5,000-person survey: General love for Midtown reaches 'all-time high'

Since the COVID-19 pandemic petered out, Atlanta’s most cosmopolitan and rapidly changing subdistrict has become safer, more family-friendly, a bit livelier, and generally more approachable on foot and bike, according to people visiting, residing in, and reporting to work in Midtown.  

That’s not to say issues in Midtown don’t persist. Such as declining trust in public transportation. And the fact that one of every five square feet of retail space is empty right now. 

Midtown Alliance this week released results of its 2025 Midtown Community Survey. The questionnaire, distributed once every three years, covers a wide range of topics that touch on all aspects of urban life in Midtown, including public safety, the food scene, greenspaces, transportation, and general urban design. 

This year, 4,798 people took the survey—a 23-percent jump from the last one in 2022. 

Of those, about half actually live in Midtown (59 percent own their residence) and 24 percent of them also work there. 

In general, according to Midtown Alliance, perceptions of the 1.2-square-mile Midtown Improvement District as an urban place have reached “an all-time high.” The biggest general changes over the past three years are that people feel Midtown is safer from crime, more bikeable, and more family-friendly than 2022, per a survey summary.  

The area in question covers 120 city blocks, where Midtown Alliance is perpetually tasked with implementing mobility upgrades including sidewalks, smaller public spaces, safety enhancements, and public art, among other objectives.

Below are some key takeaways—a potpourri of interesting stats—pulled from the survey results and Midtown Alliance reactions. The statistics aren’t all sunshine and roses. 

79 percent of survey-takers described Midtown as “easy to get around,” including public transportation. That’s a 3 percent dip from 2022. 

Conversely, those who find Midtown bikeable these days (52 percent) is a jump of 18 percent from three years ago. 

Midtown Alliance

Retail woes? 37 percent of folks described Midtown as having plentiful shopping options. That’s a bump of 9 percent, but still pretty lackluster. 

92 percent of dog owners think of Midtown as pet-friendly now. Respondents in general were less impressed. 

Since 2022, a 24 percent increase in respondents who feel Midtown is family-friendly was noted. That uptick “could be due to better perceptions of safety and more family-friendly activities, including new programming produced by Midtown Alliance,” notes the recap. 

Midtown Alliance

Among Midtown workers, 30 percent reported getting to their jobs by doing something other than driving alone. That’s higher than Atlanta’s regional average, but it signals that 70 percent are still driving in. 

Curbside conundrum? 52 percent of respondents living in Midtown’s core reported receiving packages at their residence five times or more per month. “Demand for space at the curb to handle package deliveries,” notes Midtown Alliance, “also points to the need for more focus on mitigation strategies and policy enforcement.” 

A brighter future? In 2022, street-light outages around Midtown numbered around a couple of hundred; right now, there’s less than a dozen, thanks to coordination between Georgia Power and Midtown Green, according to Midtown Alliance.  

The brighter streets could be positively impacting crime stats. Since 1998, violent crime has plummeted by 78 percent and property crime by 69 percent, “making Midtown one of the safest places in all of Atlanta,” the survey summary notes. 

Midtown Alliance

This year, the survey also asked Atlantans a specific question regarding vacant land development: What exactly should replace the gaping, 4-acre hole in Midtown’s urban fabric where the No2 Opus Place skyscraper didn’t happen? 

Midtown Improvement District bought the 98 14th St. site for $46 million in May, and in July issued a Request for Qualifications from developers. 

More than 3,800 respondents shared a vision and park examples from around the world for the 14th Street site, indicating “participants of the survey are excited about the new space.” Midtown Alliance’s design team has taken note, per the agency, and will use suggestions in planning. 

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