Atlanta Economic Trends for 2018
Calling all job seekers, business builders, and investors. If you are looking for a booming economy to hitch your wagon on, look no further than Atlanta, Georgia. A veritable gold rush of population and job growth compared to the rest of the United States, Atlanta is one of our top picks for cities on the grow in 2018. Let’s take a look at some of the economic trends for this bustling metropolis in the year ahead.
A Growing Economy
Atlanta is outpacing the national standard when it comes to new people and new jobs. In fact, 2016 was the best year for the growth of Atlanta’s population since the Great Recession that left the nation economically asunder. A year later, and Atlanta is still attracting new citizens, new businesses, and new opportunities. Second only to San Francisco in terms of growth of economy, Atlanta is teeming with new careers in fields such as technology, business, insurance, transportation and utilities. Coupling new business opportunities with a surprisingly large shipping trade means that Atlanta is quickly becoming a hub of growth. In fact, according to this freight forwarding company, the opportunities for logistics and shipping freight in the ATL area are expected to continue growing through 2019 and beyond.
Increased Hiring Rates
There aren’t just more jobs opening up in Atlanta, they are actually getting filled. While many regions throughout the nation are suffering from a skills gap that is forcing employers to leave positions vacant due to a lack of qualified applicants, Atlanta reports almost a 24% increased rate of hire.
More jobs often don’t equate to more overall employment because lower skilled positions are being replaced by automation. But not so in Atlanta. These new career openings are the result of new businesses flocking to the city and current businesses expanding in reaction to the booming economy. Site Selection magazine even declared Atlanta to be the best city to start a business in due to low taxes and low business costs. As a result of being fertile ground for entrepreneurship, Atlanta stands tall against such hefty job markets as Silicon Valley and Boston, MA.
Growth Fueled by Education
One of the leading contributors to Atlanta’s economic boom are the local universities and colleges that are fueling the workplace. As the technology and IT industries continue to expand throughout the city, institutes of higher education such as Georgia Tech are creating well-trained, forward thinking job seekers ready and willing to fill positions at big name businesses that have moved their innovation centers to Atlanta’s Tech Square, such as Honeywelll and General Electric.
Atlanta – A City on the Grow
Whether you are a graduating senior looking for the right college to attend, a job hunter searching for a bustling city teeming with career potential, or an entrepreneur searching for the perfect location to launch your new business, Atlanta is calling your name.
