I’m David Knapp, an associate broker with StillWaters Realty Group at Keller Williams Auburn-Opelika. My hub is the Auburn-Opelika area, but I also do a lot of business in Columbus, Phenix City, Fort Mitchell, and the towns around them, plus Lake Martin and everything around it.
I was born in Georgia and lived and graduated from college there. I’m a Columbus State University grad, so my knowledge of that town goes beyond just selling houses in it. Today I live my life on the Alabama side of the river. That combination matters for this topic, because most agents only work one side of this line. I’ve closed real deals on both sides, so what follows isn’t guesswork.
Here’s the honest comparison nobody gives you if you’re thinking about relocating into the Georgia-Alabama line near Auburn, Opelika, Columbus, or Phenix City.
What’s the cost of living difference between Georgia and Alabama in this area?
I’m not going to put tax rates or cost of living numbers on camera or on this page. They change, and they’d be outdated by the time you read this. Talk to your CPA and your lender and get actual numbers for your situation. Don’t assume the two sides are the same dollar for dollar, because they’re not.
What I can tell you is a real story. I had a client recently pre-approved in Alabama for a certain number. We made an offer in Georgia for less than that number, and the lender came back and said no. The buyer didn’t qualify for that amount there, because taxes and insurance are higher in Georgia. That was Columbus, Georgia versus the Phenix City/Smiths Station area. Same buyer, same income, different result, just because of which side of the river the house was on.
That’s the kind of thing a lender catches, not a listing photo. It’s why I tell people to get pre-approved on both sides before they fall in love with a house.
What’s it like living in Columbus, Georgia versus Phenix City or Fort Mitchell, Alabama?
Columbus has its own feel and its own pace. I went to school there, so I know it beyond just selling houses there. Columbus has an interesting history, its own ups and downs over the years, and it’s got its own heartbeat today, different from what it used to be. For some buyers, Columbus is exactly right. It depends on what you’re optimizing for.
Cross the river and it gets interesting. Phenix City and Fort Mitchell sit right across the water from Columbus. For a lot of my clients, crossing that river isn’t a culture shock, it’s a five minute bridge crossing. Phenix City actually has a wild history. There was a stretch where it was basically run by organized crime. That’s not the Phenix City of today, but it’s part of what makes this area interesting.
Columbus is the biggest city in this whole area, so if you want to be closer to a bigger city (uptown, or the north side of town) that pulls you toward the Georgia side. If you want more of a rural setting, that changes the calculation.
What time zone is Auburn-Opelika actually in?
This is a factor people don’t think about until it trips them up. Columbus, Phenix City, Valley, and Fort Mitchell all operate on Eastern time. That matters if your job or your family is split across that line.
Once you get further into Alabama and into Lee County (areas like Smiths Station and parts of Salem) you hit a hybrid zone. People who work on Eastern time go by Eastern time; people who work on Central time go by Central time. But once you land into the Auburn, Opelika, Beauregard area, pretty much everybody is on Central time.
Locals will tell you about “slow time” versus “fast time.” It’s an hour difference depending on which side of the line you’re standing on, and it trips people up more than you’d think.
How do you decide which side of the Georgia-Alabama line to live on?
Beyond taxes and time zones, I’d encourage you to think through a short list:
- Where do you work, and what kind of commute are you willing to live with?
- Do you want a rural setting, or do you want to be closer in to a bigger city? Columbus is the biggest city in this whole area.
- Do you want to be right in uptown, or on the north side of town?
- What conveniences matter most to you day to day?
- Are you drawn to older, historic homes, or do you want new construction?
All of that congeals together to point you toward what actually works for your life. I’m not going to stand here and tell you one state is better than the other. That’s not honest. It depends on where you work, what kind of commute you want, and what kind of life you’re trying to build.
Who should you trust for a Georgia-Alabama relocation?
Ask whoever you’re working with if they’ve actually closed deals on both sides of this line, or if they’re just guessing. A lot of agents only work one side. I’ve got roots in Georgia and I live my life in Alabama, so I’m not guessing on either side. These are real clients and real closings on both sides of that river, from Columbus to Phenix City to Fort Mitchell to Auburn-Opelika and out to Lake Martin.
If you’re not sure which side of the river you want to be on, reach out. I can help you look on both sides and figure out what fits your life, not just your budget.
You can reach me, David Knapp, at StillWaters Realty Group / Keller Williams Auburn-Opelika, at 334-750-1700 or davidknapp@kw.com. Comment or text RELOCATE for a side by side breakdown of the two markets. Have a blessed day.
David Knapp is an associate broker with StillWaters Realty Group at Keller Williams Auburn-Opelika, license #044998 (AL), serving Auburn, Opelika, Columbus, Phenix City, Fort Mitchell, and Lake Martin. Every KW brokerage is individually owned and operated.