1st Advantage MortgageIn Chatham County, Georgia, the typical household earns $71,097 a year and the typical rent is $1,471. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Georgia license first.
On this page
- Chatham County by the numbers
- Housing costs in Chatham County
- Household income in Chatham County
- How Chatham County residents earn a living
- Towns and communities in Chatham County
- How Chatham County compares with nearby counties
- What a median Chatham County budget can carry
- What the numbers mean for Chatham County borrowers
- Chatham County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Georgia rules that apply in Chatham County
- Steps before you apply in Chatham County
- More guides for Chatham County
- Frequently asked questions
Chatham County by the numbers
Chatham County is home to about 300,879 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 5th most populous of 159 county-level areas in Georgia. Packed into 433 square miles, that is close to 695 residents for every square mile of land. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Savannah, GA metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. Savannah is the biggest of its 17 Census places, at roughly 147,898 people (49% of the county total).
Housing costs in Chatham County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,471 in Chatham County versus $1,393 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 54% of renter households here. With a median value of $302,700, a typical Chatham County house costs 4.3 times what the median household earns in a year. 57% of Chatham County households own their home and 43% rent.
| Housing | Chatham County | Georgia statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,471/mo | $1,393/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $302,700 | $303,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 57% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 54% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 32% | 26% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 12% | 10% | n/a |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Household income in Chatham County
Chatham County households have a median income of $71,097 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 43rd of 159 in Georgia.
| Income band | Share in Chatham County | Difference from Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.7% | +0.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.7% | +3.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 25.6% | -0.9 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.0% | -2.8 pts |
About 23% of households earn under $35,000, while 35% clear $100,000. 14.3% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.4%). None of these numbers decides a Chatham County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
How Chatham County residents earn a living
By the Census industry count, 23% of employed Chatham County residents work in education and health care and 13% in retail trade. Arts, lodging and food service stands out: 12% of workers here, versus 9% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 5.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 10% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Sector | Chatham County | Compared with Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.5% | +1.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.0% | +1.7 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 12.8% | -0.8 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 12.3% | +3.8 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.2% | +0.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 7.8% | -2.3 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Towns and communities in Chatham County
The table lists the 14 largest of 17 Census places in Chatham County, by population. Together all 17 hold about 260,909 people, so roughly 13% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $47,814 in Garden City to $160,536 in Dutch Island. Rent is cheapest in Garden City ($1,282) and steepest in Skidaway Island ($3,501). No Chatham County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 17.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah | city | 147,898 | $57,137 | $1,382 | 7 mi |
| Pooler | city | 28,466 | $91,766 | $1,671 | 13 mi |
| Wilmington Island | CDP | 13,905 | $93,924 | $1,752 | 7 mi |
| Port Wentworth | city | 12,892 | $79,731 | $1,812 | 16 mi |
| Georgetown | CDP | 11,158 | $74,256 | $1,529 | 9 mi |
| Garden City | city | 10,426 | $47,814 | $1,282 | 9 mi |
| Skidaway Island | CDP | 9,315 | $136,156 | $3,501 | 4 mi |
| Whitemarsh Island | CDP | 6,886 | $101,729 | $1,777 | 5 mi |
| Montgomery | CDP | 4,976 | $90,843 | $1,382 | 2 mi |
| Tybee Island | city | 3,123 | $120,479 | $1,696 | 14 mi |
| Bloomingdale | city | 3,007 | $60,250 | $1,538 | 16 mi |
| Thunderbolt | town | 2,533 | $75,234 | $1,708 | 4 mi |
| Isle of Hope | CDP | 2,053 | $105,478 | n/a | 2 mi |
| Henderson | CDP | 1,952 | $104,385 | $1,640 | 11 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
How Chatham County compares with nearby counties
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Chatham County's, from 21 to 38 miles away. 3 of the six report a higher median household income than Chatham County; Bryan County is highest at $103,408 and McIntosh County lowest at $50,273. Some neighbors are in South Carolina. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Chatham County resident follows Georgia rules.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham County | - | $71,097 | $1,471/mo | 57% |
| Bryan County, GA | 21 mi | $103,408 | $1,618/mo | 78% |
| Liberty County, GA | 25 mi | $60,456 | $1,246/mo | 51% |
| Effingham County, GA | 30 mi | $88,438 | $1,147/mo | 78% |
| Jasper County, SC | 31 mi | $65,613 | $1,328/mo | 77% |
| Beaufort County, SC | 35 mi | $86,573 | $1,653/mo | 76% |
| McIntosh County, GA | 38 mi | $50,273 | $800/mo | 80% |
What a median Chatham County budget can carry
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Chatham County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $5,925 a month: gross income for a household at the Chatham County median
- Median rent: $1,471, or 25 cents of every gross dollar
- $662: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
What the numbers mean for Chatham County borrowers
What the Chatham County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Hospital bills in Chatham County. For the 13% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- Tight rental budgets. With 54% of Chatham County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
Chatham County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 38% of the adult population. 12.9% of residents have no health coverage.
| Chatham County | Georgia | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.2 | 37.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 37.7% | 34.9% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.9% | 10.8% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 12.9% | 12.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.6% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 11.6% | 15.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 13.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.9% | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Chatham County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 26.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 43.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 20.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.6% |
| 60+ min | 4.3% |
Georgia rules that apply in Chatham County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Chatham County borrowers answers to the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. The Georgia guide covers state rules in more detail.
Steps before you apply in Chatham County
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Verify the Georgia license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
More guides for Chatham County
For statewide rules and data, see the Georgia guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chatham County a high-income county?
Its $71,097 median ranks 43rd of 159 Georgia counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How does Chatham County rent compare with Georgia?
$1,471 locally versus $1,393 for the state, 6% above.
Which towns does the Chatham County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 17 Census places: Savannah, Pooler, Wilmington Island, Port Wentworth, Georgetown.
Can Chatham County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Georgia county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.
Who regulates personal lenders for Chatham County residents?
The Georgia Department of Banking and Finance licenses consumer lenders in Georgia; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.