Waycross, GA · standard

ZIP Code 31503

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

Reviewed by PlainZIP Editorial Team, ZIP Code Data Editors · June 14, 2026

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 classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 858.4 square miles in Waycross, Ware County, Georgia. The area is home to 21,116 residents, producing a population density of 25 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 31503 against Georgia and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 31503 sits at $55,895 (21% below the Georgia average), while per-capita income is $24,748. The poverty rate stands at 17.4% and the unemployment rate at 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, a direct signal of whether 31503 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 12.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.1, and the average commute is 22 minutes. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 additional ZIPs sharing Ware County, so you can benchmark 31503 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 31503

Retail trade

56
Other services (except public administration)

40
Construction

38
Accommodation and food services

21
Wholesale trade

16

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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 31503, Waycross, GA · 2023 Accessed 2026-06-14 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

21,116

Population

858.4

Area (sq mi)

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

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

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

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

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.