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Cost of living, pay and housing

33.37° N · 82.07° W · GEOID 1304204

Augusta-Richmond County

Richmond County, Georgia · part of the Augusta, GA metro

GeorgiaAugusta-Richmond County, GAAugusta-Richmond CountyAugusta-Richmond County

The short answer

Augusta-Richmond County is home to 201,528 people. Median household income is $55,485 a year and median rent is $1,142 a month, 24.7% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $178,400, about 3.2x annual median household income.

Augusta-Richmond County stands out on how people work. Unemployment is 8.6%, against 5.8% in its closest peers. Also notable: After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $43,400 a year, less than in 87% of cities its size.

23OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Weak

Augusta-Richmond County scores better than 23% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 102nd of 165 in Georgia.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%45
Economy 20%13
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%45
Education 10%33
Commute 10%75
Growth 5%47

Not rated: safety, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,142
16% below the median place
Median household income
$55,485
31% below the median place
Median home value
$178,400
44% below the median place
Unemployment
8.6%
75% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Augusta-Richmond County

  • AffordabilityThe median household earns $55,485 a year, less than in 90% of the 256 cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Augusta-Richmond County

Richmond County loses about 3.6 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in13,010
Moved out13,533
Net−523

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Georgia, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within GeorgiaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$45K
Leavers$53K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Richmond County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
8.2% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 4.7% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Richmond County report $45,400 a year in income on average; those leaving, $53,300, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$45,700 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,142 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,382 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $178,400.
Getting to work
21 minutes each way on average; 9.1% work from home; 1.4% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Longview, TX matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
4.7%
135% above the median place
Moved here in the past year1
8.2%
43% above the median place
Income of households moving in8
$45,445
36% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureAugusta-Richmond CountyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year18.2%43% above
Moved from another state14.7%135% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-3.6below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$45,44536% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$53,30824% below
02

What it costs to live here

Owning with a mortgage costs only about $240 a month more than the median rent, a smaller gap than in 84% of the 256 cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people we track.

Augusta-Richmond County24.7%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$45,680
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
24.7%
21% above the median place
Home price to income
3.2x
15% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
25%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$42,900
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Augusta-Richmond County, $1,142 a month, and local prices for everything else (96.3 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Augusta-Richmond County, but easier on the budget

Places that match Augusta-Richmond County on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Longview, TX9520.9% vs 24.7%$9,800Compare
Fort Smith, AR9319.4% vs 24.7%$4,400Compare
Victoria, TX9320.9% vs 24.7%$13,100Compare
Wichita Falls, TX9220.4% vs 24.7%$7,600Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Augusta-Richmond County.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Augusta-Richmond County? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Vacant homes1
17.7%
151% above the median place
Homeownership1
50.8%
24% below the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$1,520
53% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureAugusta-Richmond CountyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,14216% below
Rent to income124.7%21% above
Property tax rate10.8%7% below
Home price to income13.2x15% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure91.99% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,32918% below
HUD area median income4County figure$90,40016% below
Property tax paid (median)1$1,52053% below
Median home value1$178,40044% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure2.1%35% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure53.9%5% above
Homeownership150.8%24% below
Renters paying 30%+155.9%10% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,38226% below
Vacant homes117.7%151% above
Median year built119800% above
03

Work and pay

Unemployment averaged 8.6% over the survey period, higher than in 92% of the 256 cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people we track.

Unemployment1
8.6%
75% above the median place
Poverty rate1
20.1%
86% above the median place
Median household income1
$55,485
31% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Mean commute21 min −15%
Income per person$31,910 −20%
Works from home9.1% −27%
Commutes by transit1.4% +62%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureAugusta-Richmond CountyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$55,48531% below
Income per person1$31,91020% below
Unemployment18.6%75% above
Average annual pay6County figure$60,3998% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.3%11% below
Jobs6County figure104,22031% below
Poverty rate120.1%86% above
Mean commute121 min15% below
Works from home19.1%27% below
Commutes by transit11.4%62% above
04

Who lives here

4% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 98% of the 256 cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people we track.

No health insurance1
11.8%
84% above the median place
Homes with broadband1
87.7%
5% below the median place
Born abroad1
3.8%
57% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Median age35.2 −10%
High school or higher87.9% −5%
Bachelor's or higher24.7% −23%
Household size2.6 +2%
All 9 people measures
MeasureAugusta-Richmond CountyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population1201,528127th largest
Population change since 20207-0.0%below (median 1.1%)
Median age135.210% below
Bachelor's or higher124.7%23% below
High school or higher187.9%5% below
Household size12.62% above
Born abroad13.8%57% below
No health insurance111.8%84% above
Homes with broadband187.7%5% below
05

Life in Augusta-Richmond County

The nearest National Park Service site is Ninety Six National Historic Site, about 54 miles away.

Founded or incorporated in 1736. 51 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 6 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents6.3 −39%
Playgrounds per 10k5.8 −39%
Grocery stores per 10k1.4 −34%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k13.7 +23%
Libraries per 10k0.8 −9%
Named paths and bike trails42 km 20.8×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.1 −62%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Ninety Six National Historic Site 54 miles
  • Congaree National Park 80 miles
  • Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park 96 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars20.2 −3%
Shops36.8 +21%
Arts, recreation and fitness2.3 −44%
Doctors' offices and clinics21.5 +6%
Child care centers2.8 +22%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site11
54.1
76% above the median place
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9
2.3
44% below the median place
Shops per 10k9
36.8
21% above the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureAugusta-Richmond CountyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools13County figure53above (median 9)
Public school students13County figure30,024above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher13County figure15.03% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure20.23% below
Shops per 10k9County figure36.821% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure2.344% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure21.56% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure2.822% above
Parks per 10k106.339% below
Playgrounds per 10k105.839% below
Grocery stores per 10k101.434% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k1013.723% above
Libraries per 10k100.89% below
Named paths and bike trails1041.6above (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi100.162% below
Nearest National Park Service site1154.176% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles11150% below
National Register listings12County figure51292% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

July average high is 92°F, 6% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Augusta-Richmond County. Larger places are fetched first.

July average high14
92°F
6% above the median place
Average temperature14
65°F
17% above the median place
Median air quality index16
52
21% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureAugusta-Richmond CountyAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high14County figure92°F6% above
January average low14County figure36°F41% above
Average temperature14County figure65°F17% above
Annual precipitation14County figure45.7 in4% above
Natural hazard risk15County figure87.45% below
Hurricane risk15County figure89.226% above
Tornado risk15County figure95.217% above
Wildfire risk15County figure67.110% above
Heat wave risk15County figure91.21% above
Median air quality index16County figure5221% above
Good air days16County figure46.8%32% below
08

Augusta-Richmond County in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 25% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 25% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Augusta-Richmond County does better than 44% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 77%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,142/mo (2024)$1,460/mo$1,200 to $1,780/mo+4.2%
Median household income$55,485 (2024)$70,500$59,500 to $83,500+4.1%
Median home value$178,400 (2024)$261,000$189,000 to $360,000+6.5%
Population201,999 (2025)203,510195,220 to 212,170+0.1%

The median home would be worth 3.7 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.2 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Augusta-Richmond County

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Beaumont, TX$1,121$56,997Compare
Bossier City, LA$1,107$55,819Compare
Schenectady, NY$1,145$58,399Compare
Petersburg, VA$1,174$50,698Compare
Petersburg, VASchenectady, NYBossier City, LABeaumont, TXAugusta-Richmond County, GAAugusta-Richmond CountyBeaumontBossier CitySchenectadyPetersburgAugusta-Richmond CountyBeaumontBossier CitySchenectadyPetersburg

Places built like Augusta-Richmond County

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Augusta-Richmond County performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Augusta-Richmond County, GA24.7%5.4%/yr-0.0%
Macon-Bibb County, GA25.0%4.4%/yr0.1%Compare
Columbus, GA22.9%4.6%/yr-2.3%Compare
Newport News, VA23.1%5.5%/yr-1.6%Compare
Hampton, VA24.6%4.3%/yr0.1%Compare
Fayetteville, NC25.7%5.3%/yr0.3%Compare
Savannah, GA29.0%5.7%/yr1.1%Compare

Common questions

Is Augusta-Richmond County a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 23 out of 100, better than 23% of the places we rate and 102nd of 165 in Georgia. The median household earns $55,485 a year, less than in 90% of the 256 cities of 100,000 to 250,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 21 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Augusta-Richmond County expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 24.7% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $178,400.

What salary do you need to live in Augusta-Richmond County?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $45,680 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Augusta-Richmond County?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Beaumont, TX, Bossier City, LA, Schenectady, NY and Petersburg, VA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  14. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  15. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  16. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Augusta-Richmond County with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Augusta-Richmond County itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/augusta-richmond-county-georgia

Citytistics. “Augusta-Richmond County, Georgia.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/augusta-richmond-county-georgia/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.