The Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the City of Augusta are pleased to announce Augusta’s designation as the ‘Most Neighborly City in America’ by Neighbor.com in coordination with National Good Neighbor Day (September 28). 

To determine the top neighborly cities, Neighbor.com created a scorecard based on criteria such as charitable giving, formal and informal volunteering, and whether or not residents feel happy, safe and proud of their communities. Scores were tabulated using public data and reports. 

“As our city continues to grow and thrive, this recognition is a testament to the work that has taken place in Augusta over the last several years,” said Mayor Hardie Davis, Jr. “My administration has worked tirelessly to ensure Augusta is a city where residents can live, work, play, and as demonstrated by this ranking, give back. Communities are at their best when the people living in them are invested. Volunteering and supporting worthwhile causes are key investments that help strengthen Augusta and I’m grateful to the residents who do all that they can to contribute to our successes.” 

Neighbor.com found that nearly 25 percent of the population has put in hours volunteering for an organization, and according to census data, almost 9 percent of people reported doing some ‘informal volunteering.’ Additionally, 87.5 percent of itemized tax returns filed by people living in Augusta included charitable giving and the average amount locals donated to charity was almost $7,000. 

“We’re excited to be recognized as such a friendly and inviting city to live in and visit,” says Bennish Brown, President and CEO, Augusta CVB. “This recognition confirms what our research has revealed as one of our most significant unique selling positions – the friendliness of our residents. It further reinforces why tourists want to ‘Come See Augusta’.” 

The top ten designated neighborly cities include Augusta, GA; Salt Lake City, UT; Columbia, SC; Lancaster, PA; Portland, OR; Minneapolis, MN; Washington D.C.; Spokane, WA; Greenville, SC; and Rochester, NY.