City safety & data profile

WaycrossGA

Waycross, GA is a 14K-resident city in Ware County with a median household income of $38,301.

Ware County, Georgia. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for Waycross, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. Waycross has a population larger than 23% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $84,100, and 1 hospital serving the surrounding area.

Data updated 2026-07-20

14K
Population
Top 77%
By size
$38,301
Median income
$84,100
Median home
32.7%
Poverty rate

The read on Waycross

Waycross posts a median household income higher than 1% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 1 hospital serves the Waycross area.

Top 99%
by median income, US cities
1
hospital in & near Waycross

Where Waycross income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$38,301 Bottom 1% higher than 1% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

$0–$20,000: 0 places Areazine profiles (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 71 places Areazine profiles (2%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 788 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 768 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 515 places Areazine profiles (13%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 308 places Areazine profiles (8%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 171 places Areazine profiles (4%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 92 places Areazine profiles (2%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 47 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $220,000–$240,000: 18 places Areazine profiles (0%). Above this entry. $240,000–$260,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. GA $0 $260,000 every profiled place, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. 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, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

The quick read

Reading Waycross, GA beyond the headline numbers

Waycross sits inside Ware County, Georgia, at roughly 31.21°N, -82.36°W. Population 14,053, $38,301 median household income. Median home value $84,100, median rent $768. Poverty rate 32.7%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: Waycross's highest-prevalence health measure is high blood pressure at 48.8%, then obesity at 44.9%. 1 hospital in/around Waycross, 3/5 avg rating, 1 with an ER.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for Waycross from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Comparison bars benchmark each metric against the national reference.

Population
14,053
Waycross
Median Income
$38,301
-44% vs avg
Median Home Value
$84,100
-63% vs avg
Median Age
38
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (Ware County) - Waycross's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024
Population
36K-0%
Median Income
$47,448+37%
Median Home Value
$109,500+38%
Poverty Rate
21.5%-12%
Unemployment
5.9%-40%

Economics

Economics indicators for Waycross, GA
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$768/mo
Poverty Rate
32.7% +130% vs avg
Unemployment 11.6%
Bachelor's Degree+ 16%
Work From Home 6.7%
Public Transit 0.1%

Population

White 35.7%
African American 56%
Asian 0.7%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.3%

Health Profile 15 measures

Health Indicators

High Blood Pressure
48.8%
Obesity
44.9%
Short Sleep Duration
41.5%
Physical Inactivity
40.8%
Diabetes
20.8%
Current Smoking
20.2%
Frequent Mental Distress
20%
Frequent Physical Distress
18.9%
Lack of Health Insurance
16.9%
Current Asthma
11.8%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 47.1%
Annual Checkup 81.6%

Other Measures

Binge Drinking
11.3%
Coronary Heart Disease
9.3%
Stroke
6.2%

Hospitals 1 total

Rating Distribution
★★★★★
0
★★★★
0
★★★
1
★★
0
0
Average Rating
3/5
Total Hospitals
1
With ER
1
Memorial Satilla Health
WAYCROSS · Acute Care Hospitals · ER
★★★☆☆

Frequently Asked Questions 6

What is the population of Waycross, GA?
Waycross, GA has a population of 14,053 people, located in Ware County, Georgia.
What is the median household income in Waycross?
The median household income in Waycross, GA is $38,301 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 32.7%.
What is the median home value in Waycross?
The median home value in Waycross, GA is $84,100. Median rent is $768/month.
What are the top health concerns in Waycross?
The top health indicators in Waycross include High Blood Pressure (48.8%), Obesity (44.9%), Short Sleep Duration (41.5%). Data from CDC PLACES.
How many hospitals are in Waycross?
Waycross has 1 hospital with an average rating of 3/5 stars. 1 have emergency departments.
What is the median age in Waycross?
The median age in Waycross, GA is 38 years. 16% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

Waycross, GA is located in Ware County, Georgia. With a population of 14K and a $38,301 median household income, the community faces health challenges including high blood pressure and obesity. Residents have access to 1 hospital with an average rating of 3/5 stars. Safety alerts for the Waycross area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

Primary source data

Nearby Cities 8

Using Waycross's profile

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

  • Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the Waycross area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
  • Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
  • Compare Waycross against Georgia peers on any ranking lens. Explore Georgia

Population and economics (income, home value, poverty, education) are place-level U.S. Census ACS; health is CDC PLACES; hospital counts reflect facilities in and around the city.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (Ware County) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census, CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.