Augusta-Richmond County vs Columbus
Augusta-Richmond County, Georgia versus Columbus, 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 Columbus on overall objective livability (48 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Augusta-Richmond County | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $50k | $55k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $47k |
| Home Value | $142k | $168k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.96% | 0.88% |
| Income Tax | 5.50% | 5.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.38% | 7.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.64% | 10.65% |
| Unemployment | 8.3% | 7.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 48°F | 48°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.8 in | 51.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.8 in | 0.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 263 days | 262 days |
| Summer Humidity | 71°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 86 days | 91 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 23.3 | 19.3 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 55 AQI |
| School Quality | 51.6 | 48.4 |
| Violent Crime | 356/100k | 1344/100k |
| Property Crime | 437/100k | 2358/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 201,615 | 204,572 |
| Median Age | 34.6 | 34.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.56 | 0.61 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | D+38 | D+24 |
| White (%) | 32.1% | 38.4% |
| Black (%) | 55.7% | 45.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.3% | 8.0% |
| Asian (%) | 1.6% | 2.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 5.1/20 | 5.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 123 mi | 84 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.2% | 85.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.79 | 3.57 |
| 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 Augusta-Richmond County or Columbus more affordable?
- Augusta-Richmond County has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Augusta-Richmond County's $46k and Columbus's $47k. Median rent is $1k in Augusta-Richmond County versus $1k in Columbus.
- Is Augusta-Richmond County or Columbus safer?
- Augusta-Richmond County has the lower violent crime rate. Augusta-Richmond County reports 356/100k and Columbus reports 1344/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Augusta-Richmond County or Columbus?
- The median home value is $142k in Augusta-Richmond County and $168k in Columbus, so homes are more affordable in Augusta-Richmond County.