Augusta, GA Faces Shortage of Homes for Middle-Income Earners

Middle-income households nationwide are experiencing a significant housing supply gap, with buyers earning approximately $75,000 able to afford homes up to about $261,140. According to the 2026 Housing Mismatch Report by Realtor.com® and the National Association of Realtors®, homes priced below this threshold constitute only 23% of national listings, a stark contrast to the 44% seen in a balanced market. This deficit represents an estimated shortage of 311,000 listings accessible to these buyers, leading to 36% of metropolitan areas showing less than 70% alignment between available listings and the needs of lower- and middle-income households.

The Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC metro area exemplifies this challenge, currently facing a moderate shortage of affordable homes for middle-income earners. For buyers with an income of $75,000, only 30.60% of listings were deemed affordable in March 2026. This figure represents a decline from 33.80% in March 2025, indicating a worsening situation. The market is missing approximately 787 affordable listings that would be necessary to meet the demand from this income bracket.

The report utilizes an alignment score to measure how effectively the distribution of home listings corresponds to the distribution of household incomes within a specific market. A 100% score signifies a proportional match, while lower scores highlight disparities. The Augusta metro area's alignment score reflects the ongoing struggle for middle-income residents to find suitable housing options within their financial reach, a trend observed across numerous other U.S. metropolitan areas.