Columbia County, GA
Housing, jobs, water, deposits and federal obligations for this county, each figure with the release it came from. Internal point 33.55, -82.25.
Assembled 2026-10-19. Read the brief.
- 76th pct · 714th of 3,063 US counties · median $230,451
- 79th pct · 34th of 159 Georgia counties · median $215,610
- 100th pct · 1st of 7 counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro · median $243,437
- 36th pct · 1,944th of 3,062 US counties · median +2.9%
- 36th pct · 101st of 159 Georgia counties · median +2.5%
- 16th pct · 6th of 7 counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro · median +3.2%
- 70th pct · 399th of 1,358 US counties · median $1,506
- 64th pct · 25th of 69 Georgia counties · median $1,701
- counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro: only 3 of counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro published this metric; fewer than 5 is too few to rank
- 82nd pct · 565th of 3,221 US counties · median 8,232
- 84th pct · 25th of 159 Georgia counties · median 7,095
- 66th pct · 3rd of 7 counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro · median 7,442
- 31st pct · 2,190th of 3,221 US counties · median $1,039
- 48th pct · 82nd of 159 Georgia counties · median $964
- 33rd pct · 5th of 7 counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro · median $1,053
- 85th pct · 442nd of 3,063 US counties · median 4.2
- 84th pct · 26th of 159 Georgia counties · median 4.2
- 100th pct · 1st of 7 counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro · median 4.2
Typical home value divided by the average annual wage of one covered job.
A percentile here is a min-max scaling of average rank: the smallest published value in the cohort is 0 and the largest is 100, and tied values share the average of the ranks they span. It is not the share of entities below the value, so 0 means smallest, not none below. Entities that did not publish the metric are outside the cohort entirely and are counted in neither the rank nor its denominator.
Home values #
Typical home $331,924 (Sep 2026), +1.7% over one year, +21.9% over five
- 76th pct · 714th of 3,063 US counties · median $230,451
- 79th pct · 34th of 159 Georgia counties · median $215,610
- 100th pct · 1st of 7 counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro · median $243,437
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia County, GA | $331,924 · +1.7% 1-yr |
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), typical value of homes in the 35th to 65th percentile, smoothed and seasonally adjusted; a model estimate of value, not a sale price. Data through Zillow Research.
Rents #
Typical rent $1,767/mo (Sep 2026), +2.2% over one year; price-to-rent 15.7
- 70th pct · 399th of 1,358 US counties · median $1,506
- 64th pct · 25th of 69 Georgia counties · median $1,701
- counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro: only 3 of counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro published this metric; fewer than 5 is too few to rank
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia County, GA | $1,767/mo · +2.2% 1-yr |
Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), smoothed, all homes and multifamily; price-to-rent = typical home / (typical rent × 12).
What the typical home costs to carry #
Principal and interest of $1,839 a month on $331,924 at 7.40%, against an average weekly wage worth $4,160 a month: 44.2% of one job’s pay.
- payment = P·r / (1 − (1+r)^−n), P = $331,924 × 80% = $265,539, r = 7.40%/12 (Freddie Mac PMMS via FRED, 2026-10-15), n = 360 → $1,839/mo principal and interest
- wage share = payment / (avg weekly wage $960 × 52 / 12 = $4,160) = 44% of one average job's pay (BLS QCEW 2026 Q1, all covered jobs)
- years of wages = $331,924 / ($960 × 52) = 6.6
- price-to-rent = $331,924 / ($1,767 × 12) = 15.7
The wage is one covered job’s average, not a household’s income, so this is the share of a single paycheque and not a mortgage underwriting ratio.
Estimate. Principal and interest on the typical home with 20% down over 30 years at this week's Freddie Mac average rate; compared with the average weekly wage of all jobs covered by unemployment insurance in the area (BLS QCEW), which is pay per job, not household income.
Jobs & wages #
44,430 jobs at 3,663 employers (2026 Q1); +9.5% jobs and -0.4% average weekly wage over the year
- 82nd pct · 565th of 3,221 US counties · median 8,232
- 84th pct · 25th of 159 Georgia counties · median 7,095
- 66th pct · 3rd of 7 counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro · median 7,442
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia County, GA | 44,430 jobs · $960/wk · +9.5% YoY |
| NAICS sector | Jobs | Avg weekly wage | Location quotient | Jobs over the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 7,015 | $774 | 1.62 | +1.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 5,865 | $416 | 1.47 | +0.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 5,039 | $969 | 0.75 | +6.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,731 | $773 | 1.99 | +0.0% |
| Construction | 3,005 | $1,164 | 1.29 | -2.2% |
| Manufacturing | 2,708 | $1,576 | 0.76 | -4.4% |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,635 | $772 | 1.04 | -19.4% |
| Professional and technical services | 2,243 | $1,741 | 0.73 | +45.6% |
| Other services | 1,487 | $800 | 1.12 | +4.1% |
| Educational services | 943 | $907 | 0.99 | +1.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 715 | $1,677 | 0.39 | +9.3% |
| Real estate and rental | 660 | $992 | 0.97 | +12.6% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, all ownerships, total covered employment in the quarter's third month; over-the-year changes as published. Suppressed cells stay blank.
Drought #
D0 abnormally dry
Sites found: 5, searched within 0 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 0 km away are not.
US Drought Monitor current week; the highest class of any polygon containing the point.
Reservoirs #
10 USGS reservoir gauges, no capacity figures to weight
Sites found: 10, searched within 150 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 150 km away are not.
| Site | Reading | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| SAVANNAH RVR AT STEVENS CREEK DAM NR MORGANA, SC | 184.8 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 18 km |
| BUTLER CREEK RESERVOIR AT FORT GORDON, GA | 27.4 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 20 km |
| THURMOND LAKE NEAR PLUM BRANCH, SC | 319.4 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 33 km |
| RUSSELL LAKE ABOVE CALHOUN FALLS, SC | 473.5 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 70 km |
| LAKE GREENWOOD NEAR CHAPPELLS, SC | 438.9 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 76 km |
| LAKE MURRAY NEAR COLUMBIA, SC | 355.6 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 110 km |
| PARR SHOALS RESERVOIR AT PARR, SC | 260.9 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 116 km |
| MONTICELLO RES NR JENKINSVILLE, SC | 423.9 ft (USGS, no capacity on file) | 119 km |
Σ(capacity × percent full) / Σ capacity over TWDB reservoirs within 150 km. Texas only; elsewhere USGS reservoir elevation/storage is listed without a capacity to normalise by.
Stream gauges #
87 gauges · 0 flooding · 4 with quality panels averaging 88 % · 55 stale
Sites found: 87, searched within 75 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 75 km away are not.
| Site | Reading | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| STEVENS CREEK AT WOODLAWN RD NR MURPHY VILLAGE, SC | stage 16.4 ft · quality 50 % (2) | 21 km |
| KIOKEE CREEK AT GA 104, NEAR EVANS, GA | flow 5.27 ft³/s | 6 km |
| KIOKEE CREEK AT US 221, AT APPLING, GA | flow 601.0 ft³/s · STALE | 6 km |
| UCHEE CREEK AT GA 104, NEAR EVANS, GA | flow 18.8 ft³/s | 6 km |
| SAVANNAH RIVER NEAR EVANS, GA | stage 14.1 ft · quality 100 % (2) | 13 km |
| REED CREEK AT BLUE RIDGE DRIVE NEAR MARTINEZ, GA | stage 2.51 ft | 14 km |
| BUTLER CREEK BELOW 7TH AVENUE, AT FT. GORDON, GA | flow 6.31 ft³/s | 18 km |
| SAVANNAH RIVER ABOVE AUGUSTA CANAL NEAR BONAIR,GA | flow 4,330 ft³/s · STALE | 18 km |
| SAVANNAH RIVER NEAR NORTH AUGUSTA, SC | flow 1,950 ft³/s · STALE | 20 km |
| AUGUSTA CANAL UPPER NR AUGUSTA, GA | flow 2,000 ft³/s | 20 km |
USGS latest readings screened against EPA freshwater criteria (DO ≥ 5 mg/L, pH 6.5–9, conductance, turbidity, temperature); NWS flood categories where a NWPS gauge is co-located.
Groundwater #
36 wells in 0 named aquifers:
Sites found: 36, searched within 75 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 75 km away are not.
| Site | Reading | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| USGS-332528082003301 | depth 6.95 ft · 2026-10-18 | 26 km |
| USGS-332131082013401 | depth 69.7 ft · 2026-10-18 | 30 km |
| USGS-331944082025501 | depth 217.3 ft · 2026-10-18 | 31 km |
| USGS-332221081584601 | depth 42.1 ft · 2026-10-18 | 32 km |
| USGS-332221081584602 | depth 38.3 ft · 2026-10-18 | 32 km |
| USGS-332219081583301 | depth 32.9 ft · 2010-09-28 | 32 km |
| USGS-332216081583601 | depth 35.6 ft · 2010-03-16 | 32 km |
| USGS-332215081575201 | depth 25.2 ft · 2010-09-28 | 33 km |
USGS latest daily water levels. A single latest reading says where the table is, not which way it is moving; select a well for its 365-day trace.
Water stress #
low (0.05)
Σ wᵢ·termᵢ / Σ wᵢ = 0.35×0.00 + 0.2×0.13 / 0.55
Banks & federal dollars #
$3.5 bn in deposits at 31 offices of 16 banks (SOD June 2026); HHI 1,190, moderately concentrated. $1.3 bn federal obligations in FY2026 (direct payments $1.3 bn, contracts $49.8 m), $29,362 per covered job
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Bank, National Association | $815.5 m · 23.2% share · 3 offices | |
| SouthState Bank, National Association | $581.4 m · 16.5% share · 4 offices | |
| Regions Bank | $353.8 m · 10.1% share · 3 offices | |
| Columbia, GA | $1.3 bn FY2026 · $29,362/job | |
| MULTIPLE RECIPIENTS | $1.3 bn · top recipient FY2026 |
| Institution | Deposits | Share | Offices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Bank, National Association | $815,544,000 | 23.2% | 3 |
| SouthState Bank, National Association | $581,380,000 | 16.5% | 4 |
| Regions Bank | $353,848,000 | 10.1% | 3 |
| Queensborough National Bank & Trust Company | $346,961,000 | 9.9% | 4 |
| Pinnacle Bank | $255,198,000 | 7.3% | 1 |
| Bank of America, National Association | $218,833,000 | 6.2% | 1 |
| Truist Bank | $146,420,000 | 4.2% | 1 |
| Fifth Third Bank, National Association | $143,321,000 | 4.1% | 1 |
| First State Bank | $142,460,000 | 4.1% | 2 |
| First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company | $130,309,000 | 3.7% | 2 |
Deposit concentration is 1,190 across 16 banks, which the 1995 Department of Justice bank merger screen calls moderately concentrated.
HHI = Σ (share %)² over 16 banks with deposits in the county = 23.2² + 16.5² + 10.1² + … (13 more) = 1,190
FDIC Summary of Deposits: deposits at every insured office as of June 30, annual; HHI is the sum of squared county deposit shares (DOJ 1995 bank merger screen: 1000 / 1800). USAspending: obligations by place of performance for the latest complete federal fiscal year (Oct 1 to Sep 30), what agencies committed, not what they paid out; recipients are legal entities. Per-job divides obligations by BLS QCEW covered employment.
Federal obligations #
USAspending place-of-performance obligations for FY2026, by awarding agency.
| Awarding agency | Obligations |
|---|---|
| Social Security Administration | $725,993,232 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | $533,097,579 |
| Department of Defense | $44,959,700 |
| Department of Transportation | $10,464,553 |
| Railroad Retirement Board | $5,887,981 |
| Federal Communications Commission | $1,958,311 |
| Department of Education | $880,035 |
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration | $696,909 |
| Department of the Treasury | $263,163 |
| Department of Housing and Urban Development | $141,653 |
| Department of Justice | $119,203 |
| Department of Homeland Security | $96,735 |
That is $29,362 per covered job, against 44,430 jobs in the 2026 Q1 QCEW quarter.
per job = FY2026 obligations $1.3 bn / 44,430 covered jobs (BLS QCEW 2026 Q1, all ownerships) = $29,362
USAspending obligations are recorded where the work is performed, so a prime award performed here is counted here even when the recipient is headquartered elsewhere. Recipients are legal entities, never people.
National context, not this county #
These are United States, single-gauge, single-state and port series. None of them is keyed to this county.
| Series | Latest | As of | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River at Memphis, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Mississippi River at St. Louis, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Ohio River at Louisville, stage · ft | 17.95 | 2026-10-18 | -2.6% |
| Missouri River at St. Joseph, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Colorado River below Hoover Dam, flow (Hoover releases) · ft³/s | 5,170.00 | 2026-02-05 | -25.3% |
| Texas reservoirs, statewide percent full · % | 72.20 | 2026-10-19 | +0.0% |
| Laredo truck crossings, monthly · trucks | 258,700.00 | 2026-08-01 | -0.4% |
| Los Angeles + Long Beach container volume, annual · TEU | 10,513,167.00 | 2023-01-01 | -13.5% |
| Containerships waiting for a berth, all US ports · ships | 7.00 | 2026-10-13 | +133.3% |
| Shanghai to Los Angeles container rate · $ per 40 ft box | 7,848.00 | 2026-09-01 | +14.9% |
| US diesel retail price · $ per gallon | unavailable | not published | |
| WTI crude oil, spot · $ per barrel | 101.91 | 2026-10-14 | +1.0% |
| 30-year fixed mortgage rate · % | 7.40 | 2026-10-15 | +0.0% |
| Housing starts, annual rate · thousands of units | 1,275.00 | 2026-08-01 | -2.6% |
| Building permits, annual rate · thousands of units | 1,403.00 | 2026-08-01 | -2.1% |
| Case-Shiller US home price index · index, Jan 2000 = 100 | 337.31 | 2026-07-01 | +0.1% |
| Unemployment rate · % | 4.20 | 2026-09-01 | +2.4% |
| US goods and services trade balance, monthly · $ millions | -105,572.00 | 2026-08-01 | -13.7% |
| Retail sales excluding food services, monthly · $ millions | 652,115.00 | 2026-09-01 | +0.7% |
The indicator registry has no county-keyed series and no geographic selection: every entry is national, a named gauge, a single state or a port. They are here as the backdrop the county's own numbers move against, and they are never this county's readings.
What changed #
Columbia County, GA: 12 findings, 1 at a watch level and 11 noted
watchColumbia County, GA's average weekly wage is -0.4% against a year earlier, a watch level here: average weekly wage below the same quarter a year earlier, before inflation (BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published, nominal dollars; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level). The previous published period is not in this table, so this is a standing level rather than a change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- test: jobs.yoy.avgWeeklyWage = -0.4 < 0
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published, nominal dollars; convention chosen for this dashboard, not an official level
noteColumbia County, GA's covered employment was 9.5% higher than the same quarter a year earlier in 2026 Q1, on BLS QCEW's published over-the-year change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- +9.5 % = BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change for 2026 Q1, as published
- the newest QCEW file carries no year-earlier level, so no move from one level to another is printed
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published
noteColumbia County, GA's typical asking rent rose 0.4% from $1,760 in August 2026 to $1,767 in September 2026, on Zillow ZORI.
Period 2026-09.Show the arithmetic
- +0.4% = (1766.6132810040508 - 1759.5131579000067) / 1759.5131579000067 × 100
- 1766.6132810040508 = Zillow ZORI, 2026-09
- 1759.5131579000067 = Zillow ZORI, 2026-08
noteColumbia County, GA's average weekly wage was 0.4% lower than the same quarter a year earlier in 2026 Q1, on BLS QCEW's published over-the-year change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- -0.4 % = BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change for 2026 Q1, as published
- the newest QCEW file carries no year-earlier level, so no move from one level to another is printed
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published
noteColumbia County, GA's typical home value of $331,924 ranks 1st of 7 counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro, against a median of $243,437.
Period 2026-09.Show the arithmetic
- 100 on the 0-to-100 scale across 7 counties in the Augusta-Richmond County metro that published home.latest
position among the entities that published this metric this period; not an official level
Read all 12 findings in the full brief
Every finding is produced by a fixed rule table and a fixed sentence for each rule. Nothing here is generated prose.