Moving to
Wilmington Island.

All Wilmington Island data Compare Wilmington Island

13,905people live here $93,924median household income▲ 16% above US $1,752median rent per month▲ 24% above US $404,900median home value▲ 22% above US

Wilmington Island is an unincorporated community in Chatham County, GA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.

What it's like to live in Wilmington Island

Wilmington Island is an unincorporated community in Georgia with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, a highly educated workforce, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Wilmington Island deals with rent well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a population that has been shrinking.

The good

Low unemployment in the county
Higher-than-average incomes
Highly educated workforce
Low student-teacher ratio

The not so good

Rent well above the national average
Above-average commute times
Air quality concerns
Shrinking population
Hot summers
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options

How Wilmington Island compares

Median household income

Wilmington Island$93,924

Georgia avg$77,353

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Wilmington Island$1,752

Georgia avg$1,393

US$1,413

Median home value

Wilmington Island$404,900

Georgia avg$303,300

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Wilmington Island

Based on Wilmington Island's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$3,504

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $70,080 a year
46% of Wilmington Island renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$80,980

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $40,490
Homes cost 4.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of living▲ 24% above US

$1,752/mo median rent

Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,752 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $404,900. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $404,900 · 46% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

2.9% county unemployment

Unemployment in Chatham County is 2.9%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Chatham County (county-wide)

Getting aroundNear US average

28 min average commute

Commutes run about average, at 28.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

79%

Work from home

9.1%

Carpool

8.7%

Other

1.8%

Public transit

0.5%

Walk

0.5%

Climate

Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 42°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforce▲ 46% above US

53% bachelor's degree or higher

This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.

Schools

1 public school inside the boundary

There is 1 public school inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Fort Pulaski National Monument (3 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Wilmington Island's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,752/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low) and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.

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