Vidette, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Vidette · Burke County, Georgia
Population 153 (est. 2026: ~300)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 18.3% annual growth projection

Vidette, Georgia

Burke County, Georgia · Population 103

Vidette sits in the western stretch of Burke County, a rural patch of east-central Georgia where the landscape is flat, pine-heavy, and largely agricultural. The county seat of Waynesboro lies a few miles to the east, and Augusta — the nearest metro — is roughly 30 miles northwest. Vidette is not a commuter suburb or a tourism destination. It is a small, settled community of longtime residents, with a median age of 60.2 and a housing stock that is almost entirely owner-occupied. Life here runs on quiet self-sufficiency and deep local roots.

People & Demographics

The ACS 2022 count puts Vidette's population at 191, spread across 96 occupied households. The average household size is 1.99 — small households, consistent with an older population. The median age of 60.2 is well above Georgia's state median and reflects a community that has not attracted large numbers of young families.

The racial breakdown is 115 Black residents and 76 white residents. No Asian or Hispanic/Latino population was recorded. Of the 191 residents, 39 are children under 18, which represents a modest share of the total.

Burke County as a whole holds 24,596 people — meaning Vidette accounts for less than 1% of the county's population. It is genuinely small, even by rural Georgia standards.

Economy & Employment

The median household income in Vidette is $24,184. The per capita income is $19,939. Both figures sit far below the Georgia state median household income, which has hovered around $65,000 in recent years. Of the 191 residents, 38 fall below the federal poverty line — a poverty rate approaching 20%.

The labor force numbers 99 residents, with 11 unemployed at the time of the survey. Of 88 workers counted in commuting data, the overwhelming majority — 82 — drive alone to work. The local economy offers limited employment; most working residents leave Vidette for jobs in Waynesboro or the Augusta metro.

Housing

Vidette has 108 total housing units, of which 96 are occupied and 12 are vacant — an 11% vacancy rate. The ownership picture is striking: 94 of the 96 occupied units are owner-occupied. Only 2 units are renter-occupied. This is an unusually high ownership rate, even for rural Georgia, and it signals a stable, long-tenured residential base rather than a transient or rental market.

Median home value and median rent data were not available from the ACS 2022 sample, likely due to the small population size.

Schools

Vidette students attend Burke County public schools. The district operates several campuses serving different grade bands:

All secondary and most elementary instruction is centralized in or near Waynesboro, requiring bus or car transport from Vidette.

Getting Around

Vidette is car-dependent. Of 88 workers, 82 drove alone to work. One carpooled. Zero used public transit, walked, or worked from home. The aggregate travel time for all workers combined was 2,500 minutes — averaging out to roughly 28 minutes per worker per one-way commute. There is no local transit infrastructure. A personal vehicle is not optional here.

Healthcare

Burke Medical Center is the county hospital, located in Waynesboro. Rating and emergency department data were not available in the current dataset. For a full list of healthcare providers with active NPI registrations in Vidette, the CMS NPI Registry provides current results. For any serious emergency, the Augusta metro's hospital network — including University Hospital and Augusta University Medical Center — is accessible within 30 to 40 minutes by car.

Library

The Burke County Library is located approximately 0.5 miles from Vidette. Phone: (706) 554-3277. It is the primary public library serving the county and the closest library resource for Vidette residents.

Natural Hazards

Burke County has a documented history of weather-related disasters. FEMA has issued 15 disaster or emergency declarations for the county since 2014:

The pattern is clear: Burke County sits in a corridor repeatedly struck by Gulf and Atlantic storm systems tracking inland through Georgia. Residents should maintain storm preparedness plans, particularly for late-summer and fall hurricane season. Ice storms are also a documented risk in winter months.

Government & Municipal Code

Vidette is an incorporated city with a municipal code published through Municode. The full code is available at library.municode.com/ga/vidette-city-georgia. Note that Vidette does not have a local building code on file with Municode — building and construction matters likely default to state minimums and Burke County regulations.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Vidette are available through the National Weather Service. Active weather alerts for the area can be checked at alerts.weather.gov. The nearest official weather observation station is Waynesboro 2 S, approximately 1.0 mile from town.

References

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)