Glennville, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Glennville · Tattnall County, Georgia
Population 5,199 (est. 2026: ~5,100)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -0.38% annual growth projection

Glennville, Georgia

Tattnall County, Georgia · Population 3,834

Glennville sits at the heart of Tattnall County in southeast Georgia's coastal plain, roughly 60 miles west of Savannah and about 70 miles north of Brunswick. It's the county seat — the courthouse town where people from Reidsville, Collins, and Cobbtown all come for county business. The surrounding land is flat, pine-heavy, and agricultural, with blueberries, tobacco, and sweet onions among the region's traditional crops. Glennville is small enough that most residents know the major intersections by landmark rather than street name, but large enough to anchor real services for a county of nearly 23,000 people.

People & Demographics

The Census ACS 2022 puts Glennville's population at 5,204 for the city proper, with 1,471 households and an average household size of 2.33. The median age is 37.8. The racial composition is roughly 57% white (2,953) and 40% Black (2,073), with a Hispanic or Latino population of 164 and an Asian population of 3. There are 874 children under 18 in the city. Tattnall County as a whole counts about 22,842 residents, making Glennville home to a significant share of the county's total population.

Economy & Employment

The labor force stands at 1,730 people, with 142 unemployed — an unemployment rate of about 8.2% within that pool. Median household income is $47,227, and per capita income is $19,329. Both figures sit below Georgia's statewide medians, reflecting the economic realities of a rural county-seat town far from a major metro employment base. Approximately 494 residents fall below the federal poverty line. The local economy draws on public-sector employment (the county courthouse, schools, healthcare), agriculture, and small retail and service businesses along the Highway 23/301 corridor.

Housing

Glennville has 1,828 total housing units. Of those, 1,471 are occupied and 357 are vacant — a vacancy rate of about 19.5%, which is notable. Owner-occupied units number 818; renter-occupied units number 653, putting the owner-renter split at roughly 56/44.

The median home value is $155,600 — considerably below Georgia's statewide median — making homeownership genuinely accessible by most measures. Median gross rent is $574 per month, which is low even by rural Georgia standards. For buyers and renters priced out of Savannah's rapidly escalating market, Glennville offers real affordability, with the tradeoff being distance from metro-scale employment and amenities.

Schools

K–12 public education in Glennville is served by Tattnall County Schools. Two active schools serve the city:

Glennville Elementary School appears in the NCES data but shows no active enrollment. High school students attend Tattnall County High School. The nearest four-year institutions are in Statesboro (Georgia Southern University, approximately 30 miles northwest), making college access a day trip rather than a walk.

Getting Around

Of 1,425 workers, 1,008 drive alone to work and 203 carpool. No residents report using public transit — there is none. A notable 106 people walk to work, and 76 work from home. The aggregate commute time for all workers totals 38,735 minutes, suggesting an average one-way commute of roughly 27 minutes. Savannah is the nearest significant employment hub, but at roughly an hour's drive, most residents work locally or in nearby towns. A personal vehicle is not optional here.

Healthcare

Optim Medical Center – Tattnall is the local hospital serving Glennville and the surrounding county. It functions as a critical access-style facility for a rural area. For complex specialty care, residents typically travel to Statesboro or Savannah. Providers licensed in Glennville can be searched through the CMS NPI Registry.

Library

The Glennville Public Library serves the city and surrounding area. Contact: (912) 654-3812. It is part of the regional public library network serving Tattnall County residents.

Natural Hazards

Tattnall County has been hit repeatedly and is one of the more disaster-declared counties in Georgia. FEMA records show 15 declarations since 2016:

The pattern is clear: southeast Georgia's coastal plain is directly in the path of Atlantic and Gulf storm systems. Flooding, wind, and extended power outages are recurring realities for anyone living in or around Glennville. Residents should maintain storm supplies and understand evacuation routes toward higher ground.

Government & Municipal Code

Glennville's municipal code is published through Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/glennville. The city does not currently have a locally adopted building code on file with Municode.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for the Glennville area are available through the National Weather Service. Active weather alerts can be checked at alerts.weather.gov. The nearest official observation station is Glennville 3NW, approximately 4.3 miles from the city center.

References

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