Population 130 (est. 2026: ~100)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 2.31% annual growth projection
Vernonburg, Georgia
Chatham County, Georgia · Population 139
Vernonburg sits on the marsh-edged southern fringe of Chatham County, tucked between the Wilmington River and the tidal creeks that drain into Ossabaw Sound. It is one of the smallest incorporated places in Georgia — a quiet residential enclave less than ten miles southeast of Savannah's urban core. With fewer than 140 residents and only 50 housing units, it functions less like a traditional town and more like a close-knit waterfront community that happens to carry a municipal charter. The median home value here tops $781,000, placing it in a category almost entirely unlike the rest of coastal Georgia. This is not a place people pass through. It is a place people choose deliberately.
People & Demographics
The ACS 2022 estimate places Vernonburg's population at 116, spread across 41 occupied households. The median age is 49.0 — considerably older than Chatham County's overall profile, which includes a large student and military population centered around Savannah. Family households account for 34 of the 41 total, and 33 children under 18 live in the community. The average household size is 2.83 persons.
The population is overwhelmingly white (115 of 116 residents), with 1 person identifying as Hispanic or Latino. Chatham County as a whole — population 295,291 — is substantially more diverse, reflecting the demographics of Savannah proper.
Education attainment among residents 25 and older (81 people) skews sharply toward advanced degrees. Of that group, 44 hold a bachelor's degree and 10 hold a master's degree, with 2 holding doctorates. Only 4 residents report a high school diploma as their highest credential. That distribution — more than two-thirds of adults holding at least a four-year degree — is exceptional by any Georgia benchmark.
Economy & Employment
The median household income in Vernonburg is $211,250. The per capita income is $123,602. Both figures dwarf Georgia state medians and are among the highest recorded for any small incorporated place in the state.
Of 49 residents in the labor force, only 2 are unemployed. Poverty is nearly absent: just 2 residents fall below the federal poverty line. These are not the numbers of a working-class waterfront community — they reflect a high-wealth residential enclave where many residents are likely retired, self-employed, or working in professional fields in Savannah.
Housing
Vernonburg has 50 total housing units. Of those, 41 are occupied and 9 are vacant — a vacancy rate of 18 percent, which likely reflects seasonal or second-home use common along the Georgia coast.
Owner-occupancy dominates: 37 of 41 occupied units are owner-occupied. Only 4 are renter-occupied. The median home value is $781,300. The median rent, where applicable, is $1,750 per month. These figures reflect a premium waterfront market, not a starter-home community. Anyone relocating to Vernonburg should expect limited inventory and prices well above Savannah-area norms.
Schools
Vernonburg falls within the Chatham County School District, which operates a full range of public schools serving the broader Savannah metro area. Schools accessible to Vernonburg residents include:
- New Hampstead High School — Grades 9–12, 1,436 students
- Rice Creek School — Grades PreK–8, 1,167 students
- Godley Station School — Grades PreK–8, 1,135 students
- Jenkins High School — Grades 9–12, 1,118 students
- Hesse School — Grades PreK–8, 1,022 students
- Windsor Forest High School — Grades 9–12, 1,012 students
- Groves High School — Grades 9–12, 992 students
- West Chatham Middle School — Grades 6–8, 953 students
- Beach High School — Grades 9–12, 914 students
- Savannah Arts Academy — Grades 9–12, 905 students
- Islands High School — Grades 9–12, 862 students
- West Chatham Elementary School — Grades PreK–5, 841 students
- New Hampstead K–8 School — Grades PreK–8, 827 students
- Gould Elementary School — Grades PreK–5, 818 students
- Johnson High School — Grades 9–12, 790 students
The nearest high school and elementary assignments depend on the specific address within Vernonburg. Given its location on the south side of the county, Islands High School and nearby feeder schools are geographically proximate.
Getting Around
Of 45 workers, 33 drive alone to work. Two carpool. Zero use public transit. Zero walk. Ten work from home — a notable 22 percent of the working population. The aggregate travel time for all commuters is 590 minutes, implying an average one-way commute of roughly 13 minutes. Savannah is the obvious employment destination, reachable by a short drive on local roads. No bus service or transit infrastructure serves Vernonburg. A car is not optional here.
Healthcare
Major hospital facilities in Savannah serve Vernonburg residents. Within the metro area, accessible hospitals include Candler Hospital, Memorial Health University Medical Center (a regional trauma center), St. Joseph's Hospital – Savannah, Coastal Harbor Treatment Center, and Georgia Regional Hospital Savannah. All are located in Savannah, within roughly 10–15 miles.
For licensed healthcare providers registered in Vernonburg, the NPI Registry maintains a searchable federal database.
Library
The nearest public library is Garden City Library, approximately 2.4 miles away, reachable by phone at (912) 644-5932. It is part of the Live Oak Public Libraries system, which serves Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty counties.
Parks & Recreation
Two National Park Service units are within reach of Vernonburg:
- Fort Pulaski National Monument — A Civil War-era masonry fortification at the mouth of the Savannah River, with a visitor center approximately 12.9 miles away. Fort Pulaski was the site where rifled artillery first demonstrated the obsolescence of masonry forts in 1862.
- Reconstruction Era National Historical Park — Located approximately 37.9 miles away near Beaufort, South Carolina, this park preserves the story of the post-Civil War Reconstruction period.
The surrounding tidal marsh and waterway system also makes Vernonburg naturally suited for boating, kayaking, and fishing, as would be expected of any community embedded in the Georgia coastal ecosystem.
Natural Hazards
Chatham County has been covered under 15 FEMA disaster declarations since 1998 — among the highest counts of any Georgia county and a direct reflection of its coastal exposure. The record includes:
- Hurricane Helene (2024) — both a major disaster declaration and an emergency declaration
- Tropical Storm Debby / Hurricane Debby (2024) — two separate federal declarations
- COVID-19 Pandemic (2020) — disaster and emergency declarations
- Hurricane Dorian (2019) — emergency declaration
- Hurricane Michael (2018) — emergency declaration
- Hurricane Irma (2017) — major disaster and emergency declarations
- Hurricane Matthew (2016) — major disaster and emergency declarations
- Hurricane Katrina evacuation (2005) — emergency declaration
- Hurricane Floyd (1999) — emergency declaration
- Severe storms and flooding (1998) — major disaster declaration
Vernonburg's position in the coastal marsh zone means hurricane and flooding risk is not theoretical. Residents should assume that any storm system affecting the Georgia coast will directly affect this community. Flood insurance, evacuation planning, and awareness of Chatham County's emergency management protocols are practical necessities, not precautions for edge cases.
Government & Municipal Code
Vernonburg maintains an active municipal code published through Municode and accessible at library.municode.com/ga/vernonburg-town-georgia. The town does not have a locally adopted building code on file. Residents undertaking construction or renovation should confirm applicable county and state building requirements directly with Chatham County.
Weather
Current forecasts and conditions for Vernonburg are available through the National Weather Service at forecast.weather.gov. Active weather alerts can be monitored at alerts.weather.gov. The nearest weather observation station is Savannah 3.3 NNW, located approximately 0.7 miles away.
References
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2022 (Tables B01001, B01002, B02001, B03001, B09001, B11001, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25001, B25002, B25003, B08006, B08013, B25010, B25064, B25077)
- National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data 2022
- FEMA Disaster Declarations — Chatham County, Georgia
- CMS Hospital Compare
- Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) — Public Libraries Survey
- National Park Service
- NPI Registry, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- NOAA / National Weather Service
The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)