Timber and rail history anchors a rural southeast Georgia hub
Waycross built its identity around the intersection of rail lines serving the Okefenokee Swamp region, and its Ware County core has voted Republican in presidential contests by margins exceeding 40 points in recent cycles.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ware | 36K | R+43.2 | 4,068 | 10,279 | 14,392 | 14.9% |
| Ware | 36K | R+43.2 | 4,068 | 10,279 | 14,392 | 14.9% |
| Ware | 36K | R+43.2 | 4,068 | 10,279 | 14,392 | 14.9% |
| Ware | 35K | R+43.2 | 4,068 | 10,279 | 14,392 | 14.9% |
| Pierce | 20K | R+77.5 | 1,089 | 8,655 | 9,761 | 10.1% |
| Pierce | 19K | R+77.5 | 1,089 | 8,655 | 9,761 | 10.1% |
| Pierce | 18K | R+77.5 | 1,089 | 8,655 | 9,761 | 10.1% |
| Pierce | 16K | R+77.5 | 1,089 | 8,655 | 9,761 | 10.1% |
| Group | Waycross, GA | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(12) | 71.8% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(7) | 22.4% | 12.2% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(12) | 3.7% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 1.2% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(3) | 0.6% | 6.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(2) | 0.3% | 0.9% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(6) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -74.3pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43.8% | 71.6% | — | — | |
| 7.6% | 12.5% | — | — | |
| 4.9% | 7.9% | — | — | |
| 3.8% | 6.2% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 1.8% | 3.0% | — | — |
| 1.1% | 1.8% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 38.8% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Waycross, GA metro area? 215,486 residents across 8 counties.
13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 20pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+28 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate vs Governor | R+56.7 | R+60.3 | 3.6pp |