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City · 13,756 residents · Ware County, Georgia

Waycross , Georgia

In Waycross, a typical home is worth $84,100 and typical rent is $768 a month. Compared with all of Ware County, the typical home value is 23% lower, typical household income is 19% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 17 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $84,100

    23% below the county

    72% below Georgia

    • Waycross
    • Ware
    • Georgia

  • Typical rent

    $768a month

    3% below the county

    45% below Georgia

    • Waycross
    • Ware
    • Georgia

  • Typical household income

    $38,301a year

    19% below the county

    50% below Georgia

    • Waycross
    • Ware
    • Georgia

  • Households that own their home

    47%

    17 points below the county

    19 points below Georgia

    • Waycross
    • Ware
    • Georgia

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$144,255
3.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,058 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Waycross is in Ware County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Ware County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Waycross apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Waycross has the lowest typical home value of the 164 cities in Georgia with more than 5,000 people: $84,100.

  2. Waycross has the 5th lowest typical household income of the 162 cities in Georgia with more than 5,000 people ($38,301).

  3. Waycross has the 8th lowest typical rent of the 162 cities in Georgia with more than 5,000 people ($768).

  4. 47% of households in Waycross own their home, against 63% in Ware County.

  5. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Waycross rose 3.4%; in Georgia, it fell 0.6%.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Waycross

What homes there are in Waycross, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

As in Ware County, most homes in Waycross are detached houses (64%).

Year built

Homes in Waycross are older: the typical year built is 1969; in Ware County, 1978.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent (FMR) for Ware County is $1,011; about 72% of rents in Waycross are below it.

With a mortgage

$1,011 a month

Ware County: $1,138 a month

Without a mortgage

$406 a month

Ware County: $405 a month

Owners with a mortgage

44%

Ware County: 43%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Waycross is $1,011 a month, less than in Ware County ($1,138); without one, $406.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Waycross did not change clearly: the difference is within the Census margin of error.

Much as in Ware County, the typical rent in Waycross rose 23% since 2015–2019.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureWaycrossWare CountyGeorgiaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate6.8%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.1%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2.4%3.4%
People per household 2.492.592.622.53
Drive alone 80%85%71%69%
Carpool 9%8%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Work from home 7%5%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in Ware County, a household in Waycross has 2.49 people on average.

To get to work, 80% of workers in Waycross drive alone; in Ware County, 85%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Waycross?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Waycross, worth $84,100, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 22% of the typical household income in Waycross, which is $38,301 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Ware County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Waycross. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $2,944 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$700

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$82,576
Total interest
$118,808
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $1,420 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $894 a month

    Your payment · 22%

  • Tight

    $894 to $1,149 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,149 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Waycross ($38,301 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$700
Principal & interest$559
Property tax$68
Home insurance$35
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$37

You need at least $2,944 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Waycross and Ware County

Waycross is in Ware County, Georgia. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Waycross's own numbers

Typical home value
$84,100
Typical monthly rent
$768
Typical yearly household income
$38,301
Households that own their home
47%
Effective property tax rate
0.97%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Ware County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,011
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+79%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
4.4%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Ware County.

Everything about Ware County

Buying

Buying a home in Waycross

A typical home in Waycross is worth $84,100: 23% below the county and 72% below Georgia. With the typical household income in Waycross ($38,301 a year), a typical home costs 2.2 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Waycross 2.2 years
  • Ware 2.3 years
  • Georgia 3.9 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Ware County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Ware County rose 99% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Ware County.

Period County Georgia U.S.
Last year (2025) +11.1% +2.2% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +79% +58% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +99% +110% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Waycross next to Ware County, Georgia and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Waycross $84,100
  • Ware $109,500
  • Georgia $303,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Waycross $768
  • Ware $789
  • Georgia $1,393
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Waycross $38,301
  • Ware $47,448
  • Georgia $77,353
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Waycross next to Ware County and Georgia
Measure Waycross Ware County Georgia U.S.
Typical home value $84,100 $109,500 $303,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $768 $789 $1,393 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $38,301 $47,448 $77,353 $80,734
Households that own their home 47% 63% 66% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $818 $1,047 $2,341 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.97% 0.96% 0.77% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 60% 52% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Ware County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Waycross

For a typical $84,100 home in Waycross, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Waycross's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $700a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $2,944
    Cash to close
    $5,467
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $37

  • Conventional, 5% down $684a month

    Down payment
    $4,205
    Cash to close
    $6,728
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $40

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $559a month

    Down payment
    $16,820
    Cash to close
    $19,343
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $637a month

    Down payment
    $12,615
    Cash to close
    $15,138
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Waycross and for Ware County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Waycross

0.97%of the home’s value each year

$818 a year for the typical owner in Waycross.

  • Waycross 0.97%
  • Ware 0.96%
  • Georgia 0.77%

What Georgia publishes Standard state homestead exemption (Georgia Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Georgia

Flood risk in Ware County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Ware County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
4.4%
684
Of those, with NFIP insurance
14%
County Georgia U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 4.4% 2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 14% 43% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Waycross

Typical rent in Waycross is $768 a month: 3% below the county. In Waycross, 60% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Ware County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,011 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $19.44 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Ware County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $768 $14.77 $30,720
1 bedroom $773 $14.87 $30,920
2 bedrooms $1,011 $19.44 $40,440
3 bedrooms $1,205 $23.17 $48,200
4 bedrooms $1,564 $30.08 $62,560

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Waycross

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Waycross has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,010 in 31501 to $1,170 in 31503.

1 of the 2 is above the fair market rent for Ware County ($1,011).

  • 31501 $1,010$1,200
  • 31503 $1,170$1,400

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Waycross when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Waycross

HUD lists 18 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Waycross. These are the largest.

  • Northside Homes 1201 Tebeau St, Waycross 31501 212 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of the City of Waycross · Average payment: $259 a month · Average wait: 30 months (912) 287-2440
  • Garlington Heights 301 Garlington Ave, Waycross 31503 147 homes, 143 low-income · Run by Housing Authority of the City of Waycross · Average payment: $253 a month · Average wait: 12 months (912) 287-2440
  • Ware Manor 500 Walnut St, Waycross 31501 84 low-income homes · 1 bd: 20 · 2 bd: 28 · 3 bd: 36 · In service since 2001 · For families (912) 285-4330
  • Westport Village 1612 Carswell Ave, Waycross 31503 64 low-income homes · 1 bd: 32 · 2 bd: 32 · In service since 2007
  • Ware Terrace (Terrace Garden Apartments) 1103 Darling Ave, Waycross 31501 40 low-income homes · For older adults (912) 283-6740

See all 18 buildings in Ware County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Waycross

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Ware County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Waycross

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Waycross or Ware County. The ones below are statewide in Georgia: they work in Waycross the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Georgia

  • Georgia Dream Homeownership Program

    Statewide in Georgia

    Georgia state program for first-time buyers: a mortgage with down payment assistance of up to 5% of the price or $10,000, as a 0% second mortgage with no monthly payments. Offered by Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Georgia Dream Peach Plus Loan Program

    Statewide in Georgia

    FHA or VA mortgage from the Georgia Dream program with down payment assistance of 3.5% of the price (up to $10,000), or 4% (up to $12,500) for police officers, educators, health care workers, military members or families with a person with a disability; no first-time buyer requirement. Offered by Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Waycross

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Waycross, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Jcvision and Associates, Inc

    135 E Ml King Jr Dr, Hinesville · 63 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 9 more
    (912) 877-4243

  • Family Visions Outreach, Inc.

    601 West Price St., Sylvester · 90 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (229) 777-7704

  • CCCS of the Savannah Area, Inc. - Statesboro Branch

    515 Denmark Street Suite 700, Statesboro · 92 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (912) 691-2227

All counseling agencies in Georgia

Help in Spanish near Waycross

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Waycross

HUD’s record names them for Waycross or Ware County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of the City of Waycross Public housing (912) 287-2440

One other authority has an office in Ware County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Waycross, with the typical home value.

Everything about Ware County Housing in Georgia

Neighboring counties

If Ware County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Waycross.

All guides
A father holds his baby and his young son by a white picket fence.

Questions

Housing questions about Waycross

Short answers with the numbers for Waycross and all of Ware County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Waycross?

The typical home value in Waycross is $84,100, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Ware County it is $109,500.

How much does it cost to rent in Waycross?

Typical rent in Waycross is $768 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Ware County is $1,011.

What is the FHA loan limit in Waycross?

Waycross uses the FHA limit for all of Ware County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Waycross?

The typical homeowner in Waycross pays $818 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.97% of the home’s value; in Ware County, the rate is 0.96%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Waycross?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Ware County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).