Atlanta vs Augusta-Richmond County
Atlanta, Georgia versus Augusta-Richmond County, Georgia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Augusta-Richmond County edges out Atlanta on overall objective livability (48 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Atlanta | Augusta-Richmond County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $78k | $50k |
| Cost of Living | $65k | $46k |
| Home Value | $396k | $142k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.94% | 0.96% |
| Income Tax | 5.50% | 5.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.38% | 7.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.70% | 10.64% |
| Unemployment | 5.8% | 8.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 44°F | 48°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8 in | 44.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5 in | 0.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 258 days | 263 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 86 days | 86 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 7.1 | 23.3 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 95.2 | 51.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1857/100k | 356/100k |
| Property Crime | 3767/100k | 437/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 494,838 | 201,615 |
| Median Age | 33.6 | 34.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.60 | 0.56 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | D+47 | D+38 |
| White (%) | 38.9% | 32.1% |
| Black (%) | 47.1% | 55.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.4% | 5.3% |
| Asian (%) | 4.9% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 12.3/20 | 5.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 123 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.2% | 84.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 22.65 | 1.79 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Atlanta or Augusta-Richmond County more affordable?
- Augusta-Richmond County has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Atlanta's $65k and Augusta-Richmond County's $46k. Median rent is $2k in Atlanta versus $1k in Augusta-Richmond County.
- Is Atlanta or Augusta-Richmond County safer?
- Augusta-Richmond County has the lower violent crime rate. Atlanta reports 1857/100k and Augusta-Richmond County reports 356/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Atlanta or Augusta-Richmond County?
- The median home value is $396k in Atlanta and $142k in Augusta-Richmond County, so homes are more affordable in Augusta-Richmond County.