About St. Simons Island

Growth of Saint Simons Island

Located seventy-five miles south of Savannah, Georgia and sixty-five miles north of Jacksonville, Florida sits what CNN.MONEY calls the best place to retire in the nation -- St. Simons Island. With convenient access to major metropolitan areas St. Simons Island is in a location that promises to grow into one of the nations premier destinations. With just over 12,000 acres of land and a population of approximately 14,000 this unique barrier Island takes on a personality and character all its own. Several economic factors have sustained the growth of St. Simons Island they are: the arrival of retirees and second home purchasers, the increase in tourism, the expansion of the Port of Brunswick, and the building of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC).

The increase of retirees and second home purchasers moving to the Island can be attributed to several factors including the abundance and convenience of medical, dental, legal, insurance, real estate, and grocery services on the Island. Also the number of hurricanes that blasted the coast of Florida in the past several years has made buyers take a second look at the coast of Georgia. The increased rates on insurance and the difficulty of obtaining insurance at all in Florida has also contributed to the number of retirees and second home purchasers.

With the completion of the Sidney Lanier Bridge, the tallest bridge in Georgia, the Port of Brunswick has continued to make tremendous strides as one of the largest ports on the Eastern Seaboard. With its suitable location just off the Atlantic Ocean and proximity to major U.S markets its forecasted to skip over Baltimore and Jacksonville as the largest port on the eastern seaboard within the next decade.

The establishment and growth of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) has initiated population growth in Glynn County and proved to be another catalyst in the economic growth for this area. FLETC has become one of the largest training facilities serving over 80 federal agencies in the country. The housing and retail markets have reaped the benefits of FLETC’s growth as the number of trainees that are sent to the area increases.

The economic progress that this area has made is also a direct reflection of the growth in population which has advanced the trade and industry in local businesses. The giants of the retail sector including: Home Depot, Wal-mart, Target, Office Depot, and Lowe’s have emerged on the scene to take advantage of the steady increase in development and population.