City · Mississippi
Waynesboro, Mississippi
Waynesboro, city, in Wayne County, Mississippi. Waynesboro had 4,495 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,567 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,518 (±18). GEOID 2878360.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,495
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,567 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,518 ±18
Median household income
$31,684
±$4,651 (90% margin)
Mississippi: $56,447
Median home value
$86,200
±$7,369 (90% margin)
Mississippi: $169,800
Median gross rent
$708
±$159 (90% margin)
Mississippi: $954
Where is Waynesboro and what county is it in?
Waynesboro is a city in Wayne County, Mississippi. It covers 12.7 square miles of land, 360 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Waynesboro, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,495 people lived in Waynesboro on July 1, 2025, down 1.6% since 2020, a steeper fall than Mississippi's (−0.2%). The 2020 Census counted 4,567 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,518 (±18).
| Measure | Waynesboro | Wayne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,518 ±18 | 19,718 | −345 |
| Households | 1,825 ±247 | 7,681 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.43 ±0.33 | 2.55 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,226 ±208 | 9,143 | no clear change |
Waynesboro's population since 2000
From 5,197 in 2000 to 4,495 in 2025: down 13.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Waynesboro 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 Waynesboro?
The median resident of Waynesboro is 39.1 years old; 21.0% are under 18 and 18.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 66.2%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 31.5%.
| Measure | Waynesboro | Wayne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 ±7.7 | 39.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.0% ±3.9 pts | 24.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.8% ±4.2 pts | 18.0% | – |
| Male | 49.8% ±7.1 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 2.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 31.5% ±6.4 pts | 56.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 66.2% ±7.0 pts | 37.9% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±1.8 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.3% ±2.5 pts | 4.6% | – |
| With a disability | 27.1% ±6.7 pts | 20.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 24.7% ±10.1 pts | 15.2% | +12.2 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 81.7% ±7.2 pts | 85.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.7% ±8.7 pts | 16.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.6% ±5.6 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.7% ±4.7 pts | 92.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 1.8% | – |
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 Waynesboro earn?
Half of Waynesboro's 1,825 households earn less than $31,684 a year (±$4,651), against $37,619 in Wayne County and $56,447 in Mississippi. In 2015-2019 it was $32,949 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 28.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Waynesboro | Wayne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $31,684 ±$4,651 | $37,619 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $60,577 ±$23,021 | $60,777 | – |
| Per capita income | $26,959 ±$10,275 | $25,879 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 28.2% ±16.8 pts | 22.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 42.6% ±23.6 pts | 29.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 34.5% ±11.3 pts | 20.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 85.4% ±8.3 pts | 89.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 78.4% ±10.0 pts | 82.9% | – |
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 Waynesboro?
Owners occupy 63.6% of Waynesboro's occupied homes and renters 36.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $86,200 by its owner (±$7,369). The median renter pays $708 a month including utilities, and 60.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Waynesboro | Wayne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $86,200 ±$7,369 | $91,100 | −$18,778 |
| Median gross rent | $708 ±$159 | $784 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 60.8% ±25.2 pts | 59.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $886 ±$95 | $1,207 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 63.6% ±9.2 pts | 85.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 36.4% ±9.2 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Housing units | 2,226 ±208 | 9,143 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 11.9% ±12.8 pts | 11.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 68.4% ±10.3 pts | 64.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 10.6% ±6.1 pts | 28.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.3% ±4.6 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 4.4% ±4.2 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.8% ±7.2 pts | 6.0% | – |
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 Waynesboro building?
Builders took permits for 5 new housing units in Waynesboro in 2025 (5 in single-family houses), 1.1 per 1,000 residents against 2.8 across Mississippi.
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 Waynesboro work and get to work?
83.9% of Waynesboro's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 27.3 minutes.
| Measure | Waynesboro | Wayne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 45.3% ±8.9 pts | 54.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% ±5.7 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.9% ±10.8 pts | 85.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.5% ±8.2 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.6% ±8.1 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.3 min ±10.2 | 32.2 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 Waynesboro?
1 census tract lies mostly in Waynesboro, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9502Wayne County | 5,013 | $35,023 |
| Tract 9501.02Wayne County | 2,642 | $28,636 |
| Tract 9501.01Wayne County | 2,281 | $31,993 |
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 Waynesboro) · Census block assignment files
How does Waynesboro compare with other places in Mississippi?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Waynesboro is the 5,204th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 68th-most populous of 299 in Mississippi.
Waynesboro ranks 159th of 172 places in Mississippi with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 68th | 299 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 64th | 148 |
| Residents per square mile | 149th | 187 |
| Median household income | 159th | 172 |
| Per capita income | 85th | 183 |
| Median home value | 157th | 178 |
| Median gross rent | 122nd | 161 |
| Poverty rate | 54th | 160 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 118th | 171 |
| Median age | 67th | 186 |
| Owner-occupied share | 87th | 182 |
| Travel time to work | 49th | 185 |
Waynesboro's figures with every place in Mississippi (CSV)
Every place in Mississippi, sortable · Compare Waynesboro 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 Waynesboro?
22 of the 57 figures for Waynesboro 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 Waynesboro 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 Waynesboro.