Chatham County, Georgia

Chatham County
Chatham County Administrative and Legislative Center in Savannah
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°58′N 81°05′W / 31.97°N 81.09°W / 31.97; -81.09
Country United States
State Georgia
FoundedFebruary 5, 1777 (1777)
Named afterWilliam Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham
SeatSavannah
Largest citySavannah
Area
  Total
632 sq mi (1,640 km2)
  Land426 sq mi (1,100 km2)
  Water206 sq mi (530 km2)  32.6%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
295,291
  Estimate 
(2024)
307,336
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitechathamcountyga.gov

Chatham County (/ˈætəm/ CHAT-əm) is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of Georgia, on the state's Atlantic coast. The county seat and largest city is Savannah. One of the original counties of Georgia, Chatham County was created February 5, 1777, and is named after William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham.

The U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 estimated population for Chatham County was 307,336 residents. The official 2020 U.S. census population was 295,291 residents, an increase of 11.4% from the official 2010 population of 265,128. Chatham County is the fifth-most-populous county in Georgia, and the state's most populous outside the Atlanta metropolitan area. The county is the core of the Savannah metropolitan area.