Newington, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Newington · Screven County, Georgia
Population 393 (est. 2026: ~500)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 6.36% annual growth projection

Newington, Georgia

Screven County, Georgia · Population 290

Newington sits in the agricultural flatlands of Screven County in eastern Georgia, roughly midway between Savannah and Augusta along the US-301 corridor. It is a small incorporated town — fewer than 300 residents — embedded in a county of 14,067 people where farming, timber, and a quiet rural economy define daily life. The nearest city of any size is Sylvania, the Screven County seat, a few miles to the north. Savannah, about 70 miles to the southeast, serves as the regional hub for employment, medical specialists, and major retail. Newington functions as a close-knit residential community rather than a commercial center, and that character runs through every dimension of life here.

People & Demographics

The ACS 2022 estimates put Newington's population at 406, somewhat higher than the 290 figure from earlier counts, reflecting the natural fluctuation typical of very small towns. The median age is 39, roughly consistent with rural Georgia broadly. The racial makeup is 318 white residents and 79 Black residents. There are no recorded Asian or Hispanic/Latino residents in the dataset.

Of 197 total households, 148 are family households. The average household size of 2.06 is notably low, suggesting a mix of older residents and smaller family units. Children under 18 number only 55, reinforcing that picture. Poverty touches 47 residents — a meaningful share of a town this size, though the household income data tells a more nuanced story.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Newington is $70,196 — a figure that holds up reasonably well against Georgia's statewide median and exceeds what many rural Screven County communities report. Per capita income, at $25,418, reflects the small household sizes rather than low wages across the board.

Of 212 residents in the labor force, 14 are unemployed. Most workers commute out — Newington itself has minimal commercial or industrial employment. The county's economy leans on agriculture, forest products, and regional government and healthcare employment centered in Sylvania.

Housing

Newington has 230 total housing units. Of those, 197 are occupied and 33 are vacant — a vacancy rate of about 14%, elevated compared to suburban Georgia but typical for small rural towns. Ownership dominates: 165 units are owner-occupied against only 32 rentals, meaning roughly 84% of occupied housing is owner-occupied.

The median home value is $112,700, making Newington genuinely affordable relative to Georgia's statewide median home value, which has climbed well above $200,000 in recent ACS data. For buyers priced out of coastal markets or metro Atlanta, this region offers accessible entry points. Median rent data was not available in the dataset.

Schools

Newington students attend Screven County Schools, which operates three facilities serving the entire county:

None of these campuses are located within Newington itself; students travel to Sylvania. There are no private or charter schools in the immediate area reflected in the NCES data.

Getting Around

Newington is car-dependent. Of 194 total workers, 109 drive alone and 68 carpool — together accounting for essentially the entire working population. Public transit use is zero, and zero workers walk to their jobs. Eleven residents work from home.

The aggregate commute time across all workers is 6,275 minutes, which works out to an average one-way commute of roughly 32 minutes. That length points to most employment being located in Sylvania, or in some cases, as far as Statesboro or Savannah.

Healthcare

The closest hospital serving Newington is Optim Medical Center – Screven, located in Sylvania. It provides the primary point of care for Screven County residents, including emergency services. For complex or specialized care, Savannah's hospital network — including Memorial Health University Medical Center — is the realistic option, roughly an hour's drive.

For a directory of individual healthcare providers registered in Newington, the CMS NPI Registry can be searched directly: NPI Registry – Newington, GA

Library

The Screven County Library serves Newington residents and is located approximately 1.0 mile away. Phone: (912) 564-7526. It is the county's primary public library resource and part of the broader Georgia public library system.

Natural Hazards

Screven County has a long and serious federal disaster declaration history, concentrated heavily in tropical weather events. Hurricane Helene (2024) generated both an emergency declaration and a major disaster declaration within days of each other in September 2024. Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Debby similarly produced dual declarations in August–September 2024. Before that, Hurricane Idalia struck in 2023, and the county received declarations for Hurricane Michael (2018), Hurricane Irma (2017), and Hurricane Matthew (2016).

This is not coincidental geography. Screven County lies in the path that Gulf and Atlantic storms take when tracking inland through South Georgia. Residents should take hurricane preparedness seriously — the county averages roughly one federal storm declaration per year over the past decade. Severe winter storms have also produced declarations, including one as recently as January 2026.

Government & Municipal Code

Newington is an incorporated town operating under Georgia municipal law. The town's municipal code is published through Municode and accessible at:

Newington Town Code – Municode Library

The town does not have a locally adopted building code on file in the available data.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Newington are available through the National Weather Service:

The nearest official weather observation station is Sylvania 2 SSE, approximately 1.0 mile away.

References

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