PlainZIP

Waycross, GA · standard

ZIP Code 31503

Ware County, Georgia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

21,116
25/sq mi
$55,895
Median income
$109,900
Median home value
12.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Waycross pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

22th pct
household income, US ZIPs
13th pct
home value, US ZIPs
25
people per sq mi
70%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 31503 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 31503 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Waycross, Ware County, Georgia, with 21,116 residents across 858.4 square miles, a density of 25 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 31503 reports a modest median household income of $55,895 (21% below the Georgia average), while per-capita income is $24,748. 17.4% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 3.5%. On housing, the median home value is $109,900 (54% below the state average) with median rent at $820 per month, and 69.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.1, and the average commute is 22 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 1 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 31503, plus 3 more within Ware County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 31503

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Waycross, GA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 31503.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 31503, Waycross, GA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

21,116

Population

858.4

Area (sq mi)

25

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 31503?

36.1

Median Age

52.9%

Male

47.1%

Female

4.0%

Foreign-Born

White 70.5%
African American 19.2%
Asian 1.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.6%
Hispanic or Latino 6.7%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$55,895

Median Household Income

-21% vs state

$24,748

Per Capita Income

17.4%

Poverty Rate

3.5%

Unemployment Rate

22.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 31503 ranks nationally

Waycross, GA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$55,895 22nd percentile higher than 22% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. 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, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 57.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 12.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

8,920

Total Housing Units

7,570

Occupied Units

1,350

Vacant Units

2.69

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 69.8%
Renter 30.2%

$109,900

Median Home Value

-54% vs state

$820

Median Rent

1984

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+10.1%

YoY Change (2024)

252

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+152%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 31503 have increased 10.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +152% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -0.5% 153
2021 +16.3% 178
2022 +12.0% 199
2023 +14.8% 229
2024 +10.1% 252

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 262 business establishments in ZIP 31503, employing approximately 4,455 people with a combined annual payroll of $234,178,000.

262

Businesses

4,455

Employees

$234.2M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 56 21.4%
Other services (except public administration) 40 15.3%
Construction 38 14.5%
Accommodation and food services 21 8.0%
Wholesale trade 16 6.1%
Health care and social assistance 15 5.7%
Manufacturing 14 5.3%
Transportation and warehousing 13 5.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 11 4.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 10 3.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 8 3.0%
Finance and insurance 6 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 3 1.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 31503 vs 31501 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
31501 Waycross, GA 15,576 4.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Ware County

31501 standard
Waycross, GA
Pop: 15,576
31552 standard
Millwood, GA
Pop: 932
31550 standard
Manor, GA
Pop: 780

Related Areas

Ware County Waycross, GA Georgia

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 31503 in? ▼
ZIP code 31503 (Waycross) is located in Ware County, Georgia. Ware County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/ware-ga.
What is the population of ZIP code 31503? ▼
ZIP code 31503 in Waycross, GA has a population of 21,116 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 31503? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 31503 is $55,895, which is 27% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 31503? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 31503 is $109,900, which is 60% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 31503? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 31503 is White at 70.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 31503? ▼
ZIP code 31503 has 262 business establishments employing approximately 4,455 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 31503? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 31503 are: Retail trade (56), Other services (except public administration) (40), Construction (38). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 31503? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 31503 increased by 10.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 152%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 31503? ▼
In ZIP code 31503, 57.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 31503? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 31503 is 22.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 31503? ▼
In ZIP code 31503, approximately 69.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 31503? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 31503 is 17.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.