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
Winston-Salem
Opportunity
68 · Top 25%
vs54 · Bottom 47%
Growth
68 · Top 21%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
71 · Top 35%
vs78 · Top 7%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 34%
vs57 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
94 · Bottom 48%
vs93 · Bottom 45%
Access
97 · Top 12%
vs89 · Top 27%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 38%
vs55 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Augusta-Richmond County | Winston-Salem | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 624,181 | 689,766 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,344 | $65,975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,794 | $37,543 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 179/sq mi | 343/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $226,100 | $233,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,120 | $1,016 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.0% | 69.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.3% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.5% | 30.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.9% | 13.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,681 | 4,629 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.9 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.9% | -3.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.8" | 43.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 25.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 40.7 | 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.
Winston-Salem
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
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
Winston-Salem
70
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 · Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology