The Town FilesPortal, Georgia
Town in Bulloch County · population 638 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $85,000
- Household income
- $62,083
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 38.8
Portal is a town of 638 people in Bulloch County, Georgia. The median home is worth $85,000, below the typical Georgia town ($202,650). It ranks more of a college town than 95% of Georgia towns, better for retirees than 89% of Georgia towns, better for families than 84% of Georgia towns.
How Portal ranks
Percentile among Georgia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Georgia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Portal is worth $85,000, below the typical Georgia town ($202,650). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $62,083, which is more affordable than 99% of Georgia towns. Median rent is $779 a month. 62.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Portal | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $85,000 | $202,650 |
| Median rent | $779 | $1,000 |
| Median household income | $62,083 | $57,176 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 62.1% | 60.5% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.2% | — |
Who lives in Portal
| People | Portal | Typical Georgia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.5% | 15.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.6% | 19.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.3% | 16.2% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 26.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.8% | 88.0% |
Weather in Portal
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 35.8°F. About 48.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Georgia town: 0.4 in). Expect about 74 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 44 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Portal since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical Georgia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 1, 2003 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 26, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 5, 2009.
Severe weather in Bulloch County since 1996
Bulloch County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3642: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 30, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4830: Hurricane Helene |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3616: Hurricane Helene |
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4821: Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 5, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3607: Hurricane Debby |
Jobs and pay in Bulloch County
Bulloch County had 28,263 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,121 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Portal itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in Portal
2 public schools with 959 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portal Middle/High School | 6-12 | 529 | 13.9 |
| Portal Elementary School | PK-5 | 430 | 14.3 |
Towns near Portal
- Statesboro, GA11.3 mi · 33,438 people · home $197,900
- Metter, GA12.6 mi · 4,004 people · home $156,300
- Twin City, GA13.8 mi · 1,642 people · home $63,500
- Brooklet, GA18.4 mi · 1,704 people · home $256,400
- Millen, GA18.6 mi · 2,966 people · home $86,300
- Sylvania, GA22.1 mi · 2,634 people · home $155,300
- Swainsboro, GA23.9 mi · 7,425 people · home $109,300
- Oak Park, GA26.0 mi · 512 people · home $78,200
Portal questions
Is Portal, Georgia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Portal scores better for retirees than 89% of Georgia towns and quieter than 80%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Portal?
The median owner-occupied home in Portal is valued at $85,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,083, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $779 a month.
What is the weather like in Portal?
July highs average 91.5°F and January lows 35.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Portal get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Portal since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 1, 2003. The typical Georgia town has had 17.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)