Population 33,335 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Waycross
Household size in Waycross
| Period | Waycross | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.70 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.46 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.41 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.66 | 2.73 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Waycross average 2.66 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size has crept up from 2.62 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Waycross
| Period | Waycross | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.7 | 36.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.7 | 36.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.3 | 38.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.0 | 38.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.7 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Waycross is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.0, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has edged down from 37.7 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the northeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Waycross
| Period | Waycross | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 13.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.1% | 13.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Waycross: 18.1% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 5.2 points, even as the national share fell. Waycross has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Georgia cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Waycross
Renters in Waycross
| Period | Waycross | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5% | 32.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.2% | 35.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.8% | 36.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.3% | 34.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in Waycross rent their homes (38.3%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. About six in ten owners (59.9%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southwest. The renter share has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Waycross
| Period | Waycross | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.0% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.0% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.5% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Waycross: 19.5% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.5 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Waycross
| Period | Waycross | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1985 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1987 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Waycross run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the center has the oldest housing. Only 16 of the 282 Georgia cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Waycross
| Period | Waycross | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $601 | $910 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $693 | $977 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $670 | $1,112 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $837 | $1,520 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$236 | +$609 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Waycross costs $837 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $236 a month from 2006–10, a 39% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 30.4% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northeast; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Waycross
Bachelor's degrees in Waycross
| Period | Waycross | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 28.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.4% | 28.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.8% | 31.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 35.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Waycross: 15.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 3.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Waycross has a lower share of college graduates than the great majority of Georgia cities.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Waycross
| Period | Waycross | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.1% | 84.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.5% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.0% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.4% | 89.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in Waycross never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 2.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Waycross has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Georgia cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Waycross
| Period | Waycross | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 10.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Waycross: 6.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.6 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Waycross compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waycross | 2.66 | 37.0 | 18.1% | 38.3% | 19.5% | 1975 | $837 | 15.0% | 82.4% | 6.2% |
| Dixie Union | 2.68 | 38.8 | 8.0% | 31.9% | 15.0% | 1992 | $781 | 7.3% | 83.5% | 10.7% |
| Blackshear | 2.62 | 40.3 | 11.4% | 23.8% | 11.4% | 1989 | $795 | 22.1% | 89.1% | 2.9% |
| Sand Hill | 2.48 | 38.5 | 18.0% | 13.4% | 15.4% | 1982 | $844 | 9.7% | 78.1% | 0.0% |
| Hoboken | 2.76 | 35.1 | 6.2% | 26.4% | 25.3% | 1994 | $868 | 6.1% | 82.5% | 0.9% |
| Millwood | 2.89 | 41.4 | 15.1% | 23.0% | 23.2% | 1989 | $727 | 13.5% | 77.2% | 2.6% |
| Manor | 2.55 | 35.9 | 20.2% | 12.2% | 16.8% | 1980 | $827 | 8.9% | 75.9% | 0.0% |
| Bickley | 2.96 | 40.9 | 12.6% | 15.0% | 15.6% | 1988 | $757 | 13.9% | 94.5% | 0.2% |
| Patterson | 2.86 | 37.6 | 14.8% | 21.1% | 12.4% | 1989 | $858 | 15.5% | 84.5% | 1.2% |
| Raybon | 3.07 | 32.8 | 7.5% | 28.7% | 11.1% | 1983 | $718 | 24.9% | 90.9% | 2.0% |
| Nahunta | 2.94 | 37.4 | 5.4% | 22.7% | 10.0% | 1992 | $735 | 25.6% | 87.5% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Williston, ND · Lockport, IL · Watertown, NY · Inman, SC · Cooper City, FL · Collegeville, PA · Chester, PA · Cabot, AR · Burlington, NJ · Brooklyn Center, MN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Waycross. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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