Oak Park, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Oak Park · Emanuel County, Georgia
Population 462 (est. 2026: ~400)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -7.36% annual growth projection

Oak Park, Georgia

Emanuel County, Georgia · Population 512

Oak Park sits in the heart of Emanuel County in east-central Georgia, roughly equidistant between Savannah and Macon along the Georgia coastal plain. It is a small, quiet incorporated town — 512 people, a tight grid of streets, and a community where nearly everyone knows everyone else. The surrounding landscape is flat farmland and pine forest, and the pace reflects that geography. This is rural Georgia in a straightforward sense: modest incomes, high car dependency, deep community ties, and real exposure to the storms that track up from the Gulf and the Atlantic.

People & Demographics

Oak Park's ACS 2022 count puts the population at 528, with a median age of 31.3 — notably younger than the Georgia state median of around 37. That youth shows in the household composition: 182 of the town's residents are children under 18, spread across 204 occupied households. Family households make up 159 of those 204, and the average household size is 2.59.

The town is predominantly white (496 of 528), with 15 Black residents and 17 Hispanic or Latino residents. Emanuel County as a whole is considerably more diverse, with a population of 22,768. Oak Park's demographic profile skews more uniformly white than the county overall.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Oak Park is $37,727 — well below Georgia's statewide median, which sits around $65,000. Per capita income is $16,374. Of the 528 residents, 137 fall below the federal poverty line, a poverty rate of roughly 26 percent, which is significantly higher than both the county and state averages.

Of the 221 residents counted in the labor force, 28 are unemployed — an unemployment rate near 13 percent. The local economy reflects what Emanuel County broadly offers: agriculture, light manufacturing, healthcare employment, and service work. Residents often travel out of town for work, as the commute data makes clear.

Housing

Oak Park has 228 total housing units. Of those, 204 are occupied and 24 are vacant — a vacancy rate of about 10.5 percent. Ownership is slightly more common than renting: 115 units are owner-occupied versus 89 renter-occupied. Median rent runs $636 per month, which is low even by rural Georgia standards and reflects both the affordability and the income constraints of the local market. Median home value data was not available in the source dataset.

Schools

The school data attached to Oak Park reflects West Hall area schools, which serve the broader community:

Emanuel County's public school system, centered in Swainsboro (the county seat), is the primary system for most Oak Park students. Swainsboro is a short drive north.

Getting Around

Oak Park is car country. Of 183 workers counted in the commute data, 158 drove alone to work. Another 21 carpooled. Two walked. Zero used public transit. Zero worked from home. There is no meaningful transit infrastructure here — a personal vehicle is a practical necessity.

The aggregate travel time for all workers is 5,050 minutes, which works out to an average one-way commute of roughly 27.6 minutes. Workers are likely commuting to Swainsboro, Vidalia, or further afield for employment.

Healthcare

Emanuel County is served by Emanuel Medical Center, located in Swainsboro. Detailed ratings and emergency service data were not available in the current dataset. For a full directory of individual healthcare providers registered in Oak Park, the CMS NPI Registry can be searched directly: NPI Registry — Oak Park, GA.

Library

The nearest public library is Franklin Memorial Library, located 10.9 miles from Oak Park. It can be reached at (478) 237-7791. The library is part of the regional library system serving Emanuel County and surrounding communities.

Natural Hazards

Emanuel County has a significant disaster history, and Oak Park sits fully within that exposure zone. FEMA declarations affecting the county since 2014:

That is fifteen separate FEMA declarations in roughly a decade. Hurricanes tracking inland from the Gulf and Atlantic coasts weaken but do not disappear before reaching this part of Georgia — Helene, Michael, Irma, and Matthew all caused real damage in Emanuel County. Residents should plan accordingly for storm season and maintain awareness of winter storm risk as well.

Government & Municipal Code

Oak Park is an incorporated town with its own municipal code, published through Municode: Oak Park Town Municipal Code

The town does not have a local building code on file in the Municode system.

Weather

Current forecasts for Oak Park are available through the National Weather Service: NWS Forecast — Oak Park, GA

Active weather alerts: NWS Alerts

The nearest weather observation station is Garfield 2.7 N, located 8.3 miles from town.

References

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)