Port Wentworth, Georgia

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement  | official_name = Port Wentworth, Georgia | other_name = | native_name =  | nickname = | settlement_type = City | motto =  | image_skyline = File:Port Wentworth City Hall.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = Port Wentworth City Hall | image_flag = | flag_size = | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_blank_emblem = Seal of Port Wentworth, Georgia.png | blank_emblem_type = Logo | blank_emblem_size = | image_map = Chatham_County_Georgia_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Port_Wentworth_Highlighted.svg | mapsize = 250px | map_caption = Location in Chatham County and the state of Georgia | image_map1 = | mapsize1 = | map_caption1 = | image_dot_map = | dot_mapsize = | dot_map_caption = | dot_x = | dot_y = | pushpin_map =  | pushpin_label_position =  | pushpin_map_caption = | pushpin_mapsize =  | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = United States | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = Georgia | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_name2 = Chatham | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 =  | government_footnotes = | government_type = Council-City Manager Government | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Tracy Consani Saunders | leader_title1 = City Council | leader_name1 = Gabrielle Nelson Mark Stephens Rufus Bright Nishant Randerwala Thomas Barbee Artlise Alston-Cone | leader_title2 = City Manager | leader_name2 = Steve Davis | leader_title3 = Assistant City Manager | leader_name3 = Thomas Kilmartin | leader_title4 = Deputy City Manager | leader_name4 = David Stahl | established_title =  | established_date = | established_title2 =  | established_date2 = | established_title3 =  | established_date3 =  | area_magnitude = | unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_13.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 41.74 | area_land_km2 = 41.62 | area_water_km2 = 0.12 | area_total_sq_mi = 16.12 | area_land_sq_mi = 16.07 | area_water_sq_mi = 0.05 | area_water_percent = | area_urban_km2 = | area_urban_sq_mi = | area_metro_km2 = | area_metro_sq_mi = | area_blank1_title = | area_blank1_km2 = | area_blank1_sq_mi =  | population_as_of = 2020 | population_footnotes = | population_note = | population_total = 10878 | population_density_km2 = 261.34 | population_density_sq_mi = 676.87 | population_metro = | population_density_metro_km2 = | population_density_metro_sq_mi = | population_urban = | population_density_urban_km2 = | population_density_urban_sq_mi = | population_blank1_title = | population_blank1 = | population_density_blank1_km2 = | population_density_blank1_sq_mi =  | timezone = Eastern (EST) | utc_offset = -5 | timezone_DST = EDT | utc_offset_DST = -4 | coordinates = {{coord|32|9|52|N|81|10|48|W|region:US-GA|display=inline,title}} | elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/> | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = 23 | postal_code_type = ZIP code | postal_code = 31407 | area_code = 912 | blank_name = FIPS code | blank_info = 13-62328<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> | blank1_name = GNIS feature ID | blank1_info = 0332733<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|332733}}</ref> | website = {{URL|https://portwentworthga.gov/}} | footnotes = | pop_est_as_of = | pop_est_footnotes = | population_est = | name = }}

'''Port Wentworth''' is a city in Chatham County, Georgia, United States. The 2020 population was 10,878, more than double the population of 5,359 at the 2010 census.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1362328| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212183237/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1362328| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Port Wentworth city, Georgia| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=July 21, 2014}}</ref> Port Wentworth is part of the Savannah metropolitan area.

==History== The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Port Wentworth in 1957.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://georgia.gov/cities-counties/port-wentworth | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511163831/http://georgia.gov/cities-counties/port-wentworth | url-status=dead | archive-date=May 11, 2012 | title=Port Wentworth | publisher=GeorgiaGov | access-date=24 May 2019}}</ref>

===Dixie Crystals plant explosion=== {{main|2008 Georgia sugar refinery explosion}}

On February 7, 2008, an explosion at the historic Dixie Crystals sugar plant, established in 1916 on Oxnard Drive, killed 14 people and injured at least 40 others. The victims ranged in age from 18 to 56. The blast could be heard as far away as Levy, South Carolina, where it shook house walls. The accident brought Port Wentworth national and international notice; it was widely reported in European and Asian media.

==Geography== Port Wentworth is located in the northern corner of Chatham County at {{coord|32.164512|-81.180087|type:city_region:US|format=dms|display=inline}}.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> It is bordered by Effingham County to the north, by Garden City to the southeast, and by the Savannah city limits (surrounding Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport) to the southwest. Within the Port Wentworth city limits are the localities of Meinhard and Monteith.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|43.0|km2|order=flip|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|0.4|km2|order=flip}}, or 0.91%, is covered by water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics== {{US Census population | 1960 = 3705 | 1970 = 3905 | 1980 = 3947 | 1990 = 4012 | 2000 = 3276 | 2010 = 5359 | 2020 = 10878 | estyear = 2025 | estimate = 17604 | estref = {{increase}} | footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref> 2025<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2025/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2025-POP-13.xlsx Origin= |title=2025 City and town population estimates: Georgia |website=U.S. Census Bureau |date=May 14, 2026 |access-date=May 22, 2025}}</ref> | align = right | align-fn = center }}

===2020 census=== As of the 2020 census, Port Wentworth had a population of 10,878. The median age was 32.1 years. 27.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 8.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.7 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME%2CDP1_0021P%2CDP1_0024P%2CDP1_0025C%2CDP1_0049C%2CDP1_0045C%2CDP1_0069C%2CDP1_0073C%2CDP1_0125P%2CDP1_0126P%2CDP1_0129P%2CDP1_0133P%2CDP1_0137P%2CDP1_0138P%2CDP1_0139P%2CDP1_0141P%2CDP1_0142P%2CDP1_0143P%2CDP1_0145P%2CDP1_0146P%2CDP1_0147C%2CDP1_0148C%2CDP1_0149C%2CDP1_0156C%2CDP1_0157C%2CDP1_0158C%2CDP1_0159P%2CDP1_0160P&for=place%3A62328&in=state%3A13|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 19, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME%2CP1_001N%2CP1_003N%2CP1_004N%2CP1_005N%2CP1_006N%2CP1_007N%2CP1_008N%2CP1_009N%2CP2_001N%2CP2_002N%2CH1_001N%2CH1_002N&for=place%3A62328&in=state%3A13|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 19, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

94.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 5.3% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME%2CP2_002N%2CP2_003N&for=place%3A62328&in=state%3A13|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=April 19, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 4,055 households in Port Wentworth, including 2,091 families. Of all households, 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 41.2% were married-couple households, 19.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 4,424 housing units, of which 8.3% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.1%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

{| class="wikitable" |+Port Wentworth racial composition as of 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US1362328&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-14|website=data.census.gov}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL"/> !Race !Num. !Perc. |- |White (non-Hispanic) |3,981 |36.60% |- |Black or African American (non-Hispanic) |5,061 |46.53% |- |Native American |32 |0.29% |- |Asian |131 |1.20% |- |Pacific Islander |7 |0.06% |- |Other/Mixed |561 |5.16% |- |Hispanic or Latino |1,105 |10.16% |} ==Education== Port Wentworth is part of the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools.

==Notable people== {{div col}} * Buddy Carter (born 1957) – U.S. representative for Georgia<ref>{{cite web |title=CARTER, Buddy |url=https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/C001103 |website=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |access-date=July 11, 2025}}</ref> {{div col end}}

==Gallery== <gallery> Fire Department Station 1, Port Wentworth.jpg|Fire Department Station 1 Fire Department Station 2, Port Wentworth.jpg|Fire Department Station 2 Port Wentworth Police Station.jpg|Port Wentworth Police Station </gallery>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://portwentworthga.gov/ City of Port Wentworth website] * [https://www.visitportwentworth.com/ Port Wentworth Chamber of Commerce]

Category:Cities in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Cities in Chatham County, Georgia Category:Populated coastal places in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Savannah metropolitan area