City profile · Georgia · Census ACS 2023

Valdosta, GA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Valdosta - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

55,222
Residents
$45,849
Median income
$165,300
Median home
$1,192
Median rent (state)

Valdosta - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Valdosta places in the 14th percentile for household income and the 5th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

14th
percentile, household income
32nd
percentile, home value
36th
percentile, median rent
5th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Valdosta, GA

Georgia's Valdosta is a small city, with 55,222 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $45,849 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 19.9%. Home values in Valdosta run a median of $165,300, and the median resident age is 28.9 years. 28.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 54.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 545 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Stable), up 2% from five years earlier. Valdosta's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 4634.2 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 67.3°F.

Living costs in Georgia run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Georgia scores 96.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,192 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Georgia's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 72.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

55,222 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Georgia

Median Household Income

$45,849 /yr

Poverty 19.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Georgia average

How does Valdosta compare to other US cities?

Valdosta measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 14% higher than other cities
Home value 32% pricier than other cities
Median rent 36% pricier than other cities
Safety 5% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Georgia, Valdosta ranks #151 of 165 Georgia cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Valdosta's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Georgia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

14thIncome percentile
5thSafety percentile

14th percentile nationally for median household income · 5th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Valdosta's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Valdosta's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 28 Avg. percentile National median
Valdosta's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Valdosta's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$165,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 68% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Valdosta $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Valdosta, GA Valdosta, GA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Valdosta, GA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Valdosta, GA median $45,849/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Valdosta, GA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Valdosta, GA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
55,222
Median Income
$45,849
Median Home Value
$165,300
Median Age
28.9
Poverty Rate
19.9%
Labor force participation
54.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4634.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
555.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4078.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
67.3°F
Annual Precipitation
N/A
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
17
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
54,500 residents55,000 residents55,500 residents56,000 residents56,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 55,426 residents 56,186 residents ▲ +1.4%
Valdosta's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
545
housing units authorized
Single-Family
545
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
9.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 533
2020 496
2021 603
2022 510
2023 535
2024 545

Permit volume increased 2% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.1%
Carpool
9.3%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
2.6%
Work from Home
3.9%
Other
2.8%

Based on 24,709 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Georgia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$125
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Georgia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Georgia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Valdosta sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,192/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
72.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Georgia

Smyrna
56,285 people
Brookhaven
57,224 people
Dunwoody
51,563 people
Stonecrest
59,917 people
Marietta
61,773 people
Alpharetta
66,355 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Valdosta's 55,222 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Chicopee, MA
55,213 people
South Whittier, CA
55,201 people
Perth Amboy, NJ
55,278 people
West Haven, CT
55,147 people
Smyrna, TN
55,066 people
Tigard, OR
55,395 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Valdosta's $45,849 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

London, KY
$45,850 median income
Amite City, LA
$45,850 median income
Wadena, MN
$45,850 median income
Floydada, TX
$45,848 median income
Syracuse, NY
$45,845 median income
Urbana, IL
$45,854 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Valdosta, GA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Valdosta, GA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 35.8% 56.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.9% White 35.8% Black or African American 56.0% Asian 1.3% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 2.0% Two or more races 4.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Valdosta compares to nearby Georgia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Valdosta (this city) 55,222 $45,849
Smyrna 56,285 $96,780
Brookhaven 57,224 $117,448
Dunwoody 51,563 $109,116
Census ACS 5-year FIPS GA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Valdosta, GA?

What is the population of Valdosta, GA? +

Valdosta, GA has a population of 55,222 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Valdosta, GA? +

The median household income in Valdosta is $45,849 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Valdosta? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Valdosta; the closest available measure is the Georgia state average, a cost of living index of 96.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Georgia vary by metro area.

Is Valdosta, GA safe? +

Valdosta has a total crime rate of 4634.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Valdosta, GA? +

Homes in Valdosta carry a median value of $165,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Valdosta? +

Valdosta has an average annual temperature of 67.3°F. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.