05-14-04 209 louisville and wadley sw1 at, 2004
Wadley’s story
150 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1876Wadley is settled
Population
1,548
2025 Census estimate · −5.7% since 2020
Typical home
$72K
−3.8% in a year
Household income
$38K
median
Median age
40.9
years
Jobs based here
966
A job hub
Is Wadley a good place to live?
Wadley’s best subject grade is an A+ for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for health. 27% of residents live below the poverty line in Wadley, where Georgia’s towns sit at 15% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Only 10 of Georgia’s 371 towns score higher on cost of living. The median household income is $38K, and 27% of residents live below the poverty line. Wadley's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 100% of U.S. towns. Wadley has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Wadley stand out
Where Wadley beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Typical home value
Wadley$72K
Georgia$329K
Cost of livingA+
1.4 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 97% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here966
Residents who work542
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 91% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
32 measures vs. Georgia
3 better5 too close to call24 worse
| Widest gap | Wadley | GA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 36.8% | 14.5% |
Worth knowing · HealthD−
Less healthy than 99% of U.S. towns
Trails GA on 24 of 32 CDC measures, beats it on 3
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
A shrinking town
Wadley has shrunk 25% since 2010
2,061 counted in 2010 and 1,643 in 2020; an estimated 1,548 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Wadley grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Georgia), ordered by how far Wadley is from typical.
HealthLess healthy than 98% of U.S. towns; Jefferson Hospital 10.2 miles awayD−Open →Jobs & incomeD−Open →Cost of livingA+Open →SchoolsDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 29% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.4 of 20; 13.9% of households have no car; 3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 0% conserved landCOpen →History5 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life0 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 40.9; 8% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Wadley: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Wadley, and how to reach them.
PowerGeorgia Power16.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWadley water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTown pickupTown crews pick up at the curbTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Georgia you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereJefferson County Board of RegistrarsJefferson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code3047730477 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Wadley.
HousingCost of living grade A+
A typical Wadley home is worth about $72K
The typical Wadley home is worth about $72,000, down 3.8% in a year, 78% below the Georgia typical home. Wadley’s median rent is $606 a month, against $1,154 a month in Georgia’s towns and $1,185 a month across U.S. towns.
$72KZillow home value
| Wadley | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $606 a month | $1,154 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 58% | 73% |
Typical home value
Wadley$72K
Georgia$329K
−3.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsD
On state tests, Wadley’s schools trail 86% of Georgia districts
Its public schools are run by the Jefferson County school district. Its one school is below.
14%of GA districts it outscoresDSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carver Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 197 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within GA on state tests and graduation
HealthD−
Wadley stands out in Georgia and nationally, with more of its adults who say their health is fair or poor
37% of Wadley adults say their health is fair or poor. Among 262 Georgia towns, just 3 have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Wadley. 44% of Wadley adults feel lonely.
2%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Wadley | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 23% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 14% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 29% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Georgia
3 better5 too close to call24 worse
| What stands out | Wadley | GA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 9% | 14.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 84.1% | 77.4% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 36.8% | 14.5% |
Jefferson Hospital
10.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Wadley has 1.8 jobs for every working resident, and 894 people commute in
Most working residents leave Wadley for work: only 13% work in town. The average trip to work in Wadley is 34 minutes. Since 2013, Wadley has added 213 jobs, to 966 in 2023.
13%work in town
| Wadley | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 34 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $38,000 | $63,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 9.1% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Wadley13%
Louisville9%
Augusta8%
Swainsboro6%
Thomson2%
41 mi
median commute distance
966
jobs based in Wadley
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 52% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Wadley faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 71% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Wadley since 2024.
29risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtHurricanes
1
paid flood claims since 2024
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Wadley, expect mild winters and hot summers
Wadley has mild winters and hot summers. Wadley’s July high is 93°F.
93°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter37–61°
Spring52–77°
Summer69–91°
Fall54–77°
Nov 11
typical first frost
Mar 18
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
93°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Wadley
Wadley's reported crime rate is above Georgia's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 9 violent crimes were reported in 2024.
| Wadley | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 5.8 per 1,000 residents | 2.4 | 1.7 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 22 per 1,000 residents | 18.4 | 11.5 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Wadley5.8
Georgia3.3
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Wadley22
Georgia17.1
U.S.17.7
9
violent crimes reported in 2024
34
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
0.5%conserved
| Wadley | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.5% | 2.3% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
0.5%
conserved · 16 of 2,931 acres
1.1 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wadley
20pages on Wadley
The big questions
SchoolsDBehind 86% of GA districts · 1 schoolSafety5.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2024)HealthD−Better than GA on 3 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$72K typical home · down 3.8% in a yearWork & commuteD−$38K median household income · 966 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 29% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Wadley; the nearest are
East Georgia State CollegeCommunity college · Public · Swainsboro19.4 mi$2,900 in-state tuitionOconee Fall Line Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Sandersville26.9 mi$3,380 in-state tuitionGeorgia Southern UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Statesboro47.1 mi$6,022 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Wadley residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Georgia.
A job hub
Every workday, about 894 people come to Wadley for work
Where Wadley’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
966jobs based in Wadley
13%of working residents work in town
41 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Wadley
5 notable people were born in Wadley.
About Wadley
City in Georgia, United States
Wadley is a city in Jefferson County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,643 in 2020.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 4.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 253 ft
- ZIP code
- 30477
- Area code
- 478
Questions about Wadley
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wadley, GA expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
What is Wadley, GA known for?
5 notable people were born here, including Daryl Turner and J. T. White.