The Town Files

Whitemarsh Island, Georgia

Community in Chatham County · population 6,983 (2020 Census)

Map: where Whitemarsh Island is in GeorgiaWhitemarsh Island
Median home
$399,700
Household income
$101,729
Jan low / Jul high
40° / 92°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
25
Median age
38.5

Whitemarsh Island is a community of 6,983 people in Chatham County, Georgia. The median home is worth $399,700, above the typical Georgia town ($202,650). It ranks more seaside character than 97% of Georgia towns, more upscale than 94% of Georgia towns, better for young professionals than 91% of Georgia towns.

Whitemarsh Island in our rankings:

How Whitemarsh Island 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.

Whitemarsh Island lifestyle rankings vs other Georgia townsRetirement83rd pctFamilies86th pctQuiet31st pctWalkability69th pctFirst-time buyers45th pctYoung professionals91st pctVibrancy71st pctHip & trendy45th pctCollege town91st pctUpscale94th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside character97th pctCyclingbottomTransit74th pctDriving52nd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Whitemarsh Island is worth $399,700, above the typical Georgia town ($202,650). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $101,729, which is more affordable than 34% of Georgia towns. Median rent is $1,777 a month. 76.4% of households own their home.

Whitemarsh Island vs Chatham County vs typical Georgia townWhitemarsh IslandChatham CountyTypical Georgia townHome value$399,700$302,700$202,650Household income$101,729$71,097$57,176Monthly rent$1,777$1,471$1,000
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Georgia towns with 500+ people.
HousingWhitemarsh IslandTypical Georgia town
Median home value$399,700$202,650
Median rent$1,777$1,000
Median household income$101,729$57,176
Home value ÷ income3.9×3.4×
Homeownership76.4%60.5%
Median year built19931984
Seasonal / vacation homes4.6%—

Who lives in Whitemarsh Island

PeopleWhitemarsh IslandTypical Georgia town
Median age38.537.1
Age 65 and over17.5%15.9%
Under 1822.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher52.2%19.6%
Below the poverty line3.9%16.2%
Veterans7.2%—
Born outside the U.S.6.2%—
Work from home16.1%7.9%
Average commute22.8 min26.6 min
Homes with broadband98.0%88.0%

Weather in Whitemarsh Island

July highs average 92.3°F and January lows 40.0°F. About 48.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Georgia town: 0.4 in). Expect about 81 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 22 nights at or below freezing.

Whitemarsh Island monthly temperatures and precipitation40°50°60°70°80°90°100°61°40°Jan65°43°Feb71°49°Mar78°55°Apr85°63°May90°71°Jun92°74°Jul91°73°Aug86°69°Sep79°59°Oct70°48°Nov64°43°DecPrecipitation (in)3.32.83.53.43.66.75.85.54.33.72.43.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Savannah Intl Ap station (13.4 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 1 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whitemarsh Island since 1950, compared with 17 for the typical Georgia town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on May 23, 2017 about 3.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 4, 2019.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Whitemarsh Island by decade21950s61960s51970s11980s11990s42000s62010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 68 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 24, 1988.

Severe weather in Chatham County since 1996

Storm events in Chatham County since 1996 by typeHail148Flood2Tornado14Lightning48Heavy Rain3Waterspout3Flash Flood100Rip Current3
NOAA Storm Events Database, Chatham County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Chatham County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, freezing, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
September 30, 2024HurricaneDR-4830: Hurricane Helene
September 26, 2024Tropical StormEM-3616: Hurricane Helene
September 24, 2024Tropical StormDR-4821: Tropical Storm Debby
August 5, 2024Tropical StormEM-3607: Hurricane Debby
March 29, 2020BiologicalDR-4501: Covid-19 Pandemic

Jobs and pay in Chatham County

Chatham County had 170,836 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,834 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Whitemarsh Island itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.

Largest industries in Chatham CountyHotels & restaurants21,786 jobs · $29,135Health care & social assistan…21,145 jobs · $64,138Manufacturing19,982 jobs · $98,541Retail19,816 jobs · $41,355Transportation & warehousing15,588 jobs · $61,331Administrative & support13,565 jobs · $43,196
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Chatham County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Chatham 2.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Whitemarsh Island

Whitemarsh Island questions

Is Whitemarsh Island, Georgia a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Whitemarsh Island scores better for retirees than 83% of Georgia towns and quieter than 31%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.5).

How much does a house cost in Whitemarsh Island?

The median owner-occupied home in Whitemarsh Island is valued at $399,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $101,729, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,777 a month.

What is the weather like in Whitemarsh Island?

July highs average 92.3°F and January lows 40.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.

Does Whitemarsh Island get tornadoes?

25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whitemarsh Island since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on May 23, 2017. The typical Georgia town has had 17.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Whitemarsh Island's Census boundary (GEOID 1382636). Comparisons use the median of Georgia towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.