Augusta-Richmond County receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Augusta-Richmond County
Birmingham
Opportunity
68 · Top 25%
vs58 · Top 46%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs56 · Top 41%
Climate
71 · Top 38%
vs74 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 38%
vs50 · Bottom 40%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 41%
vs92 · Top 46%
Access
97 · Top 20%
vs97 · Top 20%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 27%
vs51 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | Augusta-Richmond County | Birmingham | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 624,181 | 1,184,613 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,344 | $71,498 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,794 | $40,359 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 179/sq mi | 224/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $226,100 | $240,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,120 | $1,172 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.0% | 70.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.3% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.5% | 33.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.9% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,681 | 4,727 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.9 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.9% | 32.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.8" | 56.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 29.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 38.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Augusta-Richmond County
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hurricane.
Birmingham
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Augusta-Richmond County
72
Your Score
73
Area Score
Birmingham
68
Your Score
67
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metro Area · Birmingham, AL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology