City · Georgia
Waycross, Georgia
Waycross, city, mostly in Ware County (99.9% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Pierce County, Georgia. Waycross had 13,936 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 13,942 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 13,756 (±20). GEOID 1380956.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
13,936
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 13,942 · ACS 2020-2024: 13,756 ±20
Median household income
$38,301
±$6,302 (90% margin)
Georgia: $77,353
Median home value
$84,100
±$14,387 (90% margin)
Georgia: $303,300
Median gross rent
$768
±$85 (90% margin)
Georgia: $1,393
Where is Waycross and what county is it in?
Waycross is a city mostly in Ware County (99.9% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Pierce County, Georgia. It covers 11.9 square miles of land, 1,174 residents per square mile in 2020.
Waycross is in the Waycross, GA micropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Ware County | 13,934 | 99.9% |
| Pierce County | 8 | 0.1% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Waycross, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 13,936 people lived in Waycross on July 1, 2025, down 0.1% since 2020, while Georgia grew 5.5%. The 2020 Census counted 13,942 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 13,756 (±20).
| Measure | Waycross | Ware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 13,756 ±20 | 35,976 | +64 |
| Households | 5,394 ±406 | 12,957 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.49 ±0.19 | 2.59 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 7,158 ±347 | 15,943 | no clear change |
Waycross's population since 2000
From 15,333 in 2000 to 13,936 in 2025: down 9.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Waycross as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Waycross?
The median resident of Waycross is 38.0 years old; 28.7% are under 18 and 17.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 55.0%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 35.5%. 3.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Waycross | Ware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.0 ±2.4 | 37.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 28.7% ±2.9 pts | 24.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.6% ±2.3 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Male | 45.1% ±2.5 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.3% ±2.4 pts | 5.1% | +3.7 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 35.5% ±5.1 pts | 61.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 55.0% ±4.9 pts | 29.7% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.7 pts | 1.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±1.2 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.9% ±1.8 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.5% ±2.1 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.5% ±2.2 pts | 6.2% | – |
| With a disability | 17.2% ±3.1 pts | 15.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 18.8% ±3.8 pts | 16.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 80.9% ±4.9 pts | 82.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.0% ±3.6 pts | 14.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.4% ±1.9 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.7% ±3.1 pts | 91.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.7% ±0.7 pts | 1.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Waycross earn?
Half of Waycross's 5,394 households earn less than $38,301 a year (±$6,302), against $47,448 in Ware County and $77,353 in Georgia. In 2015-2019 it was $33,698 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 32.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Waycross | Ware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $38,301 ±$6,302 | $47,448 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $47,324 ±$4,124 | $59,518 | – |
| Per capita income | $19,940 ±$1,850 | $23,230 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 32.7% ±4.9 pts | 21.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 45.6% ±9.3 pts | 30.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 33.0% ±6.6 pts | 21.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.9% ±2.7 pts | 92.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 77.5% ±4.9 pts | 77.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Waycross?
Owners occupy 46.5% of Waycross's occupied homes and renters 53.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $84,100 by its owner (±$14,387). The median renter pays $768 a month including utilities, and 45.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Waycross | Ware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $84,100 ±$14,387 | $109,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $768 ±$85 | $789 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 45.7% ±9.9 pts | 40.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,011 ±$146 | $1,138 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 46.5% ±6.4 pts | 63.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 53.5% ±6.4 pts | 36.9% | – |
| Housing units | 7,158 ±347 | 15,943 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.9% ±2.8 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.1% ±4.2 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 63.6% ±5.0 pts | 65.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.8% ±3.1 pts | 20.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.4% ±2.6 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.2% ±2.8 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 26.7% ±5.8 pts | 16.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Waycross building?
Builders took permits for 84 new housing units in Waycross in 2025 (8 in single-family houses), 6.0 per 1,000 residents against 5.4 across Georgia.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Waycross work and get to work?
79.6% of Waycross's workers drive alone and 6.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 11.6%.
| Measure | Waycross | Ware County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 47.3% ±3.6 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 11.6% ±5.1 pts | 5.9% | +6.4 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 79.6% ±4.9 pts | 84.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.6% ±3.7 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 1.3% ±1.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.7% ±3.2 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.7 min ±2.4 | 20.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Waycross?
5 census tracts lie mostly in Waycross, and 6 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $27,266 (Tract 9504) to $64,391 (Tract 9506).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9506Ware County | 5,435 | $64,391 |
| Tract 9505Ware County | 4,831 | $38,523 |
| Tract 9509Ware County | 4,301 | $46,325 |
| Tract 9508.02Ware County | 2,509 | $29,091 |
| Tract 9507Ware County | 1,940 | $29,623 |
| Tract 9504Ware County | 1,999 | $27,266 |
| Tract 9503Ware County | 2,634 | $40,076 |
| Tract 9508.01Ware County | 3,082 | $48,952 |
| Tract 9603.01Pierce County | 4,137 | $57,361 |
| Tract 9502Ware County | 7,505 | $57,052 |
| Tract 9604.01Pierce County | 4,976 | $68,750 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Waycross) · Census block assignment files
How does Waycross compare with other places in Georgia?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Waycross is the 2,534th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 88th-most populous of 537 in Georgia.
Waycross ranks 312th of 348 places in Georgia with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 88th | 537 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 223rd | 297 |
| Residents per square mile | 115th | 360 |
| Median household income | 312th | 348 |
| Per capita income | 322nd | 357 |
| Median home value | 325th | 346 |
| Median gross rent | 276th | 337 |
| Poverty rate | 37th | 302 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 252nd | 343 |
| Median age | 147th | 360 |
| Owner-occupied share | 294th | 354 |
| Work from home | 170th | 198 |
| Travel time to work | 321st | 359 |
Waycross's figures with every place in Georgia (CSV)
Every place in Georgia, sortable · Compare Waycross with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Waycross?
10 of the 57 figures for Waycross on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Waycross are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Waycross.