<ARTICLE> 9 <CIK> 0000857855 <NAME> UNITED COMMUNITY BANKS, INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998 <CASH> 48,510 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 0 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 7,190 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 314,394 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 57,393 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 59,106 <LOANS> 999,871 <ALLOWANCE> 11,929 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,498,599 <DEPOSITS> 1,163,124 <SHORT-TERM> 26,520 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 19,574 <LONG-TERM> 202,631 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 7,394 <OTHER-SE> 79,356 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 1,498,599 <INTEREST-LOAN> 93,133 <INTEREST-INVEST> 14,408 <INTEREST-OTHER> 1,518 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 109,139 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 50,174 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 56,640 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 52,499 <LOAN-LOSSES> 2,372 <SECURITIES-GAINS> 800 <EXPENSE-OTHER> 41,098 <INCOME-PRETAX> 17,740 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 17,740 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 12,152 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.64 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.62 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 4.58 <LOANS-NON> 518 <LOANS-PAST> 464 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 4,300 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 0 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 10,352 <CHARGE-OFFS> 1,288 <RECOVERIES> 493 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 11,929 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 0 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 11,929