Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Augusta-Richmond County, GA
VS
Columbus, GA
🏆 Columbus leads 12 of 19 categories
Augusta-Richmond County
Georgia
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0
Median Household Income
$50,492
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
201,615
Columbus
Georgia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,561 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
159⚠ High
Population
204,572 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Augusta-Richmond County, GA
Pros
Homes cost $27k less ($141,900 vs $168,400)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Higher unemployment (8.3% vs 7.3%)
Median income trails Columbus by $4,069/yr
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Columbus
Columbus, GA
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (7.3%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
Households earn $4,069 more per year on average
More college-educated — 28.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Augusta-Richmond County
Cons
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Augusta-Richmond County
Median Home Value
$27k less
$141,900 vs $168,400
Columbus
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 88.8 vs 91.0 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Median Income
$4,069
$54,561 vs $50,492/yr
Columbus
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
7.3% vs 8.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Augusta-Richmond County, GA | Columbus, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $141,900 ✓ Lower | $168,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,023 ✓ Lower | $1,038 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $50,492 | $54,561 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.3%⚠ High | 7.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.2 min | 20.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 7.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 138⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 159⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 106⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (90) | B (101) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.8% | 28.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.7% | 88.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Richmond County | Muscogee County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.6°F ✓ Warmer | 57.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.1°F ✓ Warmer | 91.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.1" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.8" | 0.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 201,615 | 204,572 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.6 | 34.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.0% ✓ Higher | 49.5% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.5% ✓ More | 14.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Augusta-Richmond County's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Columbus's 88.8 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Columbus leads 12 of 19 categories. Augusta-Richmond County wins 7 and Columbus wins 12. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Augusta-Richmond County to Columbus or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($141,900 vs $168,400 median home), income ($50,492 vs $54,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Augusta-Richmond County, GA and Columbus, GA are about 173 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.