If your idea of security and happiness is living in the city that Newsweek called the leading job creator in the country, projecting 1.8 million added jobs during the period of 1998 through 2025; the city that has led the nation in job growth during the last decade, adding nearly 700,000 new jobs; a city in which personal income has doubled in the last 10 years; and the city that has more in-migration than any other area in the nation, then you’ll love life in Atlanta.

Additionally, Atlanta has construction costs that are below the national average, a thriving real estate market, and energy costs that are among the lowest in the country, making the metro area an ideal location for budding entrepreneurs.

The area’s astonishing growth is due in part to its low cost of living, low unemployment rate, and diverse industry base, which includes 13 Fortune 500 headquarters, 24 Fortune 1,000 headquarters, the local offices of more than 30 international banks, and more than 1,200 foreign-based companies, employing 80,000 people.

The trade, transportation, and utilities industries make up the largest category of jobs, employing more than half a million workers, 23 percent of Atlanta’s workforce. High-tech firms also contribute significantly to the city’s economy, employing more than 190,000, or 8 percent of the area’s workforce. There are also more than 5,000 manufacturing facilities in the metro area. Other major employers include:

AT&T

BellSouth

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Coca Cola

Delta Air Lines

Earthlink

Equifax

Georgia-Pacific

Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport (nearly 45,000 employees)

Home Depot

IBM

Kroger

Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems

Military: Dobbins Air Reserve Base , Fort McPherson , Naval Air Station Atlanta

Piedmont Hospital

Southern Company

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

United Parcel Service

Universities: Emory, Georgia Institute of Technology , and Georgia State