By Patricia Jones Chatham County is the principal population, government, port, tourism and employment centre of coastal Georgia. It includes the historic City of Savannah, fast-growing suburban communities, major logistics and industrial districts, barrier islands, tidal rivers, marshland and extensive unincorporated neighbourhoods.
Savannah is the county seat and the location of the main administrative and judicial offices. It is also the county’s largest city and the centre of a wider economy supported by the Port of Savannah, tourism, healthcare, aerospace, military activity, education, construction and professional services.
Chatham County is governed by a countywide chairman and eight district commissioners. The Board establishes policy and approves the budget, while an appointed county manager directs daily administration. Municipal governments such as Savannah, Pooler and Tybee Island remain separate from county government and provide many local services within their boundaries.
Quick Overview of Chatham County
| Category | Details |
| State | Georgia |
| Region | Coastal Georgia and the Savannah metropolitan area |
| County seat | Savannah |
| Created | 1777 |
| Estimated population | 311,855 in 2025 |
| Land area | Approximately 433 square miles |
| Incorporated municipalities | Eight |
| Largest city | Savannah |
| Governing body | Countywide chairman and eight-member Board of Commissioners |
| Board chairman | Chester A. Ellis |
| County manager | Michael A. Kaigler |
| Main trial court | Superior Court of the Eastern Judicial Circuit |
| Judicial circuit | Eastern Judicial Circuit of Georgia |
| Superior Court chief judge | John E. Morse, Jr. |
| State Court chief judge | Gregory V. Sapp |
| Sheriff | Richard S. Coleman |
| District attorney | Shalena Cook Jones |
| Clerk of Superior Court | Tammie Mosley |
| Tax commissioner | Sonya L. Jackson |
| Coroner | David Campbell |
| Commercial airport | Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport |
| Major economic sectors | Port logistics, tourism, aerospace, healthcare, military, education, manufacturing and construction |
Chatham County had an estimated population of 311,855 in July 2025, an increase of approximately 5.6% from the April 2020 population base. The county contained 143,431 housing units in 2025 and 120,383 households during the 2020–2024 reporting period.
Location and Geographic Structure
Chatham County occupies Georgia’s Atlantic coast at the mouth of the Savannah River. South Carolina lies across the river to the north and east, Effingham County is to the north-west, Bryan County is to the west and south-west, and the Atlantic Ocean forms the eastern edge.
The county is part of the low, flat Atlantic Coastal Plain. Its landscape includes tidal marshes, rivers, creeks, coastal islands, wooded residential areas, port facilities, historic urban districts and rapidly developing suburban land. Elevation is generally low, making drainage, floodplain management, storm surge planning and hurricane evacuation important parts of local government.
Important geographic and development areas include:
- Historic Savannah and the central urban area
- Garden City and the port and industrial corridor
- Pooler, Bloomingdale and rapidly growing western Chatham County
- Port Wentworth and northern logistics districts near the Savannah River
- Thunderbolt and the coastal river communities east of Savannah
- Wilmington, Whitemarsh, Talahi, Dutch and Skidaway islands
- Tybee Island and the Atlantic beachfront
- Unincorporated southside and eastern residential communities
- Tidal marshes, waterways and protected coastal habitat
The Savannah River is central to the county’s geography and economy. It provides the deep-water shipping channel used by the Port of Savannah and also influences industrial development, wetlands, navigation and flood planning. The Ogeechee River and numerous tidal creeks affect the county’s southern and western areas.
Interstate 16 connects Savannah with Macon and central Georgia, while Interstate 95 provides the main north–south route along the Atlantic coast. U.S. Routes 17 and 80, State Route 204, Truman Parkway, Veterans Parkway and Jimmy DeLoach Parkway serve major residential, tourism, industrial and port corridors.
Cities, Towns and Unincorporated Communities
Chatham County contains eight incorporated municipalities:
- Bloomingdale
- Garden City
- Pooler
- Port Wentworth
- Savannah
- Thunderbolt
- Tybee Island
- Vernonburg
Savannah is the county’s dominant city and includes the historic downtown, major residential districts, medical and educational institutions, tourism areas and much of the county’s central employment base. Pooler and Port Wentworth have experienced substantial residential, commercial, warehousing and industrial growth. Garden City contains major port-related facilities, while Tybee Island is the principal beach community.
Each municipality maintains its own elected government and administrative structure. Depending on the city, municipal responsibilities may include zoning, building permits, police protection, fire services, local streets, parks, utilities, business licensing and code enforcement.
Important unincorporated communities and neighbourhood areas include:
- Georgetown
- Henderson
- Isle of Hope
- Montgomery
- Skidaway Island
- Dutch Island
- Talahi Island
- Whitemarsh Island
- Wilmington Island
- Pin Point
Southbridge and nearby western communities
A Savannah postal address does not necessarily mean that a property is inside the City of Savannah. Many homes on the islands and in southern or western Chatham County use a Savannah mailing address but remain unincorporated. Residents should confirm the actual jurisdiction before requesting police service, applying for a permit or reporting a road problem.
Population and Housing
Chatham County has a diverse population shaped by long-established coastal communities, military families, university students, port and logistics workers, retirees and people moving into the Savannah metropolitan area. Approximately 19.1% of residents are under 18, while about 17.8% are aged 65 or older.
Important population, housing and income figures for 2020–2024 include:
- Black or African American residents: approximately 37.7%
- Hispanic or Latino residents: approximately 9.5%
- Foreign-born residents: approximately 8.7%
- Owner-occupied housing rate: 56.8%
- Median owner-occupied home value: $302,700
- Median gross monthly rent: $1,471
- Median monthly owner cost with a mortgage: $1,758
- Average household size: 2.40 people
- Median household income: $71,097
- Per-capita income: $40,342
- Residents below the poverty line: 13.9%
- Average journey to work: 23 minutes
Housing ranges from apartments and historic homes in Savannah to suburban subdivisions, island residences, retirement communities, townhouses, coastal properties and rural homes. Development has been especially active around Pooler, Port Wentworth, Bloomingdale and parts of unincorporated western Chatham County.
Growth creates continuing demand for roads, drainage, water and sewer capacity, schools, emergency services and affordable housing. Coastal construction also requires attention to flood zones, elevation requirements, wind resistance, wetlands and evacuation access.
Economy and Employment
Chatham County has one of Georgia’s most important regional economies. The Port of Savannah, tourism, aerospace, healthcare, military installations, education, manufacturing, construction, retail and professional services support a broad employment base.
The county recorded 9,037 employer establishments and 153,824 jobs in 2023. Annual payroll exceeded $8.36 billion. Retail sales reached approximately $7.80 billion in 2022, while accommodation and food-service sales approached $1.97 billion.
Important economic and institutional assets include:
- The Port of Savannah and Garden City Terminal
- Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport
- Gulfstream Aerospace and related aviation businesses
- Hunter Army Airfield
- Memorial Health and St. Joseph’s/Candler healthcare systems
- Savannah State University
- Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus
- Savannah College of Art and Design
- Historic Savannah and the regional visitor economy
- West Chatham warehousing, distribution and manufacturing corridors
- Film, design, arts and creative businesses
Construction, property services and residential development
The Garden City Terminal is a major container facility with direct access to Interstate 16, Interstate 95 and extensive rail connections. Port activity supports trucking, rail, warehousing, customs services, manufacturing and distribution throughout Chatham County and the wider Southeast.
Tourism is another major economic force. Savannah’s historic districts, architecture, museums, restaurants, cultural events and riverfront attract visitors throughout the year, while Tybee Island adds beach tourism and coastal recreation. The visitor economy supports hotels, food services, entertainment, transport and small businesses.
County Administration and Government
Chatham County is governed by a Board of Commissioners consisting of a chairman elected countywide and eight commissioners elected from geographic districts. The Board establishes county policy, adopts ordinances, approves the annual budget, sets county tax rates, authorises contracts and makes appointments to boards and authorities.
The current Board of Commissioners members are:
Chairman: Chester A. Ellis
- District 1 commissioner: Anthony Wayne Noha
- District 2 commissioner: Malinda Scott Hodge
- District 3 commissioner: Bobby Lockett
- District 4 commissioner: Brian M. Hussey
- District 5 commissioner: Tanya Milton
- District 6 commissioner: Aaron “Adot” Whitely
- District 7 commissioner: Dean Kicklighter
- District 8 commissioner: Marsha Buford
The chairman presides over Board meetings and serves as the county’s principal elected leader. District commissioners represent different parts of the county, including incorporated and unincorporated communities. The Board normally holds public meetings at the Administrative and Legislative Courthouse on Bull Street in Savannah.
The Board’s role is mainly legislative and policy-based. It does not directly supervise every elected office. Officials such as the sheriff, tax commissioner, clerk of Superior Court and judges receive authority from Georgia law and operate independently within their statutory responsibilities.
County Manager and Administrative Leadership
Michael A. Kaigler serves as Chatham County Manager. He is responsible to the Board of Commissioners for the proper and efficient administration of county government and functions as the chief administrative officer for departments under the Board’s authority.
The county manager’s major duties include:
- Carrying out policies adopted by the Board of Commissioners
- Helping develop policy goals and administrative recommendations
- Providing leadership to county departments
- Preparing and presenting the proposed annual budget
- Administering the approved budget
- Coordinating capital projects and service delivery
- Monitoring departmental efficiency and performance
- Advising the chairman and commissioners
Linda B. Cramer serves as assistant county manager and supports the coordination of county operations. The manager’s office works with department directors responsible for public works, police, fire, emergency management, engineering, planning, human resources, finance, parks, animal services and other programmes.
The county manager does not control independently elected constitutional officers or the courts. This distinction is important when residents are trying to resolve a matter involving taxes, court records, detention, prosecutions or judicial proceedings.
Other Important County Officials
Major elected and appointed office-holders include:
- Sheriff: Richard S. Coleman
- District attorney: Shalena Cook Jones
- Clerk of Superior Court: Tammie Mosley
- Tax commissioner: Sonya L. Jackson
- Probate judge: Thomas C. Bordeaux, Jr.
- Coroner: David Campbell
- Chatham County Police chief: Jeffrey M. Hadley
- Chatham County Fire chief: James Vickers
- Emergency Management director: Dennis Jones
- Clerk of Commission: Janice Bocook
Sheriff Richard S. Coleman leads the Sheriff’s Office, which operates the county detention centre, provides courthouse security, serves warrants and civil documents, transports prisoners and performs other countywide law-enforcement functions assigned by law.
District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones leads felony and state criminal prosecutions in the Eastern Judicial Circuit. Tammie Mosley maintains Superior Court records as well as deeds, plats and other land records. Sonya L. Jackson administers property-tax billing and collection and motor-vehicle tag and title services.
Probate Judge Thomas C. Bordeaux, Jr. presides over Probate Court. Coroner David Campbell investigates qualifying deaths and determines cause and manner within the authority of the Coroner’s Office. These offices are separate from the county manager’s departmental chain of command.
Judiciary and Court System
Chatham County forms the Eastern Judicial Circuit of Georgia. Unlike many judicial circuits that contain several counties, the Eastern Judicial Circuit consists only of Chatham County. Its court system includes Superior, State, Magistrate, Probate, Recorder’s and Juvenile courts.
Superior Court is composed of six elected judges:
- Chief Judge John E. Morse, Jr.
- Judge Timothy R. Walmsley
- Judge Benjamin W. Karpf
- Judge Lisa Goldwire Colbert
- Judge Tammy Stokes
- Judge Christopher K. Middleton
- Superior Court has general jurisdiction and handles matters including:
- Felony criminal cases
- Divorce and major family-law cases
- Major civil disputes
- Equity matters
- Property-title disputes
- Certain appeals and specialised court programmes
State Court is led by Chief Judge Gregory V. Sapp and also includes Judges Derek J. White and Elizabeth E. Coolidge. It handles misdemeanour criminal cases, qualifying traffic matters and a broad range of civil cases, except matters reserved exclusively for Superior Court.
Chief Magistrate Mary Kathryn Moss leads Magistrate Court. This court handles small civil claims, landlord–tenant disputes, dispossessory proceedings, warrants, preliminary criminal proceedings and other lower-level matters assigned by Georgia law.
Probate Court handles estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, marriage licences, weapons-carry licences and other statutory proceedings. Recorder’s Court, led by Chief Judge Harris Odell, Jr., handles traffic, ordinance and qualifying criminal matters. Juvenile Court hears dependency, delinquency and other cases involving children and young people.
The main court complex includes the Coleman Courthouse at 133 Montgomery Street and the Eugene H. Gadsden Courthouse at 400 West Oglethorpe Avenue in Savannah. Juvenile Court operates at 197 Carl Griffin Drive. Residents should verify the correct courthouse, courtroom and filing office before travelling.
Public Safety and Emergency Services
Law-enforcement responsibility depends on location and function. Chatham County Police Department provides general patrol and investigative services in unincorporated Chatham County. Savannah, Pooler, Garden City, Port Wentworth, Tybee Island and other municipalities maintain their own police agencies or local arrangements.
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office performs countywide functions involving the detention centre, court security, warrants, civil process, prisoner transport and support for the judicial system. The Sheriff’s Office and County Police Department are therefore separate agencies with different primary responsibilities.
Chatham County Fire Department provides fire suppression, emergency medical response, prevention and specialised services in unincorporated areas. The county began operating its own fire department in July 2024. Municipal fire departments and other local arrangements serve incorporated communities.
The Chatham Emergency Management Agency coordinates countywide disaster planning, public warnings, emergency operations and intergovernmental response. Major hazards include hurricanes, storm surge, river and tidal flooding, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, extreme heat, drought, wildfire and hazardous-material incidents.
Important emergency-preparedness responsibilities include:
- Maintaining hurricane evacuation-zone information
- Coordinating emergency alerts and public warnings
- Operating the county emergency operations centre
- Planning shelters, evacuation routes and recovery operations
- Supporting flood, storm-surge and severe-weather preparation
- Coordinating municipal, county, state and federal agencies
Infrastructure, Transport and Public Services
Chatham County provides countywide services and additional municipal-type services in unincorporated areas. The exact agency responsible for a property depends on whether it lies inside a city, within a special district or in unincorporated Chatham County.
Major county responsibilities include:
- County roads, bridges, drainage and stormwater systems
- Planning, zoning and building-safety services in unincorporated areas
- Floodplain administration and coastal hazard planning
- Water and sewer services in designated county service areas
- Police and fire protection in unincorporated communities
- Emergency management and public warning systems
- Parks, recreation and community centres
- Animal services and mosquito control
- Public health and community-support programmes
- Elections, property assessment and public records
- Court facilities, corrections and criminal-justice support
- Library and cultural services supported through regional agencies
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport provides commercial passenger and cargo service for the region. Chatham Area Transit operates local bus, paratransit and mobility services. The Georgia Ports Authority manages the major port terminals, while county and municipal governments maintain different parts of the local road and utility network.
Building permits and land-use approvals are normally issued by the municipality when a property lies inside city limits. Chatham County Building Safety and Regulatory Services handles qualifying permits in unincorporated areas. Flood-zone requirements, septic approval, utility availability and coastal-development rules may also affect a project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is every property with a Savannah mailing address inside the City of Savannah?
A: No. Many properties on Wilmington Island, Whitemarsh Island, Skidaway Island and in other unincorporated areas use a Savannah postal address. Residents should check the official parcel or jurisdiction map rather than relying on the mailing address.
Q: Who provides police service in Chatham County?
A: A municipal police department normally handles calls inside its city. Chatham County Police Department serves unincorporated areas. The Sheriff’s Office operates the jail and performs court security, warrants, civil process and other countywide duties.
Q: Which Chatham County court handles a case?
A: Superior Court handles felonies, divorce and major civil or equity cases. State Court handles misdemeanours and many civil cases. Magistrate Court handles small claims, evictions and preliminary matters. Probate, Recorder’s and Juvenile courts handle their specialised areas.
Q: Who issues building permits in Chatham County?
A: The city normally issues permits for property inside municipal limits. Chatham County handles building and land-use matters in unincorporated areas. Applicants should confirm the property’s jurisdiction before submitting plans or fees.
Q: How can a resident confirm a hurricane evacuation or flood zone?
A: Residents should use current Chatham Emergency Management Agency evacuation information and official county flood or parcel maps. A postal address, distance from the beach or experience during an earlier storm is not a reliable substitute for the current official zone.