Local

Atlanta: The Biggest Gap Between Rich And Poor In The US

September 23rd, 2015

At Dunwoody Station, median household income in the area is $87,371, according to 2013 U.S. census data.

In September 2015, WABE sent our reporters out to find out one thing: “What defines Atlanta, exactly? Do we have a unique identity?” You can read the rest of the stories here.

Atlanta is home to a number of big corporations – Coca-Cola, Home Depot, UPS to name a few. At the same time, a recent Brookings Institution report found Atlanta topped the list when it comes to the income gap between the rich and the poor. Citizens along MARTA’s Red Line spoke to WABE about how they make a living in the city.

Along MARTA’s Red Line, which runs north-south through the city, median household incomes range from $19,447 at West End Station to $104,518 at Buckhead Station.

A recent Brookings Institution report found Atlanta’s top earners make nearly 20 times more than those at the very bottom.

Median Household Income Varies By MARTA Station

Find the median incomes along your MARTA route here.

Red- North South North Springs Line
Average Median Household Income
(2013 American Community Survey)

North Springs Station – $65,323
Sandy Springs Station – $76,908
Dunwoody Station – $87,371
Medical Center Station – $89,281
Buckhead Station – $104,518
Lindbergh Center Station – $73,558
Arts Center Station – $76,791
Midtown Station -$51,308
North Avenue Station – $46,144
Civic Center Station – $39,685
Peachtree Center Station – $47,933
Five Points Station – $47,812
Garnett Station – $32,377
West End Station – $19,447
Oakland City Station – $23,000
Lakewood – Ft. McPherson Station – $25,236
East Point Station – $41,483
College Park Station – $32,614
Airport Station – $27,969

Sources: Social Computing Group, MIT Media Lab, American Community Survey (2009-2013, Five-Year Estimates), 2013 Census Block Group Shape Files

Mixed Views: Inequality and Opportunity

Emmett Johnson, near East Point Station, came to Atlanta three years ago from South Carolina and says it’s a city where people go to get fresh starts.

“There’s plenty of opportunity in Atlanta. You want to reach out and grab it,” Johnson said.

A man, who declined to give his name at North Avenue Station, defined Atlanta as simply being a place that is “unfair.”

At the same time, Ephrem Tsegeye, a taxi driver who waits near downtown, says he does see income disparity.

“There are million-dollar homes, and we have a lot of homeless, too,” he said. But he’s been able to work in Atlanta to support his three kids where they live in Loganville.