ZIP Code 31401

Savannah is Georgia's fifth-largest city, with a 2020 U.S. Census population of 147,780. The Savannah metropolitan area, Georgia's third-largest, had a 2020 population of 404,798. The city was named for the Savannah River, which probably derives from variant names for the Shawnee, a Native American people who migrated to the river in the 1680s. Savannah was the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. During the 1996 Summer Olympics hosted by Atlanta, Savannah held sailing competitions in the nearby Wassaw Sound. It is also located near the Intracoastal Waterway and the Ogeechee River, some 16 miles (26 km) south of downtown Savannah. The largest port in Georgia, Savannah is the primary port on Savannah River and the largest port on the Atlantic Ocean in the state. The name Savannah refers to the extensive marshlands surrounding the river for miles inland, and is derived from the English term "savanna," a kind of tropical grassland, which was borrowed by the English from Spanish sabana and used in the Southern Colonies. Still other theories suggest that the name Savannah originates from Algonian terms meaning "southerners" but perhaps "salt" or "marsh" (or "mars" in Spanish). It is the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low (founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA), the Georgia Historical Society, the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences, and Temple Mickve Israel.

History

Savannah is the primary city name, but also Garden City, Garden Cty are acceptable city names or spellings, Hunter Army Air Field on the other hand no longer accepted or obsolete and are no longer used as a designation. The official name is City of Savannah. Savannah was named for the Savannah River, which probably derives from variant names for the Shawnee, a Native American people who migrated to the river in the 1680s. In 1751, Savannah and the rest of Georgia became a Royal Colony and Savannah was made the colonial capital of Georgia. By the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, Savannah had become the southernmost commercial port in the Thirteen Colonies. Savannah was the Confederacy's sixth most populous city and the prime objective of General William T. Sherman's March to the Sea. Early on December 21, 1864, local authorities negotiated a peaceful surrender to save Savannah from destruction, and Union troops marched into the city at dawn. The name Savannah originates from Algonquian terms meaning not only "southerners" but perhaps "salt" and is derived from the English term "savanna," a kind of tropical grassland, which was borrowed by the English from Spanish sabana. The Spanish word comes from the Taino word zabana, which means "marsh" or "grassland" in Spanish. The city was the site of the Battle of Savannah in 1778, when British troops took the city. The following year a combined force of American and French soldiers, including Haitians, failed to rout the British at the Siege of Savannah. The British did not leave the city until July 1782. In December 1804 the state legislature declared Milledgeville the new capital ofGeorgia.

Geography

Savannah lies on the Savannah River, approximately 20 mi (32 km) upriver from the Atlantic Ocean. It is prone to flooding, due to abundant rainfall, an elevation at just above sea level, and the shape of the coastline, which poses a greater surge risk during hurricanes. The city currently uses five canals to help reduce the effects of flash flooding. The first meteorological observations in Savannah probably occurred at Oglethorpe Barracks circa 1827, continuing intermittently until 1850 and resuming in 1866. The Signal Service began observations in 1874 and the National Weather Service has kept records of most data continually since then. Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport has served as Savannah's official meteorological station from 1948 to 1950. More than 100 neighborhoods can be identified in six principal areas of the city. Savannah is one of the nation's largest historic districts, with five historic districts formally demarcated: Historic District, Victorian District, Landside, Eastside, Westside, and Southside. Savannah has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) with long and almost tropical summers and short, mild winters. Savannah records few days of freezing temperatures each year (and has rare snowfall) and is at risk for hurricanes, particularly of the Cape Verde type of storms that take place during the peak of the season.Savannah was most recently affected by an active 2016 hurricane season, including Hurricane Matthew (which made a partial eyewall landfall), and was brushed by Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Demographics

Savannah is the largest principal city of the SavannahHinesvilleStatesboroJesup Combined Statistical Area. The official 2020 population of this area was 597,465, up from 525,844 at the 2010 Census. Savannah is also the largest city in the Savannah and Hinesville Metropolitan Statistical Area, a larger trading area that includes the Savannah, Statesboro and Jesup Micropolitan Statistical Areas. The population of the city was 136,286 in the 2010 U.S. Census, up 16.45% from the 2010 census population of 347,611. In 2010, non-Hispanic Whites were 32.6% of the population, compared to 46.2% in 1990. The median income for a household in the city is $29,038, and the median family income is $36,410. The per capita income for the city in 2010 was $16,921. About 31.4% of those under age 18 and 15.1%. of those age 65 or over were below the poverty line. The city is located in the Coastal Empire region of South Carolina, which is also home to the state's capital, Savannah, and most of its counties. Savannah has a population of 147,780 as of the 2020 United States census. The Census Bureau estimates the city's population will rise to 147,800 by the end of the decade. The Savannah metropolitan area is made up of Bryan, Chatham, and Effingham counties, as well as the cities of Statesboro, Jesup, and Hineville.

Government

Savannah adopted a council-manager form of government in 1954. The city council consists of the mayor and eight aldermen, six of whom are elected from one of six aldermanic districts. The Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department was established on January 1, 2005, after the Savannah Police Department and Chatham County Police Department merged. In February 2018, the city and county governments ended the police department merger, and they now operate as two separate agencies. The Georgia Department of Corrections operates the Coastal State Prison in Savannah. The state Senate and Georgia House of Representatives represent the Savannah area in the Georgia State Senate and House of Reps. The City Manager enacts the policies and programs established by council, recommends an annual budget and work programs, appoints bureau and department heads, and exercises general supervision and control over all employees of the city. The 9-1-1 Communications Dispatch Center handles all 9- 1-1 calls for service within the county and city, including fire and EMS. TheSavannah Fire Department serves the City of Savannah, and there are separate municipal firefighting organizations elsewhere in Chatham county. The State of Georgia operates the Savannah State Prison, which is located in the city's downtown area. It is the largest state prison in the United States, with a population of more than 1.5 million. The prison is the second-largest in the state after the state's state prison system, which has a capacity of 1.6 million people. It was built in the early 1900s.

Economy

The Port of Savannah, manufacturing, the military, and tourism have become Savannah's four major economic drivers in the twenty-first century. In 2006, the Savannah Area Convention & Visitors Bureau reported over 6.85 million tourists to the city during the year. In 2019, the port continues to see record growth with a reported 4.5 million, 20-foot equivalent container units being moved in the fiscal year. Savannah is also home to the Gulfstream Aerospace company, maker of private jets, as well as various other large industrial interests. TitleMax is headquartered in Savannah, and Morris Multimedia, a newspaper and television company, is also based in Savannah. For years, Savannah was the home of Union Camp, which housed the world's largest paper mill. JCB, the third-largest producer of construction equipment in the world and the leading manufacturer of backhoes and telescopic handlers, built its North American headquarters in Chatham County near Savannah in Pooler on I-95 near Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport. Savannah's first hotel, City Hotel, was completed in 1821. It also housed the city's first United States Post Office branch. Savannah was North America's fourth-largest port for shipping container traffic between 2009 and 2017, and employs over 17,000 people. In 2011, the Bureau reported that the number of tourists the city attracted increased to 12.1 million. The city is home to over $2 billion in tourist spending per year and employ over17,000 workers.

Arts and culture

Savannah has a rich and growing performing arts scene, offering cultural events throughout the year. The city is home to the Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home, a museum house dedicated to the work and life of the acclaimed fiction writer. The American Traditions Vocal Competition is an annual vocal competition that desires to foster and preserve traditions of musical expression significant in the culture of the United States in the past and present. The Savannah Children's Choir is an auditioned choir for children in 2nd through 8th grades that performs throughout the community and in annual holiday and spring concerts. The Little Theatre of Savannah invites all members of the community to participate both on- and off-stage. One Gunt is an alternative drag troupe performing weekly shows at the Gunt Club on top of other performances around the city throughout the city. The Georgia Music Festival is Georgia's largest musical arts festival and is nationally recognized as one of the best music festivals in the world. The annual Haitian Flag Day festival is a festival of diverse artists, music, and various festivities, with several different titles and a holiday show. It is also the home of the Savannah Repertory Theatre, the city's only fully professional resident theater, producing music revues with live singers, dancers and the most rockin' band in town. It also hosts the annual Savannah Film Festival, which is one of several theaters owned by the Savannah College of Art and Design. It hosts a variety of performances and concerts sponsored by SCAD.

Points of interest

Savannah has been named one of "America's Favorite Cities" by Travel + Leisure. In 2019, Savannah attracted 14.8 million visitors from across the country and around the world. Savannah's downtown area is one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States. The city's location offers visitors access to the coastal islands and the Savannah Riverfront, both popular tourist destinations. Savannah is noted for its 22 squares, small parks arranged along five historic streets running north to south. In popular culture, the square is the location of the park bench seen in the 1994 film Forrest Gump from which the title character dispenses wisdom to others waiting for a bus. In 2012, the magazine rated Savannah highest in "Quality of Life and Visitor Experience" Savannah was also ranked first for "Public Parks and Outdoor Access," visiting in the Fall, and as a romantic escape. The Georgia Historical Society, an independent educational and research institution, has a research center in Savannah. The research center's library and archives hold the oldest collection of materials related to Georgia history. The First Bryan Baptist Church is an African American church that was organized by Andrew Bryan in 1788. Christ Church is the longest continuous Christian congregation in Georgia (Episcopalian) The Independent Presbyterian Church, which was founded in 1755, is located near the original site on Johnson Square, which is near Chippewa Square. The Savannah International Trade & Convention Center is located on Hutchinson Island, across from downtown Savannah and surrounded by the Savannah river.

Sports and recreation

Portions of the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile-long (5,000 kilometer) system of trails from Maine to Florida, run through Savannah. Professional sport teams and college teams are among Savannah's sports teams. Savannah is home to the Savannah River Opera House, which was built in the early 1900s. The Savannah River River runs through the city's downtown area. Savannah has one of the largest concentrations of African-American residents in the United States, with more than 1.5 million people living in the city and its surrounding areas. The city has a population of more than 2,000,000 people, the majority of whom live in Savannah and its suburbs. It is the second-largest city in the state, after New York City, with 1.7 million people. It also has a number of tourist attractions, such as the National Mall and the South Carolina Welcome Center. It has a long history of hosting international sporting events, including the opening of the Savannah Opera House in 1881. It was the first city to host the Winter Olympics, in which the Winter Games were held in Atlanta in 1988. It's also home to several colleges, including Savannah State, Savannah College and Savannah College of Art and Design, and the University of South Carolina, which holds the nation's only women's college football program. The South Carolina River River is one of Savannah's major waterways, with a length of about 2,500 miles (3,500 kilometers) and a width of about 1,800 miles (1,800 kilometers).

Education

Savannah hosts four colleges and universities offering bachelor's, master's, and professional or doctoral degree programs. Georgia Southern University-Armstrong Campus, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Savannah State University, and South University offer programs. Mercer University began a four-year doctor of medicine program in August 2008 at Memorial University Medical Center. Savannah Technical College, a two-year technical institution and the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, a marine science research institute of the University of Georgia, offer educational programs as well. In 2012, Savannah Law School opened in the historic Candler building on Forsyth Park. In early 2018, the administration announced that the school would close at the end of the spring semester.Savannah is also home to most of the schools in the Chatham County school district, the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools. Oatland Island Wildlife Center of Savannah is also a part of Savannah-Yosemite County Public School District. It features a 2-mile (3.2 km) Native Animal Nature Trail that winds through maritime forest, salt marsh, and freshwater wetlands. Along the trail, visitors can observe native animals, such as Florida panthers, Eastern timber wolves, and alligators in their natural habitat. It serves thousands of students from schools throughout the Southeastern United States. It is located east of Savannah on a marsh island, and is part of the Savannah and Yosemite National Park system. The park is home to the National Park Service.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia = 77. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 47. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 99. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Savannah = 5 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 147,780 individuals with a median age of 32.4 age the population dropped by -1.60% in Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,300 residents per square mile of area (500/km²). There are average 2.4 people per household in the 50,616 households with an average household income of $33,616 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 9.70% of the available work force and has dropped -4.15% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 22.00%. The number of physicians in Savannah per 100,000 population = 307.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Savannah = 48.8 inches and the annual snowfall = 0.3 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 110. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 216. 92 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 38.9 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 30, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia which are owned by the occupant = 43.03%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 44 years with median home cost = $128,110 and home appreciation of -3.22%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $12.45 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,270 per student. There are 14.2 students for each teacher in the school, 384 students for each Librarian and 406 students for each Counselor. 4.75% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 13.69% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 6.85% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).