Jeff Davis County, Georgia possesses a capable and primarily non-union labor force with strong and loyal work ethics.

Jeff Davis County Age Demographics

Median Age 37.9
Less Than 20 28.0%
Under age 5 6.9%
Ages 5-9 7.4%
Ages 10-14 7.4%
Ages 15-19 6.3%
Age 20-64 55.5%
Ages 20-24 5.3%
Ages 25-34 13.0%
Ages 35-44 12.9%
Ages 45-54 11.9%
Ages 55-64 12.4%
Age 65 + 65.5%
Ages 65-74 10.6%
Ages 75-84 4.8%
Age 85 and older 1.1%
Source: Esri 2023

The county’s population was recorded at 15,063 in the 2020 census. Currently, the median age of Jeff Davis County residents is 37.9, and more than 55 percent of the population is within the prime working age ranges.

 

The county is fortunate to have access to an expanded labor pool from the neighboring counties of Appling, Bacon, Coffee, Montgomery, Telfair, Toombs, and Wheeler, that collectively form our labor-shed area. This eight-county labor shed area translates into a labor pool of more than 60,000 workers for industries that locate in Jeff Davis County.

Jeff Davis County’s average labor force information is provided below:

  Civilian Labor Force Number Employed Number Unemployed Unemployment Rate Average Weekly Wage
Jeff Davis County 6,257 6,041 216 3.5% $840
8-County Draw Area (30 mile radius) 61,337 59,131 2,206 3.6% $868
20-County Draw Area (50 mile radius) 148,792 143,656 5,136 3.5% $868
Georgia 5,336,733 5,183,182 153,551 2.9% $1,249
Source: Georgia Department of Labor Area Labor Profiles, 2023; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Education & Training

More than 82 percent of Jeff Davis County’s workforce holds a high school diploma or higher. The regional Southern Pines College and Career Academy prepares students for the workforce upon graduation. Continued educational opportunities also are easily accessible.

New and expanding businesses in Jeff Davis County may qualify for free pre- and post-employment training for employees through Georgia’s Quick Start program, consistently recognized in the top three of training programs in the U.S. Quick Start provides training space, instructors and all materials related to the company’s customized program, potentially saving companies hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars in training costs. Locally, Quick Start is administered by Coastal Pines Technical College, which has a satellite campus in Hazlehurst.

  1. Coastal Pines Technical College – Hazlehurst campus (also campuses in Alma, Baxley, Jesup, Waycross, Camden County, and the Golden Isles)
  2. Brewton-Parker College – Mount Vernon (22 miles)
  3. Southeastern Technical College – Vidalia (27 miles)
  4. South Georgia State College – Douglas & Waycross (30-48 miles)
  5. Wiregrass Georgia Technical College – Douglas, Fitzgerald, Pearson, Valdosta (36-81 miles)
  6. East Georgia State College – Swainsboro (53 miles) • Middle Georgia State University – Cochran (56 miles)
  7. Middle Georgia State University – Cochran (56 miles)
  8. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College – Tifton (61 miles)
  9. Georgia Southern University – Statesboro (62 miles)
  10. Georgia Military College – Valdosta (78 miles)
  11. College of Coastal Georgia – Brunswick (81 miles)
  12. Valdosta State University – Valdosta (81 miles)

Coastal Pines Technical College offers more than 150 associate degree, diploma and certificate programs, and graduates enjoyed a 100 percent job placement rate in 2023.

Commuting Patterns

More Jeff Davis County residents work outside the county than do not – 3,435 – presenting opportunities for employers to attract those who want to work closer to where they live. Another 2,416 workers commute into Jeff Davis County from surrounding counties. About 2,147 Jeff Davis County residents both live and work inside the county.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Inflow/Outflow Job Counts

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