Economic Development
Savannah area businesses and residents enjoy an unparalleled quality of life. Savannah is an ideal choice for any relocating individual, family and business. Manufacturing, distributing, tourism, military, ports operations and retail sectors form a strong business community and a growing employment base. Most economic research identifies the Georgia’s coast, with Savannah as the focal point, to be experiencing outstanding growth, both now and for the next decade.
The Port of Savannah is the fifth largest container port in the United States and the largest single common-user terminal on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts. In the global economy, the Port of Savannah plays a critical role for many Georgia businesses. It serves companies from more than 150 countries and offers direct shipping to more than 300 ports.
The manufacturing sector has long been a key foundation underpinning the Savannah area economy. However, in recent years the regional manufacturing industry has faced a challenging economic environment even while non-manufacturing industries have experienced solid growth. Yet, despite these challenges, the industry has rebounded somewhat during the last 18 months and has become more closely integrated with the region’s non-manufacturing sectors. Manufacturing’s overall role in the economy has increased, measured in terms of its overall effect on economic activity and compensation earned by those employed in manufacturing-related sectors.
With an annual payroll that is nearing $1 billion, the $1.4 billion economic impact of the Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield military complex continues to support the Savannah area economy. The total combined payroll on both bases grew by $35 million in 2005, a 3.7 percent increase over the previous year. The combined military strength of Ft. Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield has created Coastal Georgia’s largest employer. The number of soldiers stationed at these bases grew 5.9 percent from 2005 to 2006. Civilian payrolls are held steady by continued staff reductions. Fort Stewart is the largest military installation east of the Mississippi River, covering nearly 280,000 acres
