Signals
Garden City
Wilmington Island
Opportunity
70 · Top 22%
vs90 · Top 1%
Climate
72 · Top 39%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
30 · Bottom 24%
vs30 · Bottom 24%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 23%
vs75 · Bottom 41%
Schools
16 · Bottom 6%
vs70 · Top 27%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs91 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 37%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Garden City | Wilmington Island | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,426 | 13,905 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,814 | $93,924 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,093 | $50,663 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 728/sq mi | 1,675/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $169,400 | $404,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,282 | $1,752 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.7% | 77.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.6% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 52.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 4.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.1" | 48.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 30.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 45.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.96 | 11.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 10.0% | 37.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 20.8% | 41.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.8% | 41.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Garden City
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Wilmington Island
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Garden City
55
Your Score
52
Area Score
Wilmington Island
71
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Garden City, GA · Wilmington Island, GA · How this is calculated: methodology