The Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) is an unofficial trading and marketing region in the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina, spanning thirteen counties in Georgia and seven in South Carolina. The term was coined in 1950 by C.C. McCollum, the winner of a $250 contest held by The Augusta Chronicle to generate the best name for the area. Today the initialism is so commonly used that the full name is not known to all CSRA residents. The region is located on and named after the Savannah River, which forms the border between the two states. The largest cities within the CSRA are Augusta, Georgia and Aiken, South Carolina. (The CSRA does not include the city of Savannah, Georgia or any portion of the Savannah metropolitan area.)

The total population of the CSRA is 767,478 in 2018. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the seven-county Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area (the core of the CSRA) had a 2020 population of more than 611,000, making it the second most populous (after metro Atlanta) in the state of Georgia.

Counties

In Georgia County Total area Population (2018) Richmond County201,554 Columbia County154,291 Burke County22,423 McDuffie County21,531 Washington County20,386 Jefferson County15,430 Wilkes County9,876 Jenkins County8,683 Hancock County9,429 Lincoln County7,915 Warren County5,251 Glascock County2,995 Taliaferro County1,608 Total:495,310

In South Carolina County Total area Population (2018) Aiken County170,872 Edgefield County27,052 Barnwell County21,112 Saluda County20,544 Bamberg County14,275 McCormick County9,410 Allendale County8,903Total:272,168

Communities

Places with more than 40,000 inhabitants Augusta-Richmond County, Georgia (Principal city) Pop: 197,872

Places with 10,000 to 40,000 inhabitants Martinez, Georgia Pop: 35,795 Aiken, South Carolina Pop: 29,884 Evans, Georgia Pop: 29,011 North Augusta, South Carolina Pop: 21,873 Grovetown, Georgia Pop: 12,210

Places with 5,000 to 10,000 inhabitants Thomson, Georgia Pop: 6,718 Belvedere, South Carolina Pop: 5,792 Waynesboro, Georgia Pop: 5,816 Sandersville, Georgia Pop: 5,912

Places with 1,000 to 5,000 inhabitants Edgefield, South Carolina Pop: 4,690 Clearwater, South Carolina Pop: 4,370 Hephzibah, Georgia Pop: 4,021 Millen, Georgia Pop: 3,492 Gloverville, South Carolina Pop: 2,831 Burnettown, South Carolina Pop: 2,673 Louisville, Georgia Pop: 2,215Harlem, Georgia Pop: 2,779 Johnston, South Carolina Pop: 2,362 New Ellenton, South Carolina Pop: 2,052 Jackson, South Carolina Pop: 1,700 Murphys Estates, South Carolina (census-designated place) Pop: 1,441 Warrenton, Georgia Pop: 2,013

Places with less than 1,000 inhabitants Sardis, Georgia Pop: 999 Wagener, South Carolina Pop: 797 Blythe, Georgia Pop: 721 Dearing, Georgia Pop: 549 Salley, South Carolina Pop: 398 Keysville, Georgia (partial) Pop: 332 Midville, Georgia Pop: 269Monetta, South Carolina (partial) Pop: 236 Perry, South Carolina Pop: 233 Trenton, South Carolina Pop: 196 Girard, Georgia Pop: 156 Rayle, Georgia Pop: 158 Windsor, South Carolina Pop: 121 Vidette, Georgia Pop: 112

References

External links CSRA Regional Commission (only encompassing the 13 Georgia counties) CSRA Economic Opportunity Authority, Inc. (only encompassing the 13 Georgia counties) Savannah River Site: CSRA Regional Science and Engineering Fair Regional science fair competition for science projects winning first-place at their respective schools (Grades 4-12) Columbia County outpaces state population gains