Waycross Authority

Waycross is a lower-income town of 13,756 with home prices 3.6× below the Georgia median.

Population 13,756

Source: Census ACS 2023

Waycross, Georgia

Pierce County, Georgia · Population 13,942

Waycross sits at the geographic heart of southeastern Georgia, roughly equidistant from Savannah, Jacksonville, and Valdosta — close enough to each to matter, far enough from all three to operate on its own terms. The city is the county seat of Ware County (not Pierce County, despite the FIPS designation used in federal data), and it functions as the commercial and civic hub for a wide swath of the Okefenokee region. The Okefenokee Swamp — one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America — begins practically at the city's doorstep. Rail history runs deep here: Waycross grew into a significant railroad junction city in the late 19th century, and that industrial identity still shapes its layout and character. This is a working-class city that serves its region's needs directly, without a lot of pretense.

People & Demographics

Waycross has a population of 13,942, representing the majority of Pierce County's 19,716 residents in the surrounding data geography. The city is majority Black at approximately 7,647 residents, with 5,195 white residents and a Hispanic/Latino population of 865. The Asian population is small at 45 residents. Median age is 34.7, reflecting a relatively young community. There are 5,300 households across the city, of which 2,811 are family households. The average household size of 2.53 is close to the national average. Children under 18 number 4,188 — a meaningful share of the population that puts pressure on schools and family-serving infrastructure.

Economy & Employment

Median household income in Waycross is $36,818, and per capita income is $20,668. Both figures sit well below Georgia's statewide medians, which ran around $61,000 (household) in the same period. Poverty is a defining economic pressure: 4,517 residents fall below the federal poverty line, representing roughly a third of the population. The labor force stands at 4,748, with 307 unemployed — an unemployment rate of approximately 6.5%, elevated compared to state averages. Healthcare, retail, logistics, and public sector employment anchor the local economy. Memorial Satilla Health is a significant employer. Coastal Pines Technical College, with a local campus, provides workforce training pipelines in allied health, welding, industrial technology, and similar trades. The railroad legacy still echoes in the industrial base, though the sector is far smaller than its historical peak.

Housing

Housing in Waycross is genuinely affordable by almost any national measure. The median home value is $78,300. Median rent runs $766 per month. Of the 7,029 total housing units, 5,300 are occupied — leaving 1,729 vacant, a vacancy rate of about 24.6%. That high vacancy rate reflects both population loss over decades and the broader economic pressures in the region. Renters outnumber owners: 2,961 renter-occupied units versus 2,339 owner-occupied. The city skews toward renting, which is consistent with lower incomes and high poverty rates. For buyers with modest budgets, Waycross offers purchase prices that are genuinely accessible — but the economic conditions that produce those prices also reflect a constrained local market.

Schools

Waycross and the surrounding area are served by Ware County Schools. The school system is large relative to the city's population, pulling students from across the county:

• Ware County High School — Grades 9–12, 1,589 students

• Wacona Elementary School — Grades PreK–5, 937 students

• Ware County Middle School — Grades 6–8, 783 students

• Waycross Middle School — Grades 6–8, 583 students

• Center Elementary School — Grades K–5, 480 students

• Waresboro Elementary School — Grades K–5, 443 students

• Williams Heights Elementary School — Grades K–5, 426 students

• Ruskin Elementary School — Grades K–5, 379 students

• Memorial Drive Elementary School — Grades K–5, 353 students

• Waycross Regional Youth Detention Center — Grades 7–11, 10 students (secure facility)

The high school, with nearly 1,600 students, is the only comprehensive secondary school in the system. Two middle schools serving the county together handle around 1,366 students. Coastal Pines Technical College operates locally at (912) 287-5818 for those pursuing post-secondary technical credentials.

Getting Around

Waycross is car-dependent. Of 4,347 workers, 3,729 drive alone to work. Another 365 carpool. Public transit accounts for just 3 commuters. Walking accounts for 37. Working from home covers 166. Average one-way commute, calculated from aggregate travel time across 4,347 workers, works out to roughly 16–17 minutes — typical for a small Georgia city where most destinations are close. There is no meaningful transit infrastructure; a personal vehicle is a practical necessity.

Healthcare

Memorial Satilla Health serves as the primary hospital for Waycross and the surrounding region. It is located within the city. For a broader directory of local healthcare providers registered with CMS, the NPI Registry search for Waycross, GA returns active providers across specialties. For complex or specialized care, residents typically look to larger facilities in Savannah (approximately 100 miles northeast) or Jacksonville, Florida (approximately 110 miles southeast).

Library

The Waycross-Ware County Public Library serves the city and county. Contact: (912) 287-4978. It functions as a shared county resource — one of the primary public information and community access points in the region.

Natural Hazards

Pierce County and the Waycross area carry a substantial FEMA disaster declaration history. The county has been named in 15 federal declarations since 2005:

• 2024: Hurricane Helene (two declarations), Tropical Storm Debby (two declarations)

• 2023: Hurricane Idalia

• 2020: COVID-19 Pandemic (two declarations)

• 2019: Hurricane Dorian

• 2018: Hurricane Michael

• 2017: Hurricane Irma (two declarations)

• 2016: Hurricane Matthew (two declarations)

• 2009: Severe storms, flooding, tornadoes, and straight-line winds

• 2005: Hurricane Katrina evacuation

The pattern is clear: southeastern Georgia sits in the path of Atlantic and Gulf Coast storms. Hurricanes and tropical systems that make landfall anywhere from the Florida Panhandle to the Carolina coast can push damaging winds, flooding, and tornadoes into this area. Waycross also received evacuees during Katrina. Residents should maintain hurricane preparedness supplies and monitor the National Hurricane Center during storm season (June–November).

Government & Municipal Code

Waycross municipal code is published through Municode and available at library.municode.com/ga/waycross. The city does not have a locally adopted building code on file through the standard municipal code publisher, which prospective builders and contractors should verify directly with city offices before beginning any construction project.

Weather

Current forecasts for Waycross are available through the National Weather Service. Active weather alerts can be checked at the NWS Alerts page. The nearest weather observation station is WAYCROSS WSMO, located approximately 0.4 miles from the city center.

References

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2022 5-Year Estimates — Tables B01001, B01002, B02001, B03001, B09001, B11001, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25001, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25064, B25077, B08006, B08013

• National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022

• FEMA Disaster Declarations — Pierce County, Georgia

• CMS Hospital Compare — Memorial Satilla Health, Waycross, GA

• CMS NPI Registry — Waycross, GA providers

• National Weather Service / NOAA — Waycross WSMO station

• Municode — City of Waycross Municipal Code

• Coastal Pines Technical College

• Waycross-Ware County Public Library

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