Atlanta leads U.S. in eviction filings amid racial disparities

The Atlanta metropolitan area leads the United States in eviction filings, with a rate of approximately 24 per 100 renter households—more than three times the national average. Data from Princeton University’s Eviction Lab shows that between June 2025 and June 2026, landlords in Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Clayton, and Gwinnett counties filed 142,047 eviction cases.

Research highlights significant racial disparities in these filings. While Black residents comprise 53% of renters in the five-county region, they account for 69% of eviction filings, totaling roughly 75,000 cases. Experts note that Black renters face four to five times the eviction risk of white renters, regardless of income levels.

Factors contributing to the high volume include Georgia laws that allow landlords to file for eviction just three business days after rent is late, and wages that have not kept pace with housing costs. In response, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has announced a two-year pilot program under the $5 billion Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative. The program provides no-fee, $500 microloans to help tenants avoid eviction, which are repayable at $20 per week over 25 weeks.