Plain-English guides for newcomers, military families, contractors, and locals trying to make sense of life around Augusta and the Savannah River.
8 GUIDES · FREE TO READ · UPDATED AS THE REGION CHANGES
A BETTER WAY TO WAKE UP HERE
Get the lay of the land.
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01 / START HERE
START HERE
The newcomer's guide to the CSRA
What to set up, what things cost, and how the region fits together. Written by someone who moved here recently and had to figure it out.
The CSRA is not one town. It is Augusta plus a ring of smaller places, split down the middle by the Savannah River and by a state line. Which side you land on changes your taxes, your car registration, your schools, and your commute.
The complete local reference for soldiers, military families, contractors, retirees, and PCS movers, covering gates, housing, schools, healthcare, taxes, jobs, and daily life.
The town closest to Fort Gordon's gates: commute times, Columbia County schools, housing costs, the new Wellstar hospital, utilities, childcare, and daily life.
The complete 2026 reference for living in the city proper: gate commutes, Richmond County schools and magnet programs, neighborhoods, the medical district, housing costs, and Masters week.
Oliver Hardy's hometown in western Columbia County: the Fort Gordon commute, Columbia County schools, housing costs, the Oliver Hardy Festival, and small-town daily life.
Columbia County's commercial and civic center: the Fort Gordon commute, Columbia County schools, housing costs, the Lady A Pavilion, and the performing arts center.
Three mornings a week, The CSRA Brief brings you the news, numbers, and practical details that help this place make sense.
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03 / FORT GORDON
PCS, HOUSING, GATES & LOCAL LIFE
The Ultimate Fort Gordon Guide (2026)
The complete local reference for soldiers, military families, contractors, retirees, and PCS movers, covering gates, housing, schools, healthcare, taxes, jobs, and daily life.
Grovetown: shortest drive to the gates, newest housing stock, the default for a lot of families.
Evans and Martinez: more established, bigger retail and dining, longer drive but heavily requested for schools.
Augusta proper: closest to downtown and the medical district, older housing, more variety in price.
Hephzibah: south of the installation, more land for the money, fewer amenities close by.
The complete 2026 reference for living in the city proper: gate commutes, Richmond County schools and magnet programs, neighborhoods, the medical district, housing costs, and Masters week.
Population 201,999 in the Augusta-Richmond County consolidated-government balance (Census estimate, July 1, 2025).
Shortest gate commutes in the metro: plan 20 to 30 minutes downtown to Gate 6, 25 to 35 to Gate 1.
Four countywide magnet schools, including Davidson Fine Arts and A.R. Johnson.
The most affordable housing in the CSRA: median sold price $206,935 (Realtor.com, September 2026).
Census estimate, July 1, 2025, consolidated-government balance.
DRIVE TO FORT GORDON GATE 620–30 min
Typical morning run from downtown or the medical district.
MEDIAN SOLD PRICE$206,935
Realtor.com, September 2026.
MEDIAN RENT$1,441/mo
05 / GROVETOWN
RELOCATION, SCHOOLS & COMMUTE
The Grovetown Guide (2026)
The town closest to Fort Gordon's gates: commute times, Columbia County schools, housing costs, the new Wellstar hospital, utilities, childcare, and daily life.
Water, sewer, and trash are municipal. Set them up with the city before move-in day.
Natural gas is deregulated in Georgia. You shop marketers for the rate; Atlanta Gas Light owns the pipes.
School zoning is by exact address, not by town name. Confirm with CCSD, not with a listing agent.
AT&T fiber covers most of the city, but check your address before you assume.
Oliver Hardy's hometown in western Columbia County: the Fort Gordon commute, Columbia County schools, housing costs, the Oliver Hardy Festival, and small-town daily life.
Water, sewer, and garbage are municipal. Set them up with the city before move-in day.
No single citywide electric, gas, or internet provider is confirmed. Confirm every utility at your exact address.
School zoning is by exact address: North Harlem or Euchee Creek Elementary, then Harlem Middle, then Harlem High.
File the homestead exemption in writing by April 1. It is not automatic.
Rough range; sources disagree on the exact figure.
DRIVE TO FORT GORDONAbout 30 min
A local estimate, not a measured time.
MEDIAN SALE PRICEMid-$350Ks
Homes.com snapshots, summer 2026.
OLIVER HARDY FESTIVALOct 3, 2026
37th annual, downtown Harlem. Theme: Swiss Miss.
07 / EVANS
SUBURBAN GUIDE: COMMUTE, SCHOOLS & RETAIL
The Evans Guide (2026)
Columbia County's commercial and civic center: the Fort Gordon commute, Columbia County schools, housing costs, the Lady A Pavilion, and the performing arts center.
Water, sewer, and trash are county services. Set them up with Columbia County before move-in day.
No single electric or internet provider is confirmed. Confirm every utility at your exact address.
School zoning is by exact address: Evans High, Greenbrier High, or Lakeside High for Evans addresses.
File the homestead exemption in writing by April 1. It is not automatic.