If you’re thinking of living in Augusta, GA, you probably want to know about the city we love to call home. To help, we put together this list of Living in Augusta, GA: Pros and Cons. We feel you should always know the good and the not-so-good about any city. Luckily, the good far outweighs the bad here in one of Georgia’s loveliest locations. Enjoy.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Living in Augusta, GA: Pros & Cons
At SecurCare, we offer storage units in the Augusta metro area. If you have questions or need help with your move, you can chat online with us anytime. Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty of Living in Augusta, GA.
The oldest city in Georgia, Augusta, is also the second-largest. It’s a beautiful city along the Savannah River banks about 150 miles due east of Atlanta, Georgia’s capital. Augusta is famous worldwide for one event in particular; the famed Master’s Golf Tournament! It’s held every year at Augusta National Golf Club, attracting players, visitors, and viewers worldwide! But what are we not so famous for?
PRO: Living in Augusta, GA Means a Nice Climate
There’s something about living in Augusta that makes you want to spend a lot of time outdoors. It’s the weather, of course, which is mild and warm most of the year. Unlike some of Georgia’s coastal cities, Augusta never gets blazing hot. Plus, unlike northern Georgia cities like Atlanta and Rome, Augusta never gets very cold. The weather here is nice almost the entire year.
PRO: Crime Rate Living in Augusta, GA is Low
Augusta is not a crime-free city, but you might believe that after you’ve lived here a while. That’s due to the very low serious crime rate here. At 27/100, we’re on the shallow end as far as serious crime goes, which is good news for everyone who lives here. Property crime might be slightly higher, but it’s still not overly crazy at 59/100.
CON: Insects are a Problem Living in Augusta, GA
Have you ever had to run from your front door to your car to get away from flying insects like gnats and mosquitoes? In Augusta, we do that here regularly. Spring and Summer are the worst times, so make sure to always have plenty of bug repellent (or light, cover-up clothing) on hand.
PRO: There’s a High Doctor-Patient Ratio in Augusta
If you want access to excellent healthcare facilities, Augusta is perfect. The doctor-patient ratio here is very high, and the hospitals are exceptional. Health costs here are slightly above the national average at 102.7/100, but they’re not out of sight either.
PRO: Living in Augusta Means You Can Breathe Easy
Over the last several years, Augusta’s air quality has been steadily increasing. That’s good news for everyone who loves breathing fresh air! A recent article in The Augusta Chronicle reported that Augusta has had zero high ozone days in the last three years. The city earned a grade of A for ozone pollution from the American Lung Association! (Particle pollution got a score of B, which is still good.)
CON: Augusta’s Walkability Rating is Average
As lovely as the weather is here, Augusta is not as walkable a city as you might think. WalksScore gives our city a score of 63, a D+, which is, frankly, not so great. Also, the bicycling infrastructure here is, sadly, minimal. Getting around on a bike can be difficult and, in some places, a bit dangerous.
PRO: The Commuting Time is Low Living in Augusta, GA
The average American spends 26.4 minutes commuting one way to work. In Augusta, though, we spent just under 20 minutes, almost 7 minutes less. Yes, the commuting times have been getting slightly longer in the last few years. However, you’ll still spend more time with family and less on the road when you live here.
PRO: The Master’s Golf Tournament is Here
If you adore golf, then look no further. The Master’s is one of the “big 4” major championships in professional golf. The tournament has been at Augusta National golf club since 1934 and has a genuinely fabled history. If golf is your jam, Augusta sees some of the best on the planet.
CON: Public Schools in Augusta, GA Get a C-
If you have a young family, you might think twice about Augusta. That’s because our city gets a C- for schools, which any kid will tell you is not so great. There is one school here, though, that gets an A+, the Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School. Several others get a B+ also. When you move here, you should make sure you’re near one of the better schools if you have kids.
PRO: The Cost of Living in Augusta, GA is Affordable
Our lovely city gets a score of 80.7/100, nearly 20 points below the national average when it comes to the cost of living! Groceries, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses are all lower here. Housing is much lower than the national average at 50.1/100! If you want to see more about the cost of living in Augusta, GA, we wrote a blog on that too!
PRO: Living in Augusta, GA Means Big City Amenities
Like many much bigger cities, Augusta offers a lot of culture and amenities. Concerts, theatres, museums, and more await you when you live here. There are a lot of outdoor festivals also, as well as an excellent minor league baseball team, the Augusta Greenjackets. (Named after, you guessed it, one of the local flying insects found here!) We also have a thriving food scene, fantastic architecture, lovely lakes, and improv theatre too! In short, we’ve got it all, but with half the population of most major US cities!
And there you have them, the pros and cons of living in Augusta, GA! We hope this list was helpful and makes your decisions easier!
Read more about Georgia on the SecurCare blog!
I’m have lived in Augusta all my life, and recently went to California for a year and so glad to get back to Augusta. Will think twice before I leave again. All I can say is “thank you, Jesus, for bringing me home to Augusta “
They forgot pollen season is a nightmare, it’s hot as crap, the airport offers maybe only 2-3 routes anywhere and it’s very costly to fly in/out of, and people there are very closed-minded.
I visited Augusta Georgia for the first time in May of this year I found my nieces and nephews there and what a beautiful clean city i just loved it and hopefully I’ll get a chance to come back
I’d like to buy a second home there and eventually retire there. What areas are the best ? And what areas are close to public golf courses? Also what is the average rent a millennial pays. I’d be renting the house out to pay for it for the next fifteen years.
Linda, being around close mined people forces you to become more creative in your approach.
I’m trying to find a nice home for my granddaughter she’ll be going to college there in a few months and we don’t want to rent she’ll be going about 7 yrs and may satay on or maybe not either way she don’t want to throw away money by renting and wants a really decent place but not out rageous in price can you help ? We would like it near her college if possible and of course in a very safe neighborhood
Lived in Augusta 30 years. Just moved to Alaska. The oppressive heat, crime, racial tensions, low pay, and “crabs in a barrel” mentality I will not miss. There are some great people in Augusta, but overall, I’m not looking back.
The people are definitely a great pro of living in Augusta!
Carolyn how very very true just moved here from texas and what I see I love ❤️ very very proud to live in Augusta now myself
Served in the army for two years at fort Gordon ga. It was a great time 1965 to 1967 made many friends Georgia a great state hospitality wise friendly folks summers hot an humid otherwise a great place!
We completely agree!
Good to know and I love the “THANK YOU JESUS”! 🙌🏼 Stay blessed 🙏
To try to compare those two states is not even fair. Texas has high humidity and temps in many places well over 100 degrees in summer and if you are not from Texas most can’t handle it. Texas does have many great school districts . Also We have the Gulf of Mexico. Houston has one top medical centers in the world. MD Anderson Cancer Center where people from over world go to.Also there many times in December it can be 80 degrees. I have been to Georgia and what I love about it is the old homes they have restored. They are stunning . Also I know the people in Georgia are very friendly and weather is nice there . Like I said you can’t even compare the those two states
There’s absolutely nothing to do. The city has so many abandoned buildings is a shame. The air stinks really bad because they have all of their plants in the city. The beef plant is the worst.The only interesting thing they have for the city is the masters. Other then that it’s a complete bust. They have one main street for downtown activities. Every year it’s the same. It’s a great in between city for people who like to travel. From here we’re able to get to Charleston Myrtle Beach Atlanta Charlotte and Memphis all under a few hours so that’s a big plus. It’s not for young people. It’s more for people who like the small town vibe.
There’s absolutely nothing to do. The city has so many abandoned buildings is a shame. The air stinks really bad because they have all of their plants in the city. The beef plant is the worst.The only interesting thing they have for the city is the masters. Other then that it’s a complete bust. They have one main street for downtown activities. Every year it’s the same. It’s a great in between city for people who like to travel. From here we’re able to get to Charleston Myrtle Beach Atlanta Charlotte and Memphis all under a few hours so that’s a big plus. It’s not for young people. It’s more for people who like the small town vibes
Hi. Moved here in mid 2021 from Florida. Rented an apartment for $1000. Now a homeowner for the last 9 months. Try your luck 💕
Most likely moving in the Augusta area, or Grovetown this year from NJ. Hear about HOA fees that I do not want to pay, which would be more than the taxes . Looking forward to an easier life from NJ
Thank you for your response. I was worried about diversity, inclusion, and most of all….friendly/hateful people. The world we live in
I’m from Charleston South Carolina. I can’t wait to get back there. Augusta really does sucks. The food isn’t so great. It has no originality to it. It’s like there trying to create a cultural atmosphere but it isn’t quite there yet. The homelessness of s so out of control for it to be a small town. The lack of police presence is noticeable. Its ok as far to visit due to the outdoors and wildernesses. But it isn’t a place for me to live. It’s really nothing else to do. No big theme parks no water parks no place for my kids really to wear themselves out. The mosquitos are the worst. Packs of stray dogs running around the town. Smh. Hey but if you love those types of things. It’s a great place for you. They have this beef plant that stinks up the downtown area. Man the smell is so terrible. On top of it all it really lacks hospitality. I won’t be back thank goodness. I had better hospitality in Florida and in Waycross ga then this. Oh well good riddance.
I grew up in Augusta in the 60’s. Downtown was thriving and now its dirty and seedy. Business has moved out of Augusta (Columbia County). The only saving grace are the medical college and hospitals and Masters tournament. Its not nearly as bad as a lot of cities but it is a far cry from what it once was.
As a nearly lifetime resident of Augusta, I can confidently disagree with three of the points—and add a couple more myself!
I love Augusta, haven’t always, but I discovered that was because of the part of town I lived in.
Augusta has three major sections and three different personalities—West Augusta & Summerville, South Augusta, and Columbia County. Some things are the same throughout—it does get oppressively hot here! With the humidity and heat, 105 degrees heat index is not uncommon! It also gets really cold—the temperature in the 30’s doesn’t seem so bad except that, it is accompanied by humidity and wind also, making it feel colder. We have snakes—lots, everywhere. The air may be clean—but only in summer and winter. In the spring and late summer no one can breathe due to pollen—if you don’t have allergies, you will if you move to Augusta. Last but not least, the schools! The way schools are graded do not give an adequate indication of the quality of school. Richmond county schools consistently grade low due to demographics—especially when they pull the best students from the local schools and put them into magnet schools, thus skewing the numbers for the rest of the schools. The schools in Columbia County score much higher as they are working with a much more affluent and ambitious demographic. Augusta schools are much better than they appear on paper.
Rent is anywhere from 800 (minimally acceptable bottom end) to 3000 for a fancy house. For a small 3 bed ranch in a nice neighborhood you are looking at about 1500. Close to good golfing, check out Summerville. Most golf courses in the area are private, but there are a handful of public ones. There are a lot of nice townhomes in the Augusta area as well, which will appeal to millennials and retirees alike.
I agree with you, after traveling to different States, Cities, I have come to realize that Augusta is not all people make it out to be. Definitely not a place to raise kids because of the crime rate, and Definitely not a place to date someone because Augusta was or is number 2 on the list for the highest HIV/ STD rates..And NO there is nothing to do but look at the old abandoned buildings. I strongly recommend to move to a better place and never look back..
Facts
I’ve lived all over the U.S. and have always found something to like about everyplace that I have lived, except Augusta. It’s a dump. Unless you golf or kayak there is absolutely nothing to do and the restaurants are crap. When we first moved here, people would say that we’re only 2 1/2 hours from Atlanta, 2 1/2 hours from the ocean, 2 1/2 hours from the mountains… That’s because we are in the middle of fucking nowhere. I’ve been here now for a year and have tried to be positive, but I just can’t pretend anymore. I’m stuck her for the next 5 years because of my spouse’s position. I am counting the days until I can leave.