The report from Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights lab is stark: Metro Atlanta ranks dead last – 50 out of 50 – when it comes to upward economic mobility.

Put simply, someone who grows up in a low-income household in metro Atlanta has a harder time moving up the economic ladder than in any other U.S. large metro area.

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation recently brought the man behind the study, Harvard economist Raj Chetty, to metro Atlanta for a series of discussions on fostering meaningful change.

A Regional Focus

The visit included a stop at the Atlanta Regional Commission for a conversation with regional leaders including policy makers, the banking community, philanthropic funders, and nonprofit leaders working in the economic mobility space.

Economic mobility is not just a City of Atlanta issue, said Anna Roach, ARC’s Executive Director & CEO. It’s a regional challenge that requires a regional approach.

ARC “wanted to pull together the key regional voices necessary to start the conversation about how we’re going to begin to take action steps at a region-wide level,” Roach told the Saporta Report. “Everyone in that room is committed to come back to the table now to work toward specific solutions and action items for metro Atlanta to take as a region. It is time for action.”

Drivers of Economic Opportunity

In his talk, Chetty explained the likelihood of children out-earning their parents has declined from 92% for those born in 1940 to about 50% for those born in 1990, reflecting a broad fading of the American Dream. This trend has significant economic, social, and political implications.

He also outlined the key drivers of economic opportunity: Income inequality, segregation, school quality, family structure, and social capital. He also said economic mobility is a challenge nationwide.

Charlotte’s Success

Attendees included Sherri Chisholm, who leads Charlotte’s economic mobility initiative, known as Leading on Opportunity. Charlotte launched the program after ranking No. 50 on Chetty’s 2014 report. The region has since moved up and is now ranked No. 38.

Charlotte’s approach emphasizes regional alignment across jurisdictions, advocating for shared priorities such as jobs, housing, and education. This collaboration led to successful policy outcomes, including a regional transportation referendum and universal pre-K access in Mecklenburg County.

Next Steps

Roach said it’s important for the region to continue the conversation moving forward. “Our time has come to recognize economic mobility as a regional challenge we all have a hand in addressing,” she told the group.

In the interview with Saporta Report, Roach said a key to success may be “establishing an organization whose sole responsibility it is to make progress in this area. ARC will be advocating with our regional partners around that fundamental notion that this has to be somebody’s full-time job to make progress in this area.”