Jeff Davis County has abundant real estate, a competitive wage market, and locally operated utilities which help keep the cost of doing business in the county low.

Abundant Real Estate

Although Jeff Davis County, Georgia is a great location for commerce, transportation, and qualified workers, real estate is still reasonable and affordable. Whether you want to purchase outright or lease, there are options to choose from to suit the needs of your business.

Smaller scale businesses can find ideal retail or office locations in downtown Hazlehurst or along main thoroughfares within the county. Large scale industrial, manufacturing or shipping operations are able to develop their own custom facilities on available sites. Click here to see our sites and buildings.

Cost of Living and Competitive Wages

With a cost of living more than 25 percent lower than the U.S. average and more than 20 percent less than the statewide average, the dollars of both employers and employees can go farther in Jeff Davis County. Thanks to this low cost of living, employers can offer competitive compensation to workers, while keeping labor costs in a range that also promotes profitable operations. Average wages for workers in Jeff Davis County are just under $18 an hour, which makes the area a prime location for new business development or relocating an existing business.

Cost of Doing Business
Cost of Doing Business

Hourly Wages in Jeff Davis County by Occupation

Occupation Type Average Wage Median Wage
Management $41.58 $36.44
Business and Financial Operations $30.31 $26.50
Computer and Mathematical $33.73 $29.37
Architecture and Engineering $39.37 $37.25
Life, Physical, and Social Science $33.20 $29.45
Community and Social Service $20.54 $18.69
Legal $33.29 $29.17
Educational Instruction and Library $23.07 $22.99
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media $19.68 $17.08
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical $35.35 $28.53
Healthcare Support $13.36 $11.51
Protective Service $19.00 $17.91
Food Preparation and Serving Related $11.06 $10.37
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance $12.94 $11.43
Personal Care and Service $12.42 $10.62
Sales and Related $15.31 $11.30
Office and Administrative Support $16.73 $14.41
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry $17.40 $14.13
Construction and Extraction $18.99 $17.46
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair $21.96 $18.42
Production Occupations $17.39 $14.27
Transportation and Material Moving $16.25 $14.29
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2021

Incentives & Taxes

Jeff Davis County and the State of Georgia offer an aggressive package of incentives for potential relocating and expanding businesses to encourage investment and job creation. The Development Authority of Jeff Davis County is eager to help your business grow. Possible incentives may include:

  1. Available land at low cost
  2. Potential local tax assistance and tax abatement schedules through the Development Authority of Jeff Davis County
  3. Industrial Revenue Bond Financing (IRB) available through the Development Authority of Jeff Davis County
  4. One Georgia Grants
  5. For a minimum of 2 net new jobs created, $4,000 Job Tax Credit per new job each year for five years (unused job tax credits can be carried forward for up to 10 years.) Jeff Davis County is a Tier 1 community.
  6. 100% Freeport Exemption for work in process, raw materials and finished goods destined to be shipped out of state
  7. Quick Start training for employees at no cost
  8. Infrastructure improvements
  9. Strong local banking institutions for assistance in financing
  10. Competitive utility rates and high-speed, large bandwidth Internet services

Click here for more information on other available state tax credits for investment, retraining, ports, etc. For information about local incentives, please contact the Development Authority of Jeff Davis County at (912) 375-4543.

TAXES

Georgia’s low corporate tax rate of 5.75 percent; single factor apportionment formula applies the corporate tax rate only to gross receipts or sales in Georgia, significantly reducing the tax rate of Georgia companies with substantial sales to customers outside of Georgia.

Taxes on real estate and tangible personal property are levied by the City of Hazlehurst, Jeff Davis County, and the Jeff Davis County School District. The taxes are collected by the county. The tax rates are set annually, but do not significantly change from year to year. All properties are assessed at 40 percent of fair market value. The effective tax rate represents total tax as a percentage of fair market value.

Millage Rates

  • City of Hazlehurst 8.000
  • Jeff Davis County 15.380
  • Jeff Davis County Schools 14.000
Sales tax in Jeff Davis County is
8 percent: 4 percent state, 4 percent local.