Name: Thunderbolt, GA statistics
Creator: Citytistics

Moving to Thunderbolt

Chatham County loses about 3.7 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in17,485

Moved out18,268

Net−783

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Effingham County, GA1,1191,988−869

Bryan County, GA7251,237−512

Liberty County, GA535896−361

Bulloch County, GA339582−243

Beaufort County, SC412307+105

Fulton County, GA303367−64

DeKalb County, GA235243−8

Duval County, FL277

Within Georgia, other states or abroad

Arrivals

34%65%

Leavers

44%54%

Within GeorgiaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$68K

Leavers$62K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Chatham County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here: 4.8% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 6.0% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves: Households moving into Chatham County report $67,600 a year in income on average; those leaving, $62,100, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need: $68,300 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy: Median rent is $1,708 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,963 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $334,600.
Getting to work: 21 minutes each way on average; 14.3% work from home.
If it is close but not quite: St. Petersburg, FL matches it on character. Compare the two

Moved here in the past year1
4.8%
17% below the median place
Moved from another state1
6.0%
201% above the median place
Income of households moving out8
$62,066
12% below the median place

All 5 moving measures

Measure	Thunderbolt	Vs median
Moved here in the past year1	4.8%	17% below
Moved from another state1County figure	6.0%	201% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure	-3.7	below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure	$67,558	4% below
Income of households moving out8County figure	$62,066	12% below

What it costs to live here

Rent to income is 27.2%, 33% above the median place.

Thunderbolt27.2%

Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent

$68,320

a year, at the 30% line

Rent to income

27.2%

33% above the median place

Home price to income

4.5x

17% above the median place

Could you afford it?

Your household income, before tax

The median rent would take

27%

just under the 30% line

Left after rent, in US prices

$56,100

a year

Vs the typical household here

Same

as the median household

Uses the median rent in Thunderbolt, $1,708 a month, and local prices for everything else (97.1 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Thunderbolt, but easier on the budget

Close matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income.

Place	Rent to income	More left a year
Fletcher, NC	23.7% vs 27.2%	$2,800	Compare
Etowah, NC	23.4% vs 27.2%	$900	Compare
Fishersville, VA	21.3% vs 27.2%	$12,400	Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Thunderbolt.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Thunderbolt? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.

Vacant homes1
13.6%
93% above the median place
Homeownership1
61.5%
7% below the median place
Property tax rate1
1.0%
9% above the median place

All 16 cost and housing measures

Measure	Thunderbolt	Vs median
Median gross rent1	$1,708	25% above
Rent to income1	27.2%	33% above
Property tax rate1	1.0%	9% above
Home price to income1	4.5x	17% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure	95.2	6% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure	$1,679	4% above
HUD area median income4County figure	$107,300	0% above
Property tax paid (median)1	$3,316	2% above
Median home value1	$334,600	5% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure	2.3%	28% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure	70.5%	37% above
Homeownership1	61.5%	7% below
Renters paying 30%+1	51.3%	1% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1	$1,963	5% above
Vacant homes1	13.6%	93% above
Median year built1	1977	0% below

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Unemployment1
3.5%
29% below the median place
Poverty rate1
17.6%
63% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Mean commute21 min −16%

Income per person$44,500 +11%

Works from home14.3% +15%

Median household income$75,234 −6%

All 10 work and pay measures

Measure	Thunderbolt	Vs median
Median household income1	$75,234	6% below
Income per person1	$44,500	11% above
Unemployment1	3.5%	29% below
Average annual pay6County figure	$64,451	2% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure	4.2%	14% above
Jobs6County figure	172,740	15% above
Poverty rate1	17.6%	63% above
Mean commute1	21 min	16% below
Works from home1	14.3%	15% above
Commutes by transit1	0.0%	below (median 0.8%)

Who lives here

Household size is 2.0, 20% below the median place.

Household size1
2.0
20% below the median place
No health insurance1
15.4%
141% above the median place
Median age1
43.9
13% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Homes with broadband95.6% +4%

Born abroad4.5% −49%

Bachelor's or higher40.7% +27%

High school or higher92.4% +0%

All 9 people measures

Measure	Thunderbolt	Vs median
Population1	2,533	6646th largest
Population change since 20207	-1.0%	below (median 1.1%)
Median age1	43.9	13% above
Bachelor's or higher1	40.7%	27% above
High school or higher1	92.4%	0% above
Household size1	2.0	20% below
Born abroad1	4.5%	49% below
No health insurance1	15.4%	141% above
Homes with broadband1	95.6%	4% above

Life in Thunderbolt

78 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 10 of them National Historic Landmarks.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents35.5 3.5×

Playgrounds per 10k11.8 +26%

Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%

Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k15.8 +42%

Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%

Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%

Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars31.7 +52%

Shops46.5 +53%

Arts, recreation and fitness5.7 +39%

Doctors' offices and clinics25.5 +26%

Child care centers2.7 +17%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Restaurants and bars per 10k9
31.7
52% above the median place
Shops per 10k9
46.5
53% above the median place
Public school students13
35,769
above the median place (median 4,897)

All 16 schools and local life measures

Measure	Thunderbolt	Vs median
Public schools13County figure	59	above (median 9)
Public school students13County figure	35,769	above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher13County figure	13.2	14% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure	31.7	52% above
Shops per 10k9County figure	46.5	53% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure	5.7	39% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure	25.5	26% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure	2.7	17% above
Parks per 10k10	35.5	249% above
Playgrounds per 10k10	11.8	26% above
Grocery stores per 10k10	0.0	below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k10	15.8	42% above
Libraries per 10k10	0.0	below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails10	0.0	below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi10	0.0	below (median 0.2)
National Register listings11County figure	78	above (median 13)

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 237, 24% above the median place.

Violent crime per 100k

237

24% above the median place

Property crime per 100k

1,975

63% above the median place

Months reported

12 of 12

by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Hurricane risk15
99.4
41% above the median place
Average temperature14
67°F
22% above the median place
July average high14
92°F
6% above the median place

All 11 weather and risk measures

Measure	Thunderbolt	Vs median
July average high14County figure	92°F	6% above
January average low14County figure	40°F	58% above
Average temperature14County figure	67°F	22% above
Annual precipitation14County figure	48.1 in	10% above
Natural hazard risk15County figure	97.4	5% above
Hurricane risk15County figure	99.4	41% above
Tornado risk15County figure	77.5	5% below
Wildfire risk15County figure	92.4	51% above
Heat wave risk15County figure	95.3	6% above
Median air quality index16County figure	47	9% above
Good air days16County figure	58.6%	14% below

How it is changing

Five-year survey estimates, one point per release.

Median gross rent

Up 53.7% from 2019 to 2024.

Median household income

Up 23.7% from 2019 to 2024.

Median home value

Up 57.8% from 2019 to 2024.

Population estimate

Down 0.8% from 2020 to 2025.

Citytistics measures

Paycheck stretch

$56,400

left a year after rent, in US prices. Better than 30% of places

Pay vs rent

-4.6 pts

a year, rent outrunning pay. Better than 7% of places

Family fit

of 100 on cost, space and class size

Growth

of 100 on population and income growth

Measures only Citytistics publishes, built from the figures on this page. Scores of 100 beat every place we track. Formulas

Thunderbolt in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 28% of the median income in 2030, up from 27% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

Measure	Latest	2030 projection	Likely range	Avg. per year
Median rent	$1,708/mo (2024)	$2,230/mo	$1,830 to $2,720/mo	+4.6%
Median household income	$75,234 (2024)	$95,000	$80,500 to $112,500	+4.0%
Median home value	$334,600 (2024)	$483,000	$350,000 to $665,000	+6.3%
Population	2,534 (2025)	2,550	2,450 to 2,660	+0.1%

The median home would be worth 5.1 years of the median income in 2030, against 4.4 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

Places like Thunderbolt

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

Place	Rent	Income
St. Petersburg, FL	$1,663	$75,192	Compare
Fayetteville, GA	$1,720	$82,188	Compare
Casas Adobes, AZ	$1,650	$83,683	Compare
Tucker, GA	$1,647	$80,317	Compare

Nearby

Compare Thunderbolt with

Common questions

Is Thunderbolt a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Households average 2.00 people, smaller than in 93% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-lowest of 166 Georgia places. Between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, rent rose 9% a year while household income rose 4.3%, so rent outran pay by more than in 87% of places its size. On cost, space and class size it scores 3 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Thunderbolt expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 27.2% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $334,600.

What salary do you need to live in Thunderbolt?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $68,320 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Thunderbolt safe?

There were 237 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Thunderbolt?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are St. Petersburg, FL, Fayetteville, GA, Casas Adobes, AZ and Tucker, GA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Thunderbolt with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Thunderbolt itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/thunderbolt-georgia

Citytistics. “Thunderbolt, Georgia.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/thunderbolt-georgia/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Thunderbolt

What stands out about Thunderbolt