When Will Columbus Overtake Augusta as Georgia's 2nd Largest City? (Atlanta: 2014, living in)

[Columbus1984]

What are everyone's thoughts on Columbus regaining its title as Georgia's 2nd largest city? Columbus is gaining fast when it comes to population. What are your thoughts?

[brentyoung12]

Nothing, really. It'll just look good on paper. Columbus still has a ways to go before it can compete with Augusta and Savannah. Columbus simply doesn't offer as much as those cities.

[cdw1084]

As for population, I'll say 2014, and if the Columbus area get the 30,000 soldiers and families then I'll go on to say it may pass Augusta in amenities as well.

[nortonguy]

Most of the population growth in Columbus is headed to Fort Benning. Wouldn't Columbus have to pass Savannah first in amenities in order to reach Augusta?

Whether or not Columbus(city) passes Augusta in population, metro Augusta will still be much larger than Columbus(250k bigger at the moment)... Look at what city Costco is building their first store in GA outside of Metro Atlanta.

Even if the Augusta city or metro population stop growing today, 30k is definitely not enough people to catch or pass Augusta in amenities.

[cdw1084]

30,000 people is pretty much the whole population of Rome GA and the increase in amenities will be noticeable, when I look at the population of Columbus and Augusta...#1 Columbus is going up #2 Augusta is going down in population....#3..these are second tier cities......#4 While Augusta does have more amenities, it's not impossible for Columbus to catch up...#5 The reason I didn't put Savannah in it because it's Georgia's second city in many eyes......


My prediction...Columbus will pass Augusta in population in 3-5 years. As of amenities I can't call it.

[nortonguy]

A MSA of 282k can't touch a MSA of 535k in amenities... I don't know where you're getting you're info from, but Augusta's population isn't going down....

I seriously doubt Costco and the 100 acre Village at Riverwatch would be coming to West Augusta in 2011. If the population was decreasing...

2006 population
Richmond County 194,000
Muscogee County 189,000
Richmond County, Georgia - Population and Housing Narrative Profile: 2006
Muscogee County, Georgia - Population and Housing Narrative Profile: 2006

2009 population
Richmond County 200,000
Muscogee County 190,000
Richmond County, Georgia - Population and Housing Narrative Profile: 2009
Muscogee County, Georgia - Population and Housing Narrative Profile: 2009

[cdw1084]

Dude please!! My population information is more accurate (As of Nov 22, 2010) and Augusta had 194,852 people...nearly 6,000 less than the information you provided from last year and Columbus is sitting at 191,890 almost 2,000 more than last year...So come with updated info before you use outdated sources.

And also, how are you going to tell me that I can't compare a metro of 282k to 535k? I never compared the metro's I said Columbus may pass Augusta in population by 2014 and amenities not the metro as a whole.

I've have also seen you compare the Augusta metro to places like Greenville SC and Richmond and I won't be the first or last to tell you that Columbus and Augusta are more comparable than the cities that you have compared Augusta to.

City populations (Nov. 22, 2010) | Business First

[nortonguy]

The Business First article is the estimated population of Augusta-Richmond County. Augusta-RC and Richmond County have two diffrent populations from each other... The cities of Hephzibah and Blythe are included in the population of Richmond County.

I've never compared Augusta to Richmond in terms of amenities. The thread was about what city(Augusta, Madison, Richmond, Raleigh) had the brightest future.

Let's see Apple, Sephora, Chop House, Jared Galleria of Jewelry, PF Changs, Pandora, CCS, Williams Sonoma, etc at Augusta Mall. Those stores definitely sound closer to Haywood Mall in Greenville than Peachtree Mall in Columbus. Columbus doesn't have one single store or restaurant I named. While Richmond County and Muscogee County aren't far apart in population. Augusta is the main city of a much bigger metro area.

[cdw1084]

LOL....are you serious?

I never realized a mall made cities comparable. I learn something new everyday. But back to reality, even with those stores Augusta and Columbus is in the same tier and always will be and the I'm sticking to the fact that Columbus will become GA's 2nd largest city again but don't worry your metro is almost twice as big as metro Columbus.

But I'm done debating on this. I guess we'll have to watch and see!!

[nortonguy]

Augusta and Columbus aren't really in the same tier. The MSA GDP of Augusta is larger than the MSA and CSA GDP of Columbus. I think you may need to read this thread again.

Augusta Vs. Columbus

This is the OP's statement below after visting each city:
After checking out Augusta, Columbus and Atlanta, it's certainly true that ATL is more for me after living in another large city, but since Atlanta isnt an option for me at the very moment, I'm going with Augusta. I really didnt see much of a comparison between Columbus and Augusta. Though neither was quite what I'm accustomed to, Augusta was much more of a "city" to me than Columbus.


Augusta has a gay, hispanic, and greek parade/festival every year.. Those are amenities Columbus doesn't have yet. Charleston is ahead of Augusta in terms of amenites, and Augusta is ahead of Columbus.