Do not move here!
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3/31/2024
I've lived here for 9 years and this is not a good place to live. I've been to 46 states and 4 countries.
While people tout the nature, the water is for the most part dead having been polluted by the factories in the area. (I was a water analyst for NOAA testing the water in the area.) My husband goes fishing and he's never caught a fish at all. Apparently it has something to do with the locks on the canal as well as the pollution.
Employment : The unemployment is way higher than is claimed (closer to 20% not 5.8%) and your only main options are fast food or working medical or being in the military or working at the paper plant or the nuclear power plant though they will only hire military. I've seen a higher amount of people on disability here than anyone else (it's over 14% for under 65) and for whatever reason no one has a car. And since we don't have a very good public transportation system, well, no one gets anywhere. I've never seen a more entitled group of people to expect free delivery for free items especially since we have a very high degree of flippers in the area who are just reselling things. Crime is probably the number 1 employer, then flippers, than anything. Oh, and page is federal minimum unless you are basically a doctor. (I say this as a former 911 EMT with multiple MS degrees.)
Crime : High crime and *literally* no police department. Seriously, they disbanded the police when they merged Augusta with all the country cities and town in the area (all of this was done to save money). They keep merging all the crap colleges together to also save money. I've had my house broken into 3 times, my car 4 times, and a sexual assault (most of that within 3 months!!). We do have a sheriff. They need to police the entire country. Heck they are so spread out that they can't even deal with traffic tickets. It will take them hours to respond. People leave abandoned cars everywhere, there is no respect for noise ordinances (I'm looking at you Kevin) and everyone lets their dogs run around free and attack others. Pit bulls are the most common dog breed here.
Housing : Look, no one comes here to live on purpose long term. You are probably going to rent. Of houses (not even including apartments), it's 49% renters. And no matter what the cost, those housing units disappear quickly, certainly by June when med students have to show up to the area. They will get roommates and split a few thousand dollar a month rental funded by their parents or by loans. You can't compete with that.
Traffic : Traffic is fine, except near Masters week when the population of Augusta goes crazy. It took an hour and a half to make a 10 minute drive to Kroger!
Entertainment : It's a good thing there is no traffic as to get anywhere with any type of activities (outside of walking along the polluted river or canal), it's an hour or two (or more) away. Columbia, Atlanta, or Savannah are your best bets. There is nothing that is 24 hours in the town and a lot of restaurants are very erratic in their hours.
Demographics : (From the 2020 Census)
White alone, percent 33.9%
Black or African American alone, percent(a) 56.4%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent(a) 0.1%
Asian alone, percent(a) 1.8%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent(a) 0.1%
Two or More Races, percent 5.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%
Persons in Poverty : 20.6%
With a disability : 14.3%
In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2018-2022 57.7%
I am sure I am missing things, including the fact there are more cockroaches here than when I lived in Miami.
Oh... ps... the Disgusta smell is real.
Melvin | Augusta, GA