Glenwood, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Glenwood · Wheeler County, Georgia
Population 746 (est. 2026: ~700)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -0.13% annual growth projection

Glenwood, Georgia

Wheeler County, Georgia · Population 850

Glenwood sits at the center of Wheeler County in the heart of South Georgia's coastal plain, roughly 60 miles west of Savannah and about the same distance southeast of Macon. It serves as the county seat of one of Georgia's smallest and most rural counties — Wheeler County holds just 7,471 residents spread across pine flatwoods and farmland along the Oconee River. The town itself is small enough that most of daily life reaches beyond its borders: school, healthcare, and most retail pull residents outward. What Glenwood offers is proximity to county government, a tight residential core, and some of the lowest housing costs in the state.

People & Demographics

The ACS 2022 count places Glenwood's population at 739. The median age of 18.8 years is among the lowest imaginable for any municipality — well below Georgia's statewide median, which sits in the mid-30s — and reflects both a large youth population and the household structure here. Average household size is 6.04 people, nearly double the national norm, spread across just 115 occupied households.

The racial composition skews heavily Black: 537 residents identify as Black, 189 as white, and 7 as Hispanic or Latino. Asian residents count zero. Children under 18 number 111, a substantial share of the 739 total.

Wheeler County's population of 7,471 gives Glenwood roughly 10 percent of the county's total.

Economy & Employment

Median household income in Glenwood is $21,250, and per capita income is $17,478. Both figures are sharply lower than Georgia's statewide median household income, which exceeds $65,000, placing Glenwood among the most economically constrained communities in the state.

Of the 739 residents counted, 448 are in the labor force and just 1 is recorded as unemployed — a figure that warrants context rather than celebration in a town where overall economic activity is limited and informal or agricultural work may not be fully captured. Poverty affects 49 residents in the counted population.

Wheeler County's economy is primarily agricultural. Row crops, timber, and cattle are the economic backbone of the surrounding county. County government employment and school system jobs represent stable local anchors.

Housing

Glenwood's housing stock tells a story of underutilization. There are 244 total housing units, but only 115 are occupied — 129 sit vacant, a vacancy rate of roughly 53 percent. Of occupied units, 75 are renter-occupied versus 40 owner-occupied, meaning renters outnumber owners nearly two to one.

Median home value is $94,700, a fraction of Georgia's statewide median, which is well above $200,000. Median gross rent is $334 per month — one of the lowest figures found anywhere in the state, making Glenwood accessible to very low-income renters in raw dollar terms even if incomes are correspondingly limited. The high vacancy rate reflects both population decline and the age of the housing stock.

Schools

Glenwood students attend Wheeler County schools, with all three schools serving the county rather than the city alone.

All three schools serve the entire county population, and students from across Wheeler County commute into the Glenwood area for school.

Getting Around

Glenwood is car country with no exceptions. Of 441 workers counted, 436 drove alone to work. Three carpooled. Public transit carries zero. Walking carries zero. Working from home carries zero. The aggregate travel time for those 441 workers is 16,935 minutes, working out to roughly 38 minutes per worker each way — a significant commute for a rural area, pointing to most employment being located outside the town itself, likely in Vidalia, Dublin, or along US-221 and US-341 corridors. A personal vehicle is not optional here.

Healthcare

No hospital sits within Glenwood. The nearest significant medical facility for Wheeler County residents is typically Meadows Regional Medical Center in Vidalia, approximately 20 miles south. For a directory of individual licensed healthcare providers in Glenwood, the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System maintains a searchable registry at NPI Registry – Glenwood, GA.

Library

The Wheeler County Library serves Glenwood residents 0.7 miles from the town center. Phone: (912) 568-7321. It is part of the Georgia Public Library Service system and represents one of the primary public information and community resources available locally.

Natural Hazards

Wheeler County has a long and active FEMA disaster declaration history. The county has been included in 15 federal disaster and emergency declarations going back to 1994, covering a range of hazard types:

The frequency of hurricane-related declarations is notable — South Georgia sits in the path of storms that make landfall on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts and retain destructive energy well inland. Helene in 2024 was particularly devastating across this region. Residents should maintain emergency preparedness plans and follow Wheeler County Emergency Management guidance.

Government & Municipal Code

Glenwood operates under a published municipal code maintained through Municode: Glenwood City, Georgia – Municipal Code

The municipality does not have a local building code on record. Construction and development standards default to state and county requirements.

Weather

Current National Weather Service forecasts for Glenwood are available at: NWS Forecast – Glenwood, GA

Active weather alerts for the area: NWS Alerts – Glenwood, GA

The nearest official weather observation station is Helena 4.6 N, located 7.6 miles from Glenwood.

References

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