HousingPermits

Metro area in Georgia, South Carolina

Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC

The Augusta-Richmond County metro area authorized 4,141 new housing units in 2025. The housing bust cut annual permits by 51%, from 3,941 at the 2004–2006 high to 1,934 in 2008, the third-mildest drop among the 81 metro areas based in the South Atlantic states. Per 1,000 residents it authorized 6.6 units a year in 2021–2025, 1.4 times the national rate of 4.7.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 3,743 units (3,729 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 3,941 units (3,834 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 89 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,662 units (3,644 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,402 units (3,060 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 332 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,934 units (1,826 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 88 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,292 units (2,180 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 98 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,490 units (2,420 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 55 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,415 units (2,247 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 160 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,284 units (2,181 single-family, 23 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,445 units (2,410 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 24 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,847 units (2,416 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 387 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,035 units (2,669 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 364 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,968 units (2,560 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 340 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,338 units (2,690 single-family, 55 in 2–4 unit, 593 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,867 units (2,584 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 248 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,201 units (2,655 single-family, 145 in 2–4 unit, 401 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,556 units (3,445 single-family, 73 in 2–4 unit, 38 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 4,280 units (4,144 single-family, 109 in 2–4 unit, 27 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,190 units (3,429 single-family, 95 in 2–4 unit, 666 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,559 units (3,380 single-family, 47 in 2–4 unit, 132 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 4,658 units (3,593 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 1,023 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 4,141 units (3,688 single-family, 51 in 2–4 unit, 402 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252024 high · 4,6582008 low · 1,93402,0004,0006,0002004: 3,743 units (3,729 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 3,941 units (3,834 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 89 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 3,662 units (3,644 single-family, 18 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,402 units (3,060 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 332 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,934 units (1,826 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 88 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 2,292 units (2,180 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 98 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,490 units (2,420 single-family, 15 in 2–4 unit, 55 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 2,415 units (2,247 single-family, 8 in 2–4 unit, 160 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 2,284 units (2,181 single-family, 23 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,445 units (2,410 single-family, 11 in 2–4 unit, 24 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,847 units (2,416 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 387 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 3,035 units (2,669 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 364 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,968 units (2,560 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 340 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,338 units (2,690 single-family, 55 in 2–4 unit, 593 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,867 units (2,584 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 248 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,201 units (2,655 single-family, 145 in 2–4 unit, 401 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,556 units (3,445 single-family, 73 in 2–4 unit, 38 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 4,280 units (4,144 single-family, 109 in 2–4 unit, 27 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 4,190 units (3,429 single-family, 95 in 2–4 unit, 666 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 3,559 units (3,380 single-family, 47 in 2–4 unit, 132 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 4,658 units (3,593 single-family, 42 in 2–4 unit, 1,023 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 4,141 units (3,688 single-family, 51 in 2–4 unit, 402 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252024 high · 4,658

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

In Augusta, 88% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 11% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Pocatello (11% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 0.8%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2024 (1,023), single-family houses in 2021 (4,144).

2021–202587.5%88%1.7%10.8%11%2004–200698.8%99%0.4%0.8%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202587.5%88%1.7%10.8%2004–200698.8%99%0.4%0.8%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Where in the metro

Aiken County accounted for 45% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Columbia County for 31%. The part in South Carolina supplied 50%.

  • Aiken County, SC45% (1,959 in 2025)
  • Columbia County, GA31% (1,213 in 2025)
  • Richmond County, GA15% (534 in 2025)
  • Edgefield County, SC5% (194 in 2025)
  • Burke County, GA1.8% (100 in 2025)
  • Lincoln County, GA1.8% (55 in 2025)
  • McDuffie County, GA1.6% (86 in 2025)

Boom, bust and since

Augusta authorized the most units in 2024 (4,658); 2025 reached 89% of that. Its peak year is shared by 9 other metro areas, among them Asheville, Trenton, Omaha. The 2021–2025 pace of 4,166 units a year is 10% above the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 11%.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 15 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Aiken County (unincorporated), with 5,610 units or 27% of the total, followed by Columbia County (unincorporated) with 5,167.

  • Aiken County (unincorporated)27% (5,610 units)
  • Columbia County (unincorporated)25% (5,167 units)
  • Augusta-Richmond County (unincorporated)14% (2,984 units)
  • North Augusta9.6% (2,000 units)
  • Aiken8.1% (1,684 units)
  • Edgefield County5% (1,044 units)
  • Grovetown4.4% (926 units)
  • Lincoln County (unincorporated)1.7% (351 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Wichita, KS3,1114.510%
Syracuse, NY2,0411.542%
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC4,1416.611%
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC6,1009.443%
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR8,96112.922%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Augusta beside Syracuse

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: Georgia. Counting rules.