Satilla, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Satilla · Jeff Davis County, Georgia
Population 847 (est. 2026: ~1,800)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 24.79% annual growth projection

Satilla, Georgia

Jeff Davis County, Georgia · Population 487

Satilla sits in the piney flatwoods of southeast Georgia, a small census-designated place tucked inside Jeff Davis County about three miles from Hazlehurst, the county seat. The Satilla River, one of Georgia's blackwater rivers, gives the community its name. This is timber and agriculture country — quiet, rural, and notably stable. With fewer than 500 residents, Satilla functions less as an independent town and more as a residential pocket within a broader rural county of roughly 14,779 people. Most daily needs are met in Hazlehurst. The nearest significant metro is Valdosta to the southwest or Savannah to the east, both roughly 90 miles away.

People & Demographics

The ACS 2022 estimates put Satilla's population at 266 within the CDP boundary. The median age is 39.6 years — a community skewing toward working-age and older adults. The population is entirely White per Census race classifications, with no recorded Black, Asian, or Hispanic/Latino residents. There are 158 total households, of which 62 are family households, suggesting a large share of single-person or non-family living arrangements. The average household size of 1.68 is well below state and national norms. Notably, the data records zero children under 18, which reinforces the older, smaller-household character of the CDP.

Economy & Employment

Per capita income in Satilla is $23,738. The median household income figure from ACS 2022 is not reportable for this CDP. Of 130 residents counted in the labor force, 9 are unemployed — an unemployment rate of roughly 6.9%. Eleven residents fall below the federal poverty line. Jeff Davis County's broader economy centers on timber, agriculture, and manufacturing. Satilla residents almost certainly work in or near Hazlehurst, where the county's employment base is concentrated.

Housing

Satilla has 187 total housing units, with 158 occupied and 29 vacant — a vacancy rate of about 15.5%, elevated compared to state averages and a common feature of rural Georgia CDPs. Owner-occupied units dominate: 135 of the 158 occupied units are owner-occupied (85.4%), while only 23 are renter-occupied. The median home value is $90,400 — significantly below Georgia's statewide median, making Satilla among the more affordable places in the state to own property outright. Median rent is not reportable from this dataset. For buyers, the low home values combined with high owner-occupancy suggest a long-settled, stable residential area rather than a transient rental market.

Schools

Students in Satilla attend Jeff Davis County schools, which serve the entire county from Hazlehurst. The system runs four campuses:

Total enrollment across the system exceeds 3,000 students. No private or charter alternatives are identified within the CDP.

Getting Around

Every single worker in Satilla — all 121 counted in the ACS commute data — drives alone. There is no recorded carpooling, no public transit, no walking, and no remote work. This is entirely car-dependent territory. Aggregate commute travel time is not available in this dataset, but the proximity to Hazlehurst (roughly 3 miles) suggests short commutes for most residents whose jobs are county-based. US-221 and US-341 serve as the main regional connectors.

Healthcare

Jeff Davis Hospital serves as the county's primary medical facility, located in Hazlehurst. Rating and emergency services data are not available in the current dataset. For a full list of healthcare providers registered in Satilla with the National Provider Identifier registry, the CMS NPI database can be queried directly: NPI Registry — Satilla, GA.

Library

The Jeff Davis County Library is located 2.2 miles from Satilla. Contact: (912) 375-2386. It serves as the county's primary public library resource for residents throughout the Hazlehurst area.

Natural Hazards

Jeff Davis County has an extensive FEMA disaster declaration history, heavily shaped by hurricane and tropical storm activity tracking through southeast Georgia. Declarations on record:

Fifteen federal disaster actions over roughly two decades make clear that Jeff Davis County sits in one of Georgia's most hurricane-exposed corridors. The 2024 season alone produced four separate federal declarations. Residents should treat storm preparedness as a standing condition of life here, not a seasonal afterthought.

Government & Municipal Code

Satilla's municipal code is published through Municode and is publicly accessible: Municode — Satilla CDP, Georgia. The CDP does not have a local building code on record.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions are available from the National Weather Service using the Hazlehurst weather station, located 2.9 miles from Satilla:

Southeast Georgia's climate means hot, humid summers, mild winters, and a consistent annual threat from Atlantic tropical systems. The 2024 hurricane season was a direct illustration of that exposure.

References

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