Columbus, Ga., is Georgia's second-largest city by population, has the highest median household income among Columbus, Augusta, Macon and Savannah, and is the least expensive of the four metropolitan areas under MIT's living-wage estimates. But the comparison changes depending on whether residents are looking at home prices, rent, employment-related costs or the wider metropolitan area.

The latest figures reveal several surprises. Columbus has only 172 more residents than Augusta, its typical metro home value has risen faster than the other three over the past year, and its typical rent is increasing at the fastest rate. Meanwhile, Savannah has the highest metro household income but also the highest housing costs of the four.

We compared these cities using official Census population estimates, American Community Survey figures, Zillow housing data from September 2026 and the MIT Living Wage Calculator. Here are the answers to 15 questions that help explain where Columbus stands.

First, how do the four metropolitan areas compare?

The Columbus metro has the lowest living-wage requirement of the four, Macon has the lowest typical home value and rent, and Savannah has the highest median household income.

Income figures are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey. Home values and rents are Zillow estimates for September 2026. Living wages are MIT's 2026 estimates. These are different measures covering different periods.

One important distinction: City statistics refer to residents inside city limits, while metro statistics cover a broader area. The Columbus, GA-AL, metro includes counties in Alabama, and the Augusta, GA-SC, metro includes counties in South Carolina.

That difference matters throughout this comparison. A figure for the Columbus city population or median income cannot automatically be compared with a figure for the entire Savannah metropolitan area.

1. Which city has the largest population?

Columbus is the largest of the four cities, with an estimated 202,171 residents as of July 1, 2025.

According to the Census Bureau's official Vintage 2025 population estimates, the city rankings are:

Atlanta remains Georgia's largest city with 529,110 residents. Columbus ranks second, followed immediately by Augusta.

These rankings use the official 2025 population estimates, not the American Community Survey's five-year population figures, which differ slightly because they are separate Census products.

Columbus' position at No. 2 is especially notable because the population difference between Columbus and Augusta is extremely small.

2. How close is the race between Columbus and Augusta?

Columbus leads Augusta by just 172 residents in the latest official population estimates.

Columbus had an estimated 202,171 residents in 2025, compared with 201,999 in Augusta. That is a difference of less than one-tenth of 1% of either city's population.

The 2020 population bases were 206,914 for Columbus and 202,071 for Augusta, a difference of 4,843 residents. By the 2025 estimates, that gap had narrowed to 172.

Columbus' estimate is 4,743 below its 2020 base, while Augusta's is 72 below its base. As a result, the cities are now nearly tied even though Columbus remains ahead in the official ranking.

For residents, the distinction is straightforward: Columbus currently holds the No. 2 position, but the latest estimates show almost no separation between the two cities.

3. Which metropolitan area has the most people?

Augusta has the largest metropolitan population of the four, with 624,181 residents in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey.

The metro figures are:

Although Columbus has more residents within its city boundaries than Augusta, Augusta's metropolitan area is considerably larger. Augusta's metro population exceeds Columbus' by 298,566 people.

Savannah also has a larger metropolitan population than Columbus, despite having fewer residents within the city itself. Its metro population is 418,285, compared with Columbus' 325,615.

The difference illustrates why city and metro comparisons must be kept separate. Columbus is the second-largest Georgia city, but it does not have the second-largest metropolitan population among these four communities.

4. Where are household incomes the highest?

Columbus has the highest median household income within city limits, while Savannah leads when comparing metropolitan areas.

According to the 2020-2024 American Community Survey, median household incomes inside the four cities are:

Columbus leads Savannah by $936 and Augusta by $2,588. The Columbus city median is $6,839 higher than Macon's.

However, the metro comparison produces a different ranking. Savannah leads with $77,180, followed by Augusta at $69,344, Macon-Bibb at $59,526 and Columbus at $59,336.

Georgia's median household income is $77,353, while the U.S. figure is $80,734. All four metro areas fall below the national figure, and Savannah's metro median comes closest to Georgia's statewide level.

The key distinction is that Columbus leads in city household income, not metro household income.

5. Where are homes the cheapest?

Macon has the lowest typical metro home value in Zillow's September 2026 estimates, while Columbus has the second-lowest.

Zillow's typical metropolitan home values are $196,903 in Macon, $209,756 in Columbus, $250,497 in Augusta and $340,186 in Savannah.

That puts Columbus $12,853 above Macon, $40,741 below Augusta and $130,430 below Savannah. The differences are substantial for households comparing housing markets.

The Census Bureau's city-level median home values tell a related but different story. Macon's median is $174,500, Augusta's is $178,400, Columbus' is $193,900 and Savannah's is $248,900.

The Census figures cover the cities and measure median owner-occupied home values, while Zillow's estimates represent typical values across metropolitan housing markets. They are not interchangeable.

For context, Zillow's typical U.S. home value was $366,157 in September 2026, compared with $375,898 in metro Atlanta. All four metropolitan areas in this comparison were below both of those figures.

6. Which city's home values are rising the fastest?

Columbus had the fastest annual metro home-value growth of the four, increasing 3.8% through September 2026.

Zillow reported the following annual changes:

Columbus' typical home value also increased 29.1% over five years and reached a record high of $209,756 in September 2026. Augusta and Macon likewise reached record highs, at $250,497 and $196,903.

Savannah moved in the opposite direction over the past year. Its typical value declined 2.7% from a year earlier and stood at $340,186, below its October 2024 peak of $357,047.

Atlanta's typical metro value declined 1.5% over the year to $375,898. That provides another comparison for Columbus, where home values were still rising.

The figures indicate that Columbus remains relatively affordable by home value, but that affordability is changing as its market continues to appreciate.

7. Where is rent cheapest, and where is it rising fastest?

Macon has the lowest typical metro rent, but Columbus has the fastest annual rent growth among the four.

Zillow's September 2026 rental estimates show:

A typical rental in Columbus costs $141 more per month than Macon, $111 less than Augusta and $418 less than Savannah. Across 12 months, the difference between Columbus and Savannah amounts to $5,016.

Columbus' 5% annual rent increase is the fastest of the four, even though its rent remains below Augusta's and Savannah's. Macon's rents increased 3%, while Savannah's decreased 0.7%.

Within city limits, the Census reports median gross rents of $1,066 in Macon, $1,106 in Columbus, $1,142 in Augusta and $1,382 in Savannah.

These Census city rents are different from Zillow's September 2026 metro rent estimates. Both comparisons place Macon lowest and Savannah highest, but the amounts and geographic coverage differ.

8. How much do you need to earn to live in each city?

Columbus has the lowest estimated living-wage requirement of the four metro areas, at $20.57 an hour for one adult without children.

The MIT Living Wage Calculator, updated Feb. 15, 2026, estimates the following requirements:

Annual figures are required income before taxes. The family figures assume two working adults.

A single adult in Columbus needs an estimated $9,336 less in annual income than someone in Savannah. The difference between Columbus and Augusta is $947, while the difference from Macon is $2,496.

For households with two working adults and two children, Columbus again has the lowest requirement at $94,688. Savannah has the highest at $101,323.

The estimates also show annual housing costs for a single adult of $10,759 in Columbus, $11,296 in Augusta, $12,926 in Macon and $17,550 in Savannah.

Those costs help explain why Columbus can have the lowest overall living-wage requirement even though Macon has lower typical home values and rents.

9. Which city has the shortest commute?

Savannah has the shortest average commute inside city limits at 20.7 minutes, narrowly ahead of Columbus at 20.9 minutes.

The city-level averages are 20.7 minutes in Savannah, 20.9 in Columbus, 21.1 in Augusta and 22.2 in Macon.

The difference between Savannah and Columbus is only 0.2 minute. Columbus' mean commute is also shorter than Georgia's 28.3 minutes and the U.S. average of 26.4 minutes.

The metropolitan averages are longer:

Columbus has the shortest metro commute among the four, even though Savannah has the shortest city commute.

This is another example of how rankings change when the geographic area changes. City residents and metro residents are not necessarily represented by the same commuting averages.

10. Where do the most residents work from home?

Columbus has the highest work-from-home share among the four cities, at 12.1%.

The city-level shares are 12.1% in Columbus, 11.5% in Savannah, 9.5% in Macon and 9.1% in Augusta.

At the metro level, Columbus also leads, with 11.1% working from home. Savannah follows at 10.5%, Augusta at 9.8% and Macon-Bibb at 9.3%.

Georgia's statewide work-from-home share is 15.9%, higher than all four cities and metropolitan areas in this comparison.

The figures establish how common working from home was among residents during the survey period. They do not establish why residents work remotely or which employers offer remote arrangements.

For Columbus, the notable finding is that it leads the other three communities on both the city and metro measures.

11. Which city has the highest homeownership rate?

Macon has the highest city homeownership rate at 51.4%, while Augusta leads at the metro level with 68%.

Within city limits, Macon's homeownership rate is 51.4%, Columbus and Augusta are tied at 50.8%, and Savannah is at 45.4%.

The metro figures are considerably different. Augusta leads at 68%, followed by Savannah at 62.2%, Macon-Bibb at 61.9% and Columbus at 57.8%.

Georgia's statewide homeownership rate is 65.7%. That puts Augusta's metro above the state average, while the other three metro areas are below it.

Columbus' metro homeownership rate is 7.9 percentage points below Georgia's rate. Its city rate is 14.9 points below the statewide figure.

These numbers show that the ranking depends heavily on whether the comparison includes surrounding communities or only residents within city boundaries.

12. Which city has the highest poverty rate?

Macon has the highest city poverty rate of the four at 24.7%, while Columbus has the lowest at 19%.

The city-level figures are 19% in Columbus, 19.7% in Savannah, 20.1% in Augusta and 24.7% in Macon.

At the metropolitan level, the results change. Macon-Bibb has the highest poverty rate at 20.7%, followed by Columbus at 18.7%, Augusta at 14.9% and Savannah at 12.2%.

Georgia's statewide poverty rate is 13.4%. Columbus' city and metro poverty rates are both higher than that figure, despite Columbus having the highest city median household income among the four.

That combination is important. A higher median household income does not necessarily mean a community has a lower share of residents living in poverty.

Savannah provides another contrast: Its city poverty rate is 19.7%, while the metro rate is substantially lower at 12.2%.

13. Which city has the most college graduates?

Savannah has the highest share of adults 25 and older with bachelor's degrees or higher, both within city limits and across its metropolitan area.

The city figures are 33.3% for Savannah, 30.5% for Columbus, 26.3% for Macon and 24.7% for Augusta.

At the metro level, Savannah leads with 35.8%, followed by Augusta at 29.5%, Columbus at 28.1% and Macon-Bibb at 24.3%.

Georgia's statewide rate is 34.9%. Savannah's metro rate exceeds that figure, while the other three metropolitan areas fall below it.

Columbus ranks second among the four cities, but third among the metropolitan areas. Augusta moves ahead of Columbus when the surrounding metro populations are included.

The figures measure educational attainment among adults age 25 and older, not current college enrollment or the availability of higher-education programs.

14. Which city has the youngest population?

Savannah has the youngest city population, with a median age of 34, while Columbus has a median age of 35.4.

The median ages inside city limits are 34 in Savannah, 35.2 in Augusta, 35.4 in Columbus and 36.8 in Macon.

For the metropolitan areas, Columbus is youngest at 36.5, followed by Savannah at 36.9, Augusta at 38.3 and Macon-Bibb at 38.6.

Georgia's median age is 37.6 and the U.S. median is 38.9. Columbus' city and metro median ages are both below those broader figures.

The comparison again produces two different leaders. Savannah is youngest when measuring only the city, but Columbus is youngest when measuring the entire metropolitan area.

A median age represents the midpoint of residents' ages. It does not describe every age group separately or establish how quickly a community's age distribution is changing.

City comparison: All four in one table

The following figures compare city limits only, using the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey. They should not be confused with the metropolitan housing and living-wage estimates discussed earlier.

These measures reveal why there is no single ranking that captures every aspect of living in the four cities. Columbus leads in city household income and working from home, Macon has the lowest city home values and rents, and Savannah leads in educational attainment.

Augusta also has competitive figures, including the same city homeownership rate as Columbus and a metropolitan household income substantially higher than Columbus'.

15. So which city offers the best deal in 2026?

Columbus offers the lowest overall living-wage requirement among the four metro areas, although Macon is cheaper for typical housing and Savannah has the highest metro household income.

For a single adult without children, MIT estimates that Columbus requires $42,776 annually before taxes. That is lower than Augusta's $43,723, Macon's $45,272 and Savannah's $52,112.

For a family with two working adults and two children, Columbus again has the lowest estimated income requirement at $94,688. Macon follows at $96,334, Augusta at $99,787 and Savannah at $101,323.

Housing tells a slightly different story. Macon has the lowest typical metro home value at $196,903 and lowest typical rent at $1,212, compared with $209,756 and $1,353 in Columbus.

Savannah has the highest metro median household income at $77,180, but its typical home value of $340,186 and typical rent of $1,771 are also the highest among these four communities.

Columbus presents a middle position on housing costs, paired with the lowest overall living-wage requirement. Its city household income leads the group, its city commute is second-shortest, and its metro commute is the shortest.

The trade-off is that Columbus' home values and rents have been rising faster than those in the other three metro areas over the past year. Its typical home value increased 3.8%, while typical rent rose 5%.

The numbers therefore point to different choices depending on a household's priorities. Macon leads for lower housing prices, Savannah leads for metro household income, and Columbus leads on the estimated income needed to cover basic living costs.

For households primarily concerned with the relationship between everyday expenses and required earnings, Columbus has the strongest result in MIT's 2026 living-wage comparison. But no single figure establishes the best place for every resident, particularly when income, homeownership and housing prices vary between the cities and their larger metropolitan areas.

How we did this

Columbus Times compared official July 1, 2025, population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau; the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates, accessed through Census Reporter; Zillow's September 2026 metropolitan home-value and rent estimates; and the MIT Living Wage Calculator, updated Feb. 15, 2026.

Official Vintage 2025 figures were used for city population rankings. Other Census demographics use the American Community Survey. City and metro figures are identified separately throughout, and housing estimates and living-wage calculations are presented according to their respective geographic coverage and reporting periods.