Deciding where to retire in Savannah starts with one surprise: "Savannah" isn't one place. The city is ringed by marsh islands, small towns, and brand-new master-planned communities, and each has its own pace, price range, and set of trade-offs. A gated island and a 55+ golf cart community might be 30 minutes apart on the map and worlds apart in daily life.
I've sold real estate for more than 20 years, most of my clients are relocating here from other states, and I've moved more than 40 times myself. Below are the five areas I recommend most often for retirement, what each one does well, where each one falls short, and the vacation favorite I'd tell most people not to live in full-time.
The Short Answer: Where to Retire in Savannah
The five best places to retire in Savannah, GA and the surrounding area are:
- Isle of Hope for historic charm, live oaks, and water views
- Savannah Quarters in Pooler for convenience, shopping, and the airport
- Del Webb Savannah at Heartwood in Richmond Hill for a brand-new, age-restricted 55+ community
- The Landings on Skidaway Island for a gated, amenity-rich island lifestyle
- Wilmington Island for coastal living about ten minutes from Tybee's beach
The one I'd skip as a full-time home? Tybee Island. It's a wonderful place to visit and a difficult place to live full-time, for the reasons covered below.
Retire in Savannah: The 5 Areas at a Glance
| Area | Best for | Approximate price range | The biggest catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isle of Hope | Historic homes, live oaks, and water views | Premium for the location | Older homes, flood zones, and insurance |
| Savannah Quarters (Pooler) | Shopping, golf, and the airport | Westbrook Villas mostly in the $400Ks to $500Ks | Traffic and a suburban, not coastal, feel |
| Del Webb at Heartwood (Richmond Hill) | Brand-new homes and a built-in social calendar | Starting in the upper $300Ks | Still being built, little shade, far from the beach |
| The Landings (Skidaway Island) | Golf, marinas, clubs, and long-term care on the island | About $500K to well over $1M | Club dues on top of HOA, one road on and off |
| Wilmington Island | Beach access without living on the beach | Varies widely by neighborhood | Flood zones and summer Tybee traffic |
1. Isle of Hope: The Prettiest Drive in Savannah
About 10 miles south of downtown, Isle of Hope looks the way most people imagine old Savannah: giant live oaks draped in Spanish moss, historic homes with deep porches, and Bluff Drive curving along the Skidaway River with some of the prettiest water views in the area. It's the drive I recommend to anyone visiting for the first time.
What I love about Isle of Hope
- Bluff Drive. Waterfront homes, big porches, and the river right across the street.
- The marina. Isle of Hope Marina is an official stop on the Intracoastal Waterway, so boaters feel right at home.
- Wormsloe. The famous oak-lined avenue pictured above that you see all over Instagram (and in plenty of movies) is right around the corner at Wormsloe State Historic Site.
- Real character. Mature trees, older homes with personality, and established streets. You won't find cookie-cutter subdivisions here.
The catch
A lot of the homes are older, so plan on making some updates. Waterfront living also means you need to look closely at flood zones and flood insurance on every single house. And prices reflect how desirable the location is, so this isn't the bargain pick if saving money is your top goal.
Best fit if you want: character, mature trees, and a historic neighborhood feel close to downtown.
2. Savannah Quarters in Pooler: The Convenience Pick
Savannah Quarters in Pooler trades historic charm for convenience. It sits just off I-16 and I-95, minutes from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, with nearly every store and restaurant you could want close by. For anyone who travels often or wants errands to take minutes instead of an afternoon, Pooler is hard to beat.
Westbrook Villas
Savannah Quarters is a big golf community with lots of different sections inside it. Westbrook Villas is the section designed for retirement living. These are attached townhome-style villas that have mostly sold in the $400,000s and $500,000s lately. They're a great fit if you don't want to deal with a lot of yard work, exterior maintenance, or a big house to take care of.
What I love about Savannah Quarters
- The airport is close. Trips out of town are simple, and so are visits from family and friends.
- Shopping is right there. Costco is right across the street. Add golf, restaurants, a bowling alley, and movie theaters, and you've got everything nearby.
- Low-maintenance living. The villas take a lot of the upkeep off your plate.
The catch
Pooler has grown fast. Twenty years ago there was hardly anything out here, and today Pooler Parkway traffic can test your patience.
The HOA fees can be steep. While you do get a lot for the money (use of a gorgeous pool, fitness center, included lawncare in most sections of the neighborhood) you also have to opt in and pay for things you might not use, such as the restaurant.
You also won't get the coastal, water-everywhere feel many people picture when they think of Savannah. It's suburban: practical, convenient, and not exactly postcard material.
Best fit if you want: convenience, easy travel, and everyday errands within a few minutes.
3. Del Webb Savannah at Heartwood: The True 55+ Community
Del Webb Savannah at Heartwood in Richmond Hill is the Savannah area's first true age-restricted 55+ community. It's gated, golf cart friendly, and built around new construction and an active social calendar (honestly, a busier one than mine).
About 700 single-family homes are planned at full build-out. As of fall 2026, roughly 80 homes were finished, with about 100 expected by the end of the year. It's part of Heartwood, a roughly 7,000-acre master-planned community in Richmond Hill with shops, restaurants, a grocery store, and health care, all about 20 minutes from the airport.
The amenities (this is where Del Webb shines)
Plans call for a big clubhouse and amenity center with:
- An indoor pool, plus a resort-style outdoor pool with cabanas
- A fitness studio and a café
- Eight pickleball courts and two tennis courts
- Bocce ball, walking trails, and a dog park
- My favorite detail, the "Fish Camp," a boathouse on the pond with a dock and a fireplace
The full amenity center is expected to open around March 2027. There's also a full-time lifestyle director whose whole job is planning events, clubs, and classes. If you're moving here and don't know a soul, it's one of the easiest ways to make friends fast.
Watch my video tour of the new Del Webb Savannah at Heartwood community.
The homes
Most homes are single story, which matters a lot when you're thinking long term. Lawn care is included. Prices start in the upper $300,000s and go up depending on the size of the home and the upgrades you choose.
The catch
It's very new, so some amenities aren't ready yet. There isn't much mature landscaping, so the trees are still babies and there's not a lot of shade. It's also not close to downtown or the beach: plan on about half an hour to downtown and 45 minutes or so to the beach. The airport, on the other hand, is easy. And as with any HOA community, read the HOA documents and make sure you're fine with the rules.
For more detail, read my honest look at Del Webb Savannah at Heartwood, which covers the clubhouse and every model home.
Best fit if you want: a brand-new, single-story, low-maintenance home and a built-in social life.
4. The Landings on Skidaway Island: Luxury Island Living
When people say "luxury retirement in Savannah," this is usually what they mean. Skidaway Island is a barrier island about 20 minutes from downtown, and most of it is The Landings, the largest gated community in the Savannah area.
What I love about The Landings
- Six golf courses and two marinas
- Miles of walking and biking trails that run across the island
- A large fitness and wellness center
- Well over 100 clubs and organizations, from kayaking to art to wine, so whatever you're into, you'll find your people
The Landings isn't age restricted, but it's a big draw for anyone planning ahead. The Marshes of Skidaway Island is a continuing care retirement community right on the island, so you can go from your own home to independent living, assisted living, or memory care, if you ever need it, without leaving the island. For a lot of buyers, that peace of mind is the whole reason they choose Skidaway.
The catch
It's not cheap. Homes range from around $500,000 to well over a million, and club membership is a separate cost on top of HOA fees. There's also basically one way on and off the island, so it can feel a bit far from Pooler, the airport, and even the city.
If you like the idea of a gate but aren't sold on island life, check out my post on gated communities in Savannah.
Best fit if you want: an amenity-rich island lifestyle with security and a long-term plan for aging in place.
5. Wilmington Island: Near the Beach, Not on It
My parents lived on Wilmington Island for more than 20 years, so I know it well. It's my top pick for anyone whose retirement dream includes a morning walk on the beach without the headaches of living on a vacation island.
Wilmington Island is the last large island on US-80 before Tybee, a few bridges east of the city. The beach is about 10 minutes one way, and downtown is about 15 minutes the other.
What I love about Wilmington Island
- Water everywhere. Beautiful views, docks, and boating.
- Everyday conveniences. Grocery stores, restaurants, and Ace Hardware are all close by.
- Established, year-round neighborhoods. Homes are lived in full-time, not rented out by the week. That matters more than you'd think, as the Tybee section below explains.
The catch
You're still on the coast, so check flood zones and flood insurance on every single house. Summer beach traffic heading toward Tybee is the other trade-off. On busy days, a late-morning start can turn a 10-mile drive into a long crawl.
You'll find Wilmington Island with the rest of The Islands area on my site.
Best fit if you want: a coastal lifestyle with quick, easy trips to the beach, without living on a vacation island.
The One I'd Skip: Why I Don't Recommend Retiring on Tybee Island
Tybee Island is adorable, and the idea of retiring steps from the ocean is hard to resist. As a vacation spot, I love it. As a full-time retirement home, it comes with four problems worth knowing about before you fall for a beach cottage.
1. There's only one road on and off the island
US-80 is the only way on and off Tybee, and it sits very low. It floods during really high tides, bad storms, and hurricanes. When the road is underwater, it's closed, and nobody is going anywhere, including fire trucks and ambulances.
2. Insurance adds up fast
Island living means higher homeowners insurance, usually with flood insurance on top. That's a real hit to a retirement budget, year after year.
3. Stairs, stairs, and more stairs
A lot of Tybee homes are raised on stilts to stay above flood levels. That's smart construction, but it means climbing stairs just to reach your front door. If single-level living is part of your long-term plan, that's a big deal.
4. You live in a vacation town 365 days a year
Summer crowds, parking, and traffic are part of daily life. Residents even buy a parking decal so they're not feeding the meter all the time.
My advice
Don't live on Tybee. Live close to Tybee. Pick somewhere 10 or 15 minutes away, like Wilmington Island, so you can go anytime you want and get the best of beach life with very few of the downsides.
How to Choose Where to Retire in Savannah
If you read this and thought, "I like pieces of all of these," you're not alone. Here's a quick way to narrow it down:
- Want history and character? Start with Isle of Hope.
- Travel a lot or want family to visit easily? Look at Pooler and Savannah Quarters.
- Want new construction and an instant social life? Tour Del Webb at Heartwood.
- Want golf, boating, and a long-term care plan in one place? Look at The Landings.
- Want the beach without the island headaches? Check out Wilmington Island.
Then think about the things that don't show up in listing photos: flood zones, insurance costs, HOA rules, drive times to the doctor and the airport, and how the area feels on a Tuesday in July (not just a Saturday in April).
See These Areas on Video
If you'd like to see these neighborhoods before you visit, my video 5 BEST Places to Retire Near Savannah, GA And One I'd SKIP drives through all five, plus Tybee.
Frequently Asked Questions About Where to Retire in Savannah
What is the best place to retire in Savannah, GA?
It depends on how you want to live. Isle of Hope is best for historic charm, Savannah Quarters in Pooler for convenience, Del Webb at Heartwood for a new 55+ community, The Landings on Skidaway Island for an amenity-rich gated island, and Wilmington Island for easy beach access.
Is there a 55+ community near Savannah?
Yes. Del Webb Savannah at Heartwood in Richmond Hill is the first true age-restricted 55+ community in the Savannah area. It's gated, golf cart friendly, mostly single-story homes, and starts in the upper $300,000s.
Is Tybee Island a good place to retire?
Tybee is a wonderful place to visit, but it's a tough full-time home for many retirees. US-80, the only road on and off the island, can flood, insurance costs are higher, many homes are raised on stilts with lots of stairs, and summer crowds are part of daily life. Living 10 to 15 minutes away, on Wilmington Island for example, gives you the beach without most of the downsides.
How much does it cost to retire in Savannah?
It varies a lot by area. Del Webb at Heartwood starts in the upper $300,000s, Westbrook Villas in Savannah Quarters have mostly sold in the $400,000s and $500,000s, and The Landings runs from about $500,000 to well over $1 million, plus club membership. Don't forget to budget for HOA fees and, in coastal areas, flood insurance.
Where can I retire in Savannah and still be close to the beach?
Wilmington Island is about 10 minutes from Tybee's beach and about 15 minutes from downtown Savannah, with established neighborhoods, grocery stores, and restaurants close by.
Where should I retire in Savannah to be close to the airport?
Pooler. Savannah Quarters sits right off I-16 and I-95, a short drive from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. Del Webb at Heartwood in Richmond Hill is also an easy drive to the airport, at about 20 minutes.
Not Sure Which Area Fits You?
That's exactly what I help people figure out. Book a free relocation strategy session with me. There's no pressure and no obligation. We'll hop on Zoom and talk through your goals, budget, and lifestyle, and I'll give you my honest take on which areas near Savannah make the most sense for you, downsides included.
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