Skidaway Island is unincorporated community on a barrier island of the same name in Chatham County, Georgia, United States. Located south of Savannah, Skidaway Island is known for its waterfront properties and golf courses within The Landings, one of the largest gated communities in the country. The population was 9,310 at the 2020 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Skidaway Island as a census-designated place (CDP). A separate area of the island hosts the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, a research institution operated by the University of Georgia. It receives scholars and researchers from several other Georgia universities as well, including Georgia Tech, Savannah State University, and the College of Coastal Georgia. Skidaway Island is part of the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is uncertain why the name "Skidaway" was applied to this island; the name may be derived from a word in Yamacraw or another Native American Creek language. In his 1967 publication How Georgia Got Her Names, Hal E. Brinkley stated that the name might be an Anglicized form of Scenawki, the wife of the Yamacraw chief Tomochichi, for whom Georgia's founder James Oglethorpe named the island. In a March 2019 referendum, Skidaway Island voters overwhelmingly rejected a bill that would have incorporated their community as the City of Skidaway Island. The island remains unincorporated. Geography Skidaway Island is located at (31.927434, -81.042505). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and (8.45%) is water. Demographics 2020 census As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,310 people, 4,272 households, and 3,014 families residing in the CDP. 2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 6,914 people, 3,193 households, and 2,701 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 3,491 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.57% White, 0.48% African American, 0.01% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.16% from other races, and 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.77% of the population. There were 3,193 households, out of which 13.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 82.8% were married couples living together, 1.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.4% were non-families. 14.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had