Jekyll Island, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Jekyll Island · Glynn County, Georgia
Population 1,078 (est. 2026: ~300)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -28.66% annual growth projection

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Glynn County, Georgia · Population 866

Jekyll Island sits at the southern end of Georgia's barrier island chain, a 5,600-acre island accessible by a single causeway from the mainland near Brunswick. Unlike the commercial sprawl of neighboring St. Simons Island or the private clubs of Sea Island, Jekyll operates under a different arrangement entirely — the state of Georgia owns the island, and the Jekyll Island Authority manages it under a legislative mandate to balance conservation with public access. Year-round residents share the island with a massive seasonal tourism infrastructure: hotels, a historic district, golf courses, and miles of beach. The permanent population is small, older, and economically comfortable by most measures, but the island's real identity is shaped more by who visits than who stays.

People & Demographics

Jekyll Island's 946 residents (ACS 2022) skew dramatically older than almost any comparable community in Georgia. The median age is 59.7 — a figure that reflects a community of retirees, second-home owners who count as residents, and hospitality workers. There are zero children under 18 recorded in the data, which is stark even by resort-island standards. The average household size of 1.69 is well below Georgia norms, consistent with empty-nester and single-occupant households.

The island is 902 White residents out of 946 total, with a Hispanic/Latino population of 60. Glynn County as a whole — 84,499 people — is considerably more diverse, with Brunswick as its urban core carrying a much larger Black and working-class population.

Economy & Employment

Only 243 residents are in the labor force, which makes sense given the age profile. Unemployment, per the ACS data, is zero — though that figure should be understood in the context of a small, elderly, relatively affluent population rather than as an economic boast.

Median household income sits at $72,689, and per capita income reaches $49,295 — both figures that exceed many Georgia benchmarks, particularly for a coastal community. Seventy-seven residents fall below the poverty line, a number that likely reflects some portion of the island's service and hospitality workforce.

The dominant employment sector is tourism and hospitality. The Jekyll Island Authority employs a significant local workforce, and hotels, restaurants, and recreational facilities drive most economic activity. The nearby College of Coastal Georgia in Brunswick (912-279-5700) provides workforce training and degree programs serving Glynn County residents.

Housing

Jekyll Island has 1,283 total housing units but only 561 are occupied year-round. That 56% vacancy rate is not distress — it's second homes. Owners hold 452 of the occupied units, renters 109.

The median home value of $518,400 places Jekyll among the most expensive residential markets in Georgia, reflecting both barrier island scarcity and state ownership restrictions that limit new development. Median rent is $1,450. For workers in hospitality and services who commute from Brunswick or St. Simons, that rent is prohibitive; the island's workforce largely does not live where it works.

Schools

Jekyll Island residents are served by Glynn County Schools, with campuses on the mainland. High school options include three large schools: Coastal Plains Charter High School (1,942 students, grades 9–12), Brunswick High School (1,932 students, grades 9–12), and Glynn Academy (1,823 students, grades 9–12). Middle grades are served by Glynn Middle (815 students), Jane Macon Middle (780 students), Needwood Middle School (748 students), and Risley Middle School (635 students). Elementary campuses include Satilla Marsh (758), Sterling (740), Greer (625), Glyndale (621), Golden Isles (598), Burroughs-Molette (593), Altama (583), and Goodyear (489). Given that the island records zero children under 18, school enrollment is entirely a mainland concern for the county at large.

Getting Around

Of 243 workers, 203 drive alone. Forty work from home. No residents report carpooling, public transit, or walking to work. The island is physically car-dependent — the causeway is the only way on or off. Aggregate commute time across all workers totals 3,430 minutes, averaging roughly 14 minutes per worker, suggesting most employment is nearby rather than in Jacksonville or Savannah.

Healthcare

Southeast Georgia Health System – Brunswick Campus and St. Simons-By-The-Sea serve the area, both accessible from the mainland side of the causeway. For the full list of individual healthcare providers registered in Jekyll Island, the NPI Registry can be searched directly: NPI Registry – Jekyll Island, GA.

Library

The Brunswick-Glynn County Library is the nearest public library, approximately 6.4 miles from the island. Contact: 912-279-3740.

Parks & Recreation

Two National Park Service units are closely associated with the broader Golden Isles area. Fort Frederica National Monument on St. Simons Island preserves the site of a colonial British fort with a visitor center 7.1 miles from Jekyll. Cumberland Island National Seashore, one of the largest undeveloped barrier islands on the East Coast, lies to the south with a Sea Camp Ranger Station 31.1 miles out and a Mainland Museum at 34.0 miles.

Wilderness camping options on Cumberland Island include Brickhill Bluff Wilderness Campsite (22.3 miles), Yankee Paradise Wilderness Campsite (25.4 miles), and Hickory Hill Wilderness Campsite (26.5 miles) — all accessible by ferry from St. Marys on the mainland.

Natural Hazards

Glynn County holds one of the more densely populated FEMA disaster declaration histories on the Georgia coast. Since 2004, federal declarations have been issued for: Tropical Storm Frances (2004), Hurricane Katrina evacuation (2005), Severe Storms and Tornadoes (2008), Hurricane Matthew (2016 — two declarations), Hurricane Irma (2017 — two declarations), Hurricane Michael (2018), Hurricane Dorian (2019), COVID-19 (2020 — two declarations), Hurricane Idalia (2023), Hurricane Debby (2024), and Hurricane Helene (2024 — two declarations).

That is fifteen federal declarations in twenty years. For a barrier island with a single causeway access point, evacuation planning is not an abstract concern — it is a routine part of life. Every major Atlantic hurricane that has threatened the Southeast Georgia coast has triggered at least an emergency declaration for this county.

Government & Municipal Code

Jekyll Island is a census-designated place (CDP) governed largely through the Jekyll Island Authority under state law rather than a traditional municipal government. The municipal code is published through Municode: Jekyll Island CDP Municipal Code. No local building code is in effect per available records.

Weather

Current forecasts for Jekyll Island are available through the National Weather Service: NWS Forecast – Jekyll Island. Active alerts: NWS Alerts. The nearest weather observation station is Brunswick 7.9 NNW, approximately 0.9 miles away.

References

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