Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Augusta-Richmond County, GA
VS
Savannah, GA
🏆 Savannah leads 11 of 20 categories
Augusta-Richmond County
Georgia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,492
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
201,615 ✓ Larger
Savannah
Georgia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.6
Median Household Income
$54,748 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
5
Population
147,583
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Augusta-Richmond County, GA
Pros
Homes cost $61k less ($141,900 vs $203,300)
Rent averages $193/mo less ($1,023 vs $1,216)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Savannah
Cons
Higher unemployment (8.3% vs 7.2%)
Median income trails Savannah by $4,256/yr
Savannah, GA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (20.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (7.2%)
More college-educated — 31.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $4,256 more per year on average
Cons
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Augusta-Richmond County
Key Differences at a Glance
Augusta-Richmond County
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 95.6 (100 = US avg)
Augusta-Richmond County
Median Home Value
$61k less
$141,900 vs $203,300
Savannah
Median Income
$4,256
$54,748 vs $50,492/yr
Savannah
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
7.2% vs 8.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Augusta-Richmond County, GA | Savannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper | 95.6 |
| Median Home Value | $141,900 ✓ Lower | $203,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,023 ✓ Lower | $1,216 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $50,492 | $54,748 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.3%⚠ High | 7.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.2 min | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 8.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 5 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (90) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.8% | 31.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.7% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Richmond County | Savannah-Chatham County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.6°F | 61.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.1°F ✓ Warmer | 92.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.1" ✓ Drier | 52.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 201,615 ✓ Larger | 147,583 |
| Median Age | 34.6 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.0% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% ✓ More | 20.1% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 14.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Augusta-Richmond County's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Savannah's 95.6 (US average = 100).
Augusta-Richmond County is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Savannah leads 11 of 20 categories. Augusta-Richmond County wins 9 and Savannah wins 11. 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 Savannah or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($141,900 vs $203,300 median home), income ($50,492 vs $54,748), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Augusta-Richmond County, GA and Savannah, GA are about 106 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.