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
Tifton
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 17%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
57 · Top 37%
vs37 · Bottom 26%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs83 · Top 11%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 40%
vs63 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs78 · Bottom 45%
Schools
52 · Top 50%
vs43 · Bottom 38%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
14 · Bottom 1%
vs27 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Waycross | Tifton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,756 | 17,210 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $38,301 | $45,298 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $19,940 | $25,191 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,158/sq mi | 1,324/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $84,100 | $196,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $768 | $798 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.5% | 40.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.0% | 22.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 32.7% | 23.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 47 | 55 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.4 | 3.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 683.3% | -43.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.8" | 48.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 20.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 34.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.59 | 14.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.8% | 29.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 34.8% | 28.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 87.0% | 97.0% | 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.
Tifton
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, cold wave.
Full profiles: Waycross, GA · Tifton, GA · How this is calculated: methodology