Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 5,511. Home to 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Trash day: look up yoursWaynesboro earns a D, 217th of 258 graded towns in Georgia, mostly because of health and incomes. Residents are less healthy than 97% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. The median household income is $42K, and 26% of residents live below the poverty line. In its favor, homes are within reach, about $183K for a typical one, or 2.6 years of the Augusta metro’s $69K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 94% of U.S. towns, with 4 places on the National Register. Waynesboro’s violent crime rate is 8.4 per 1,000 residents, where Georgia’s towns sit at 3 and U.S. towns at 1.9. On history, just 6 of Georgia’s 373 towns do better. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 87% of U.S. towns.
Where Waynesboro beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
John James Jones HouseWhere Waynesboro’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Georgia), ordered by how far Waynesboro is from typical.
Its best grade is an A for history (#5 of 263 in Georgia; 3 places on the National Register; 6 notable people born here), which describes the town but isn’t part of the overall grade; its D comes from the livability subjects above.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 196 in 1850, 5,799 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1940 and 3 maps from 1919 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Who provides power, water and the rest in Waynesboro, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Waynesboro.
Waynesboro trades lower home prices for longer drives to work and draws workers from Augusta and beyond, but it is a long drive from an emergency room.
The nearest emergency room, Jenkins County Medical Center, is 20.4 miles away in a straight line.
20% of adults have diabetes in Waynesboro. Waynesboro beats the Georgia average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 19. 48% of adults have high blood pressure in Waynesboro.
| Waynesboro | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 48% | 38% | 35% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 22% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 14% | 16% |
| What stands out | Waynesboro | GA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.8% | 14.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81% | 77.4% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 18% | 9.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Burke County school district. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waynesboro Primary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–2 | Grades PK–2 | 924 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within GA on state tests and graduation
3,595 jobs are based in Waynesboro, 1.8 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here fell from 4,947 in 2013 to 3,595.
About one in 4 of Waynesboro’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Waynesboro has lost 1,352 jobs, to 3,595 in 2023. The top destinations are Augusta (20%), Savannah (2%) and Martinez (2%).
| Waynesboro | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 28% | 9% | 8% |
| Median household income | $42,000 | $63,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Homes are within reach (about $183K for the typical one, A− for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 24 miles. At 2.6 years of the Augusta metro’s $69K median household income, the typical home (about $183K) costs less against local pay than in 83% of Georgia towns; that ratio is one input to its A− for cost of living.
29% of Waynesboro households own their home. Typical home values rose 8.4% in the year to September 2026. The median rent in Waynesboro is $746 a month.
| Waynesboro | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 29% | 58% | 73% |
| Median rent | $746 a month | $1,160 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 81% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Waynesboro has mild winters and hot summers. Waynesboro’s July high is 92°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Waynesboro's reported crime rate is well above Georgia's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 47 violent crimes were reported in 2022.
FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to police
Just 18 of its 3,520 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in Waynesboro itself; its outdoors grade is D.
0.2 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Waynesboro City Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Waynesboro; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Waynesboro residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Georgia.
3 places in Waynesboro on the National Register of Historic Places.
6 notable people were born in Waynesboro.
City in Georgia, United States
Waynesboro () is a city and the county seat of Burke County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,472 at the 2024 census. It is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area. Waynesboro is 37 minutes south of downtown Augusta by car via US 25. Waynesboro is known as "The Bird Dog Capital of the World". The Waynesboro Commercial Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Waynesboro is located in Burke County, one of the eight original counties of Georgia. The city was named after General Anthony Wayne, whose daring efforts during the Revolutionary War earned him the nickname "Mad Anthony Wayne".
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Waynesboro grades D overall, better than 6% of U.S. towns and #217 of 258 in Georgia. It grades D− for health and C− for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.
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−.
Waynesboro has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places. 6 notable people were born here, including John Houstoun and Wycliffe Gordon.
