Metro Atlanta eviction filings climb to more than three times the national average

For many metro Atlanta renters, one unexpected bill can be enough to put their housing at risk.

Tarnesha Beaford said she was evicted last year after struggling to keep up with rent and other expenses. She now sells water and sports drinks alongside her children to earn money.

"When you get evicted, it's hard to get somewhere else to go," Beaford said. "I don't want to just be out here begging."

Beaford said rent for a two-bedroom apartment can reach $1,500, an amount she described as difficult to afford while paying other bills.

Her experience reflects a broader housing problem across the region. Landlords filed more than 140,000 eviction cases in metro Atlanta in 2025, according to Princeton University's Eviction Lab, which tracks eviction filings nationwide. The filing rate was more than three times the national average.

Across Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Clayton counties, the filings amounted to about one case for every four renter households, according to the data.

Awodele Omilami, CEO of Hosea Helps, said wages have not kept pace with housing costs.

"People that are making $15 an hour are struggling," Omilami said. "People that are making $20 an hour are struggling. So what we're seeing is that a single individual making three times minimum wage can't afford rent."

Omilami said some tenants face rent increases of about $200 when renewing their leases. Hosea Helps provides support to families and individuals in need, but she said demand is rising as donations decline.

"We're standing on the edge of the cliff with all these families running toward us, trying to catch as many as we can," Omilami said.

Housing advocates said Georgia's low court filing costs and short notice requirements can make it easier for property owners to use eviction cases to collect unpaid rent. Research from the Legal Services Corporation found that the cost and speed of eviction filings can affect how easily landlords begin court proceedings. LSC

The Eviction Lab cautions that a filing does not necessarily mean a tenant was removed from a home. Some landlords file more than one case against the same renter, which can raise the overall filing total.

Beaford said she remains hopeful that her family's situation will improve.

"It's going to get better," she said. "I know it's going to get better."