| A place where winning golfers get green jackets, | | | | city housing units have been built since 1990. |
| Augusta, Georgia has a long history from the | | | | About 77% of the population live in single-family |
| American Revolution to racial segregation. Anyone | | | | or mobile homes. The median monthly housing |
| relocating to Augusta will see a mid-sized | | | | costs for mortgaged owners was $940 in 2005, |
| Southern city that has undergone some changes | | | | while renters were paying $621 for their living |
| in recent years. | | | | expenses each month. The Cost of Living Index |
| Augusta is located about halfway up the | | | | ranks much lower in Augusta at 73.3 when |
| Savannah River where navigable waters end. The | | | | compared with the national rate of 99.52. |
| city expanded in 1996 after joining Richmond | | | | According Sperling's Best Places, the average |
| County to form a single government known as | | | | utility costs are over $1,000 less per year than |
| Augusta-Richmond County. However, the | | | | the rest of the country, while consumer |
| consolidated community remains to be called | | | | household expenditures was 40% lower. In fact, |
| Augusta. Bordering South Carolina, Augusta is the | | | | everything from education, entertainment, |
| second largest city in the state. In the five years | | | | transportation, and retail expenses are all well |
| since the 2000 census, the estimated population | | | | below national figures. |
| declined 2.3% to 190,782 people. With over 300 | | | | Businesses have been leaving downtown Augusta |
| miles of land, city residents now have plenty of | | | | for suburban shopping centers since the 1970s. |
| elbow room. The population density is significantly | | | | City officials set forth plans to revitalize the city's |
| below average for cities with just 648 residents | | | | hidden riverfront to build a river walk with parks, |
| per square mile. According to U.S. Census figures | | | | an amphitheater, hotels, museums and art |
| in 2005, the average age of residents was 33.8 | | | | galleries. The riverfront renaissance has yet to spill |
| years, with 53% of the population claiming African | | | | over into Augusta's business district. The upside |
| American heritage. Another 41.3% of the people | | | | for those relocating to Augusta is the famed |
| were White non-Hispanic. The average household | | | | Augusta National Golf Club, home of "The |
| size was 2.5 people. Families made up 66% of the | | | | Masters," a major PGA event and host to some |
| households, 40% married couples. | | | | of the biggest names in the sport. The city has |
| Slightly below average is the percentage of people | | | | been dubbed Masters City and goes by The |
| over 25 who have graduated from high school. | | | | Garden City, but it has also gotten a reputation |
| Census statistics show 78% made it through high | | | | for being smelly earning it a dirty nickname. The |
| school, while nearly 19% had a bachelor's degree | | | | Environmental Protection Agency has ranked |
| or higher. But among people 16 to 19 years old, a | | | | Augusta as the biggest polluter in Georgia, causing |
| very high drop out rate of 16% was revealed in | | | | some to call the city "Disgusta." The air quality is |
| 2005. Government statistics reveal 23% of the | | | | below average in the city with "good air" to |
| city's people lived in poverty, including 29.4% of | | | | breath 57% of the time, according to the EPA. |
| African-American residents. One reason why | | | | Some crime statistics in Augusta are unknown or |
| more people aren't relocating to Augusta is a | | | | not reported to the FBI, but as a part of a |
| stagnant job base that hasn't grown in the five | | | | Augusta-Richmond County Metro Area, crime is |
| years since 2000. Almost a quarter of all city jobs | | | | estimated to be more than twice the national |
| for women were health care related. The top job | | | | average. CNN Money in 2006 reports the risk of |
| sector for men was construction, at 11% of the | | | | personal crime was moderately higher than the |
| workforce. In the Augusta area, the largest | | | | national average, while property crime was |
| employers include a Department of Energy | | | | somewhat higher. Augusta's climate tends to be |
| nuclear facility, a military installation including Fort | | | | hot and humid in summer but much cooler come |
| Gordon, and the Medical College of Georgia. The | | | | winter. The highest temperatures are recorded in |
| median income of households for Augusta for | | | | August with an average of 92.5 degrees for a |
| 2005 was $37,231, about $9,000 below the | | | | high. Average lows for January sink to 33.2 |
| national average. At 19.3 minutes, Augusta | | | | degrees. The city receives an average of 44.6 |
| residents had a commute time that was six | | | | inches of annual precipitation. Notable residents of |
| minutes shorter than the national average. | | | | Augusta include native son and pioneering funk |
| Well below the national average are Augusta's | | | | music legend James Brown. Also, actor Laurence |
| home values. In 2005, the median house/condo | | | | Fishburne, singer Amy Grant, and a former |
| value was $92,200, compared with the U.S. | | | | president, Woodrow Wilson, who spent his |
| average of $167,500. Home values had grown | | | | childhood here. |
| less than two percent since 2004. Over 21% of | | | | |