work to do.”

Despite economic worries, the survey showed continued public support for expanding public transit as a long-term solution to traffic congestion. Nearly 39% of respondents said expanding public transit is the best way to address the region’s traffic problems, compared to 34% who favored improving roads and highways.

The Metro Atlanta Speaks survey — conducted by Kennesaw State University’s A.L. Burruss Institute of Public Service and Research — polled more than 4,100 adults across 11 metro counties, including Cobb, this past August. The survey results carry a margin of error of 1.5% for the region as a whole and between 3.8% and 5.7% for individual jurisdictions.

For more information, including county-level results, visit atlantaregional.org/metroatlantaspeaks.