North Augusta receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
North Augusta
Aiken
Opportunity
87 · Top 2%
vs68 · Top 27%
Growth
67 · Top 21%
vs49 · Bottom 47%
Climate
71 · Top 46%
vs74 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 39%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs91 · Top 30%
Schools
50 · Bottom 47%
vs39 · Bottom 34%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs92 · Top 50%
Economic stability
62 · Top 46%
vs31 · Bottom 8%
Measured values
| Metric | North Augusta | Aiken | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,653 | 32,521 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,092 | $76,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,483 | $45,554 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,199/sq mi | 1,495/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $233,600 | $286,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,169 | $1,180 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.5% | 68.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.6% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.7% | 47.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.6% | 17.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 279 | 139 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.9 | 4.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -64.9% | -70.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.8" | 44.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 26.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.3 | 46.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.99 | 14.59 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 39.7% | 34.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.1% | 37.7% | 2019-20 school 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
North Augusta
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Aiken
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
North Augusta
75
Your Score
75
Area Score
Aiken
64
Your Score
65
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: North Augusta, SC · Aiken, SC · How this is calculated: methodology