TOWN NEWS · AIKEN COUNTY, SC
North Augusta SC news
What is happening in North Augusta: the expansions, the water grant, and the stories that change daily life on the South Carolina side of the river.
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The essentials, in about a minute.
THE JOBS
68,000 sq ft expansionAmbioPharm announced a major manufacturing expansion on March 24, 2026.
THE WATER
$800,000 grant, Sept 2026State grant to extend city water to Pineview Estates after PFAS turned up in private wells.
THE TAXES
4% assessment for ownersSC homes are assessed at 4% of value and skip the school operating levy. Income tax is 1.99%/5.21% for 2026.
What is happening in North Augusta: the projects, the city decisions, and the stories that change daily life here. Every item below is dated and sourced.
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What's happening in North Augusta right now
- A peptide maker is expanding. AmbioPharm announced on March 24, 2026 a major expansion of its North Augusta manufacturing site: 68,000 square feet of purpose-built space for commercial peptide synthesis. The company said the expansion is being advanced alongside discussions around state, local, and federal support. (scbio.org)
- The new YMCA opened. The North Augusta Family YMCA opened its new expanded facility at 406 E. Martintown Rd. in summer 2026: twice the size of the old location, with two indoor pickleball courts, a sauna, expanded childcare, and on-site summer camp and after-school programs. (HD983, January 28, 2026)
- The city won a water grant. North Augusta secured an $800,000 grant to extend water mains to Pineview Estates after state testing found PFAS in five of eight private wells. The plan calls for about 5,300 feet of pipe with 31 property connections, plus new fire hydrants, on a roughly 24-month timeline. City Council was scheduled to vote on accepting the grant on September 21, 2026. (augustatoday.com, September 21, 2026)
- The Hive keeps building. The 175-acre mixed-use development on W. Martintown Road is delivering its first multifamily units in 2026, with single-family homes from Stanley Martin expected in late 2026. The long-term plan calls for more than 600 homes plus retail, restaurants, and hotels. (augustatoday.com, March 27, 2025)
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The longer story
North Augusta is the South Carolina side's answer to the suburbs: a full-service city of 24,379 people (2020 Census) sitting directly across the Savannah River from downtown Augusta. The draw is the combination of city services, a 12-mile Greeneway trail system, SRP Park (home of the GreenJackets, with the river and the Augusta skyline beyond), and a different tax structure from Georgia.
That tax structure is the reason many newcomers look here first. For 2026, South Carolina taxes income at 1.99 percent up to $30,000 and 5.21 percent above that, and owner-occupied homes are assessed at 4 percent of value and skip the school operating levy. Aiken County's sales tax is 8 percent.
Meta's $800 million AI data center in nearby Graniteville is under construction, targeting spring 2027 with about 100 permanent staff and roughly 1,200 skilled-trade workers at peak construction. The permanent jobs number is small; the construction window is the real story.
The full guide
The North Augusta guide covers schools, the SC tax mechanics, the commute, and day-to-day life in full.
Moving across the river for taxes? Georgia vs South Carolina taxes compares income, property, sales, vehicle, and retirement taxes side by side with real local figures.
More town news: Grovetown GA news · Evans GA news · Harlem GA news · Martinez GA news · Augusta GA news · CSRA news
FAQ
Is North Augusta in Georgia or South Carolina? South Carolina, in Aiken County, directly across the Savannah River from Augusta. That means South Carolina taxes, South Carolina vehicle registration, and Aiken County schools.
How do South Carolina taxes compare to Georgia's? For 2026, SC income tax runs 1.99 percent up to $30,000 and 5.21 percent above, usually cheaper than Georgia's flat 4.99 percent at equal income. Owner-occupied homes are assessed at 4 percent of value and skip the school operating levy. The full side-by-side is in the taxes guide.
What is there to do in North Augusta? SRP Park hosts GreenJackets baseball with river views, and the 12-mile Greeneway trail system is the city's signature outdoor asset. The new YMCA on E. Martintown Road added pickleball courts, a sauna, and expanded childcare in summer 2026.
What is The Hive? A 175-acre mixed-use development on W. Martintown Road, a decade in the making. When finished it will hold more than 600 homes plus retail, restaurants, and hotels. Multifamily units began delivering in 2026, with single-family homes expected in late 2026.
MORE TOWN NEWS
What is happening in the other towns.
Grovetown GA news · Evans GA news · Harlem GA news · Martinez GA news · Augusta GA news
KEEP THIS PAGE USEFUL
Stories move on and new ones break. Send corrections when you find something newer, and check the town's full guide for the evergreen details that do not change week to week.