Publication Date
6-17-2026
Abstract
Infant birth weight is the foundation for childhood and adult health outcomes, and health, according to the Urban Institute, is an important predictor of upward social mobility. Prior studies have found that infants with low birth weight are susceptible to a host of physical, cognitive, and social deficiencies that can adversely impact the ability to achieve upward mobility. The current study utilizes the Urban Institute's Mobility Metrics to explore low infant birth rates among the 11 counties that comprise the Metro Atlanta area. We focus on the average rate of low birth weight from 2021-2023 overall and disaggregated by mothers’ education and race/ethnicity. Results show that the average low birth weight rate for the Metro Atlanta area was 10.4%, higher than the national (8.6%) and state (10.2%) averages. Mothers with college degrees had the lowest rates of low birth weight, while Black mothers had the highest rates of low birth weight. A closer examination of individual counties in the Metro Atlanta area indicates that Clayton County had the highest overall rate of low birth weight. We conclude with a closer examination of Clayton County and how the Urban Institute’s Mobility Metrics can inform policies and programs at the local level.