Waycross, Georgia
Waycross is a city of 13,756 people in Pierce County, Georgia, founded in 1820.
Why visit Waycross
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 36 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Coastal Pines Technical College, Mall Cinemas 7, Waycross Historic District and Downtown Waycross Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 94°F; January lows average 37°F.
Weather in Waycross
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Waycross
Waycross is the county seat of and the only incorporated city in Ware County in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its population was 13,942 in the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Waycross, Georgia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Coastal Pines Technical College
School · 1.5 mi
Technical college in Georgia, USA
1701 Carswell Avenue
Museums and landmarks7
Waycross Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in Waycross, Georgia
Downtown Waycross Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
50-acre (20 ha) historic district
Lott Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Cemetery in Waycross, Georgia
Phoenix Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Hotel built around 1890 in Waycross, Georgia, USA
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United States Post Office and Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Waycross, Georgia, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
Restaurants and cafes36
Cracker Barrel
Diner · American · 2.6 mi
2501 Memorial Drive, Waycross
Su-Th 07:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 07:00-22:00
24 more on the map.
History
Waycross includes two historic districts (Downtown Waycross Historic District and Waycross Historic District) and several other properties that are on the National Register of Historic Places, including the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Lott Cemetery, the First African Baptist Church and Parsonage, and the Obediah Barber Homestead (which is seven miles south of the city).
The area now known as Waycross was first settled c. 1820, locally known as "Old Nine" or "Number Nine" and then Pendleton. It was renamed Tebeauville in 1857, incorporated under that name in 1866, and designated county seat of Ware County in 1873. It was incorporated as "Way Cross" on March 3, 1874.
The city council in Waycross opened municipal primary elections to white women in 1917, the first town in Georgia to do so. This action was taken because some of the largest property owners in town were women who wanted a say in how their tax dollars were spent. Two years later in 1919, Atlanta became the second Georgia city to do this. Georgia women would not generally get the right to vote in all elections until 1922.
From the History section of Waycross, Georgia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay7
Churches and places of worship96
First African Baptist Church and Parsonage (Waycross, Georgia)
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 1.2 mi
1500 South Georgia Parkway West, Waycross
Shopping11
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries25
Waycross Regional Youth Detention Center
School · 4.1 mi
3275 Harris Rd, Waycross
Healthcare3
Map of Waycross
206 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°F | 37°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 68°F | 40°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 74°F | 45°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 81°F | 52°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 88°F | 60°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 92°F | 69°F | 6.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 94°F | 71°F | 5.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 93°F | 71°F | 6.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 89°F | 66°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 81°F | 55°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 74°F | 45°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 67°F | 39°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Waycross 4 Ne Hcn (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Pierce County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-09-30: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-24: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-05: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2023-09-07: Hurricane Idalia (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-29: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Waycross-Ware County Airport (AYS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Sunnyside 2 mi northeast, about 4 min by car
- Deenwood 3 mi north, about 4 min by car
- Blackshear 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
- Hoboken 14 mi east, about 22 min by car
- Patterson 18 mi northeast, about 29 min by car
- Offerman 20 mi northeast, about 32 min by car
- Argyle 20 mi southwest, about 32 min by car
- Douglas 36 mi northwest, about 57 min by car
- Brunswick 53 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
- St. Marys 56 mi southeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- WaycrossCityHall13, Excel23, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jack Williams marker, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Three story building, Plant Ave, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Waycross Water Tower, Plant Ave, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jack Williams Park, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greetings from Waycross, Georgia - Large Letter Postcard (9230793162), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Greetings from Waycross, Georgia - Large Letter Postcard (9428828740), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Kress Building, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Waycross City Hall (NE corner), Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Grace Episcopal Church, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Commercial Bank Building, Waycross (SE corner), Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ritz Theater, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First United Methodist Church, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Waycross Rail Depot (East face), Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tie handler, spike puller, CSX, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rail lifter, CSX, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Spike Driver, CSX, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tie inserter, CSX, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Commercial Bank Building, Waycross (South face), Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Georgia Department of Labor, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Phoenix Park Confederate Monument, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Phoenix Park, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Waycross Hx District, Daffydoc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Old Kress building and other stores, Waycross Historic District, GA, US, Bubba73 (Jud McCranie), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hinson building, Waycross Historic District, GA, US, Bubba73 (Jud McCranie), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ritz Theater, Waycross Historic District, GA, US, Bubba73 (Jud McCranie), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Waycross-downtown-Ritz, Daffydoc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Waycross-downtown, Daffydoc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lyric Theater, Waycross Historic District, GA, US, Bubba73 (Jud McCranie), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Row of buildings with Ritz, Waycross Historic District, GA, US, Bubba73 (Jud McCranie), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Building in Waycross Historic District, GA, US, Bubba73 (Jud McCranie), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Thomasville building, Waycross Historic District, GA, US, Bubba73 (Jud McCranie), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Brick street in Waycross Historic District, GA, US, Bubba73 (Jud McCranie), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Summerall Tillman Home, Waycross Historic District, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- U.S. Post Office and Court House (1935), Waycross (Ware County, Georgia), Flanders Studio, Waycross, Georgia, Public domain
- First African Baptist Church & Parsonage, Waycross, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lott Cemetery -2, Waycross, GA, US, Bubba73 (Jud McCranie), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Phoenix Hotel front, Waycross, GA, US, Bubba73 (Jud McCranie), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Guard conducts recon of wildfires burning in Southeast Georgia (5560290620), Georgia National Guard from United States, CC BY 2.0
- Guardsman Clears Vegitation to Prevent Wild Fire Spreading (5867063021), Georgia National Guard from United States, CC BY 2.0
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Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.