This post was originally published at The Cost of Living Project
Readers and Canopy Atlanta staff members weigh in
@mbizzle.realty: 2/1 at the corner of N Druid Hills and Briarcliff was $650/mo in 2004. I was able to support myself as a barista before going to law school around the corner. I often think that had I moved to Atlanta today, I wouldn’t have made it. Which makes me think about how many other people our city is missing out on because of the lack of affordability.
@slrwynn: $600 for a three bedroom in Decatur in 2003. Also shoutout to anyone who survived the west end lofts and/or seaboard in the early 2000s.
“I rented my first apartment at 22, fresh out of college in Gastonia, North Carolina. Paying around $400 a month, I was treated to a number of plumbing issues, roaches as roommates, and the melodious sounds of arguing couples and Interstate 85. I lasted six months.” —Stephanie Toone, Community Engagement Editor
@christybardispetterson $800 for a two bedroom that I split with a roommate in downtown Decatur in 1999.
@mirandakyle13 2010- 650.00 on Winton Terrace in the Old 4th Ward.
@kickmuri My first spot in Poncey Highlands was $250 in 2009, which eventually increased to $500/month
“In 2022, I was fresh out of college with no rental history, competing with several applicants for every apartment in my price range and location. The situation felt impossible. Finally, after six months of applying, I landed something. But there was a caveat: no onsite laundry, so I take weekly trips to the laundromat. When I moved in, the rent was $1,225; since then, it’s increased by $100.” —Ada Wood, Audience Producer and Community Reporter
@lmoody2004 $685/mo for a 1 BR loft in 2005 at Bass Lofts in Little 5 Points.
@daisyyyy123____ Paid ~600 in Smyrna between 3 people, now I pay ~800 between me and my partner in a 800 SQ FT
⛈ “My first (post-college) apartment cost $395 a month. It was a tiny studio in a circa-1900 converted sock mill with gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows that let both rain AND WIND inside.” —Heather Buckner, Senior Editor
@varietystomp $375
@_emjaayy $900 between two people so $445!! Two bedroom 1 bath
“Rent at my first apartment was $475 a month. Now, two years later, the same complex is charging nearly $800 a month.” —Abby Ann Ramsey, Editorial Assistant
“My first apartment rented for $692. The price went up about $90 every year for 10 years—with no increase in salary. ” —Kamille Whittaker, Training and Editorial Director