The City of Atlanta originated in 1837 as a railroad terminus on the Western and Atlantic Railroad, and was called simply Terminus. As the city’s population grew, it was decided the area needed a new name. First, in 1843, it was renamed Marthasville after Gov. Wilson Lumpkin’s daughter Martha. Two years later it was renamed Atlanta, the origin either being Martha’s middle name “Atalanta,” or the feminized version of Atlantic, as in the railroad company.

Atlanta's come a long way since 1937.  Watch this video to see how Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed is addressing the complex issues that face Atlanta today:

Atlanta 2012 - State of the City Report

Atlanta 2012 "State of the City" Video from Atlanta Regional Commission on Vimeo.

Jurisdiction Profile

What does Atlanta's population look like today? Check out ARC’s county and jurisdiction profile dashboard to survey the latest data about our region. This easy-to-use, interactive tool allows you to explore data about a myriad of topics. Simply select the topic and jurisdiction you are interested in and see how your jurisdiction compares to others in the 10-county Atlanta region. Also be sure to move your mouse over all the charts – in some cases that will change what is being displayed.