Waycross receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Waycross
Douglas
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 17%
vs51 · Bottom 38%
Growth
57 · Top 37%
vs59 · Top 35%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs75 · Top 29%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 40%
vs54 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs77 · Bottom 44%
Schools
52 · Top 50%
vs40 · Bottom 35%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
14 · Bottom 1%
vs25 · Bottom 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Waycross | Douglas | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,756 | 11,749 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $38,301 | $34,408 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $19,940 | $21,605 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,158/sq mi | 813/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $84,100 | $133,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $768 | $680 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.5% | 45.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.0% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 32.7% | 29.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 47 | 39 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.4 | 3.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 683.3% | 5.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.8" | 44.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 15.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 31.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.59 | 14.57 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.8% | 27.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 34.8% | 27.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 87.0% | 100.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Waycross
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Douglas
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Waycross, GA · Douglas, GA · How this is calculated: methodology