- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Atlanta Leads Nation in Eviction Rates, Surpassing New York City
Princeton's 'Eviction Lab' finds Atlanta metro has more total evictions than the nation's largest city
Published on Feb. 25, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
A new report from Princeton University's 'Eviction Lab' has found that the Atlanta metro area has the highest eviction rates in the country, with more total evictions than even New York City. The report highlights the growing housing affordability crisis in Atlanta, where many residents are just one emergency away from losing their homes.
Why it matters
Eviction can have devastating long-term consequences for individuals and families, leading to homelessness, disruption of children's education, and difficulty finding future housing. The high eviction rates in Atlanta point to broader economic and social challenges facing the city, including income inequality, lack of affordable housing, and limited social safety nets.
The details
The 'Eviction Lab' at Princeton University analyzed eviction data across the country and found that the Atlanta metro area had the highest eviction rates, with more total evictions than even the much larger New York City metro. The report found that some apartment complexes in Atlanta were averaging an eviction a day, highlighting the scale of the crisis. Housing advocates say the high eviction rates are driven by factors like the large number of residents living paycheck-to-paycheck and a lack of affordable housing options.
- The 'Eviction Lab' report was published on February 25, 2026.
The players
Eviction Lab
A research initiative at Princeton University that tracks and analyzes eviction data across the United States.
Matthew Nursey
A housing advocate who previously experienced eviction himself and now works to support others facing housing insecurity.
Grace Hartley
A researcher at the Eviction Lab who commented on the high eviction rates in Atlanta.
What they’re saying
“The numbers are mind-blowing in Atlanta”
— Grace Hartley, Researcher, Eviction Lab (wsbtv.com)
“It's terrible to go through. First, it's humiliating”
— Matthew Nursey, Housing Advocate (wsbtv.com)
“60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. A lot of us are just one emergency away from being in a precarious housing situation”
— Matthew Nursey, Housing Advocate (wsbtv.com)
What’s next
The Eviction Lab report is expected to spur further research and policy discussions around addressing the high eviction rates in Atlanta and developing solutions to improve housing affordability and stability in the region.
The takeaway
The high eviction rates in Atlanta, surpassing even those of New York City, highlight the growing housing affordability crisis facing many American cities. Addressing this issue will require a multi-faceted approach targeting factors like income inequality, lack of affordable housing, and limited social safety nets.
