Port Wentworth, Georgia

City in Georgia, United States

Logo

Location in Chatham County and the state of Georgia

Coordinates: 32°9′52″N 81°10′48″W / 32.16444°N 81.18000°W / 32.16444; -81.18000CountryUnited StatesStateGeorgiaCountyChathamGovernment

• TypeCouncil-City Manager Government • MayorGary Norton • City CouncilGabrielle Nelson
Mark Stephens
Rufus Bright
Nishant Randerwala
Thomas Barbee
Artlise Alston-Cone
• City ManagerSteve DavisArea

^[1]

• Total16.12 sq mi (41.74 km²) • Land16.07 sq mi (41.62 km²) • Water0.05 sq mi (0.12 km²)Elevation

^[2]

23 ft (7 m)Population

(2020)

• Total10,878 • Density676.87/sq mi (261.34/km²)Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)ZIP code

31407

Area code912FIPS code13-62328^[3]GNIS feature ID0332733^[2]Websitewww.cityofportwentworth.com

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.^[4] Port Wentworth is part of the Savannah metropolitan area.

History

The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Port Wentworth in 1957.^[5]

Dixie Crystals plant 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 32°09′52″N 81°10′48″W / 32.164512°N 81.180087°W / 32.164512; -81.180087.^[6] 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 16.6 sq mi (43.0 km²), of which 0.15 square miles (0.4 km²), or 0.91%, is covered by water.^[4]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1960	3,705		—
1970	3,905		5.4%
1980	3,947		1.1%
1990	4,012		1.6%
2000	3,276		−18.3%
2010	5,359		63.6%
2020	10,878		103.0%
2023 (est.)	14,468	^[7]	33.0%
U.S. Decennial Census^[8]

Port Wentworth racial composition as of 2020^[9]
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%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,878 people, 3,258 households, and 2,091 families residing in the city.

Education

Port Wentworth is part of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System.

Law enforcement

The city is served by the Port Wentworth Police Department.

Gallery

Fire Department Station 1
Fire Department Station 2
Port Wentworth Police Station

References

^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
^ ^a ^b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Port Wentworth, Georgia
^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
^ ^a ^b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Port Wentworth city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
^ "Port Wentworth". GeorgiaGov. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
^ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023". United States Census Bureau. May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 14, 2021.