Waco, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Waco · Haralson County, Georgia
Population 685 (est. 2026: ~1,100)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + 13.72% annual growth projection

Waco, Georgia

Haralson County, Georgia · Population 536

Waco sits in the rolling foothills of northwest Georgia, tucked into Haralson County about 60 miles west of Atlanta along the U.S. 78 corridor. It is a small, tight community — the kind of place where nearly everyone knows their neighbors and the nearest stoplight is probably in the next town. Buchanan, the Haralson County seat, is just a few miles away and handles most of the county's civic functions. Bremen, roughly five miles northwest, anchors commercial activity in the area. For anything requiring a regional hub, residents look toward the Atlanta metro to the east or Anniston, Alabama to the southwest.

People & Demographics

Census ACS 2022 estimates put Waco's population at 776, notably higher than the 536 figure from the decennial count, reflecting the usual fluctuation between estimates in small communities. The median age is 33.3 — slightly younger than typical for small Georgia towns. The town has 298 households with an average household size of 2.60, and 210 children under 18 live here, meaning roughly one in four residents is a minor. That proportion shapes what the community needs most: schools, affordable housing, and stable employment.

The population is predominantly white (662), with small Black (6), Asian (3), and Hispanic (8) populations. Haralson County as a whole holds 29,919 residents, making Waco one of several small communities that collectively form the county's rural fabric.

Economy & Employment

The economic picture in Waco is working-class and strained. Median household income sits at $33,500 — well below Georgia's statewide median, which consistently runs above $60,000. Per capita income is $20,193. Most concerning is the poverty figure: 243 residents — nearly a third of the ACS-estimated population — fall below the federal poverty line.

Of 305 residents in the labor force, 20 are unemployed, putting the local unemployment rate near 6.6%. The workforce here commutes out; Waco itself has no large employer. Manufacturing facilities in Bremen and Tallapoosa draw workers from across the county. West Georgia Technical College, reachable by phone at 678-821-3800, provides workforce training and credential pathways for residents seeking to upgrade their skills without relocating.

Housing

Waco's housing market is remarkably affordable by Georgia standards and nearly fully occupied. Of 300 total housing units, 298 are occupied, leaving just 2 vacant — a vacancy rate of less than 1%. That near-zero vacancy signals tight supply, not abundance.

The median home value is $123,100, a fraction of Georgia's statewide median. Median rent runs $840 per month. The split between owners and renters is close: 157 owner-occupied units versus 141 renter-occupied. That near-even divide is unusual for a town this small and suggests a meaningful portion of the population has not built equity in local property. For buyers, the entry price is low; for renters, $840 in a community with a $33,500 median household income still represents a significant share of monthly income.

Schools

Waco students attend Haralson County schools. No school sits within Waco's incorporated limits; the system is countywide. The full K–12 pipeline:

The county runs a traditional neighborhood-based elementary structure with separate primary and elementary buildings, then consolidates into single middle and high school campuses. The Rebel Academy serves students who need an alternative setting.

Getting Around

Waco is car country, full stop. Of 283 working residents, 205 drive alone and 45 carpool. Zero use public transit — there is none. Three people walk to work. Twenty-two work from home, a modest but meaningful share. The aggregate commute time for the entire working population totals 8,390 minutes, suggesting an average one-way trip around 30 minutes — consistent with driving to Bremen, Tallapoosa, or points toward the Atlanta suburbs. Anyone without a vehicle faces serious constraints.

Healthcare

The nearest hospital is Higgins General Hospital, serving Haralson County residents. For local provider searches, the CMS NPI Registry can be queried directly for Waco, GA practitioners: NPI Registry — Waco, GA. For major trauma or specialty care, residents typically travel toward the Atlanta metro.

Library

The Buchanan-Haralson Public Library is the nearest public library, located 0.4 miles from Waco — essentially walkable for anyone near the town center. Phone: 770-646-3369. It serves the full county and functions as the primary public information and resource hub for Waco residents.

Parks & Recreation

No national park unit sits inside Haralson County, but several NPS sites are within reasonable driving range:

The northwest Georgia foothills offer accessible outdoor terrain. Residents also benefit from proximity to Tallapoosa and Bremen for local parks and recreation facilities.

Natural Hazards

Haralson County has a long and serious federal disaster declaration record. Fifteen declarations have been issued since 1993, covering a wide range of threats:

Winter storms are the most frequent hazard — declarations in 1993, 2000, 2014 (two separate declarations), and 2026 confirm this is a recurring vulnerability for northwest Georgia's hill country. Ice events regularly disable roads and infrastructure.

Tropical systems reach this far inland with more force than most people expect. Hurricane Opal (1995), Hurricane Irma (2017, two declarations), Tropical Storm Zeta (2021), and Hurricane Helene (2024) all generated county-level disaster declarations. Flooding accompanies nearly every major storm system moving through the region.

Flooding from severe storms produced standalone declarations in 1998 and 2016.

The COVID-19 pandemic generated two federal declarations in March 2020.

Residents should treat winter ice events and inland tropical flooding as the primary recurring threats, and maintain readiness accordingly.

Government & Municipal Code

Waco is a incorporated city with a municipal code published through Municode: Waco City, Georgia — Municipal Code

Note: Waco does not maintain a local building code. Construction and building standards default to state and county requirements.

Weather

Current forecasts and alerts for Waco's coordinates (33.8073°N, 85.1866°W):

The nearest weather observation station is Bremen 2.8 WNW, approximately 5.3 miles away. Northwest Georgia experiences cold winters with significant ice risk, hot and humid summers, and a pronounced vulnerability to remnant tropical moisture in late summer and fall.

References

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