Sylvester, Georgia
Seal of Georgia
Sylvester · Worth County, Georgia
Population 5,557 (est. 2026: ~5,300)
Source: Census ACS 2023 · ACS 2023 + -1.22% annual growth projection

Sylvester, Georgia

Worth County, Georgia · Population 5,644

Sylvester sits at the center of Worth County in southwest Georgia's coastal plain, about 40 miles southeast of Albany and roughly 175 miles south of Atlanta. It functions as the county seat and commercial hub for a largely agricultural region where peanuts, pecans, and timber have long shaped the local economy. The city calls itself the "Peanut Capital of the World" — not an idle claim in a county that consistently ranks among Georgia's top peanut-producing counties. It is a small Southern city in the truest sense: modest in size, rooted in farming and local institutions, with a hospital, a school district, and a downtown that serves the broader county rather than just the city limits.

People & Demographics

Sylvester's population of 5,644 represents roughly 27 percent of Worth County's 20,784 residents. The city skews slightly older than most small Georgia cities, with a median age of 38.1. Of the 5,622 residents counted in detail, 3,377 are Black and 1,990 are white, with 55 Asian residents and 32 Hispanic or Latino residents. That racial composition — majority Black in a majority-white county — reflects a pattern common across southwest Georgia's county seats.

There are 2,229 occupied households, with 1,500 classified as family households. Average household size is 2.44 persons. Children under 18 number 1,400, a meaningful share of the city's total population.

Economy & Employment

Median household income in Sylvester is $48,599. Per capita income comes in at $27,319. Both figures reflect the realities of a rural county economy: agriculture, healthcare, local government, and retail dominate employment. Georgia's statewide median household income runs considerably higher, placing Sylvester well below the state average.

Of the 2,577 residents counted in the labor force, 205 are unemployed — an unemployment rate of roughly 8 percent. Poverty is a persistent challenge: 1,539 residents fall below the federal poverty line, representing approximately 27 percent of the population. That is substantially higher than Georgia's statewide poverty rate.

Housing

Sylvester's housing market is one of the most affordable in the state. Median home value is $101,500 — a fraction of Georgia's statewide median. Median gross rent is $819 per month.

Of 2,474 total housing units, 2,229 are occupied and 245 sit vacant — a vacancy rate of about 10 percent. Owner-occupied units number 1,296; renters occupy 933 units. The roughly 58/42 owner-to-renter split suggests a stable but not overwhelmingly homeowner-dominated market. For buyers priced out of larger Georgia markets, Worth County offers genuine affordability, though the local economy and limited job diversity are the tradeoff.

Schools

All public schools in Sylvester operate under the Worth County School District. The schools serving the city are:

Combined enrollment across all five schools totals approximately 3,118 students. The Achievement Center serves students who need an alternative academic setting. For post-secondary options, the nearest colleges are outside Worth County; Albany Technical College and Albany State University in Albany are the closest practical options for county residents.

Getting Around

Sylvester is car-dependent. Of 2,343 workers, 1,945 drive alone — about 83 percent. Another 90 carpool. Notably, 52 residents use public transit, a higher number than many towns this size, and 72 walk to work. Another 130 work from home.

Average commute time, calculated from aggregate travel time across all workers, comes to approximately 19.8 minutes. Many county residents commute to Albany for employment in healthcare, retail, and manufacturing. There is no commercial airport in Worth County; Albany's Southwest Georgia Regional Airport is the nearest option.

Healthcare

Phoebe Worth Medical Center serves as the primary hospital for Sylvester and Worth County. It operates as part of the Phoebe Putney Health System, which is based in Albany. For specialized care, trauma services, or procedures beyond a rural critical access facility's scope, Albany — approximately 40 miles northwest — is where residents typically go.

A full directory of individual healthcare providers with active NPI registrations in Sylvester is searchable through the CMS NPI Registry.

Library

The Margaret Jones Public Library serves Sylvester and Worth County residents. It can be reached at (229) 776-2096. The library is part of the Statewide Library Service network that connects rural Georgians to broader regional collections and digital resources.

Parks & Recreation

Two significant National Park Service sites fall within reasonable driving distance of Sylvester:

The Plains High School Visitor Center and Museum is also nearby at approximately 47 miles, associated with the Carter historical sites.

Natural Hazards

Worth County has been struck repeatedly by named storms, severe weather, and flooding. FEMA has declared the county a disaster area or issued emergency declarations on 15 separate occasions since 2004:

The pattern is clear: this part of Georgia faces recurring hurricane and severe storm risk. Residents should maintain emergency preparedness for both direct storm impacts and inland flooding from tropical systems that weaken as they move inland.

Government & Municipal Code

Sylvester's municipal code is published through Municode and is publicly accessible at library.municode.com/ga/sylvester. Worth County and the City of Sylvester do not have a locally adopted building code on file with the state, according to available records.

Weather

Current forecasts and conditions for Sylvester are available through the National Weather Service:

The nearest official weather observation station is Sylvester 1.5 NW, located 0.9 miles from the city center.

References

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