The median Waycross homeowner pays $818/year in property taxes. That is 2.14% of median household income. See how Waycross compares and check your savings potential.
Waycross is where the rail lines cross on their way to everywhere else in South Georgia, home to one of the largest rail yards in the Southeast and the northern gateway to the Okefenokee Swamp. It is the seat of Ware County, the largest county by land area in the state, with about 13,800 residents and some of the most affordable housing in Georgia: the median home is valued around $84,100, about 23% below even the Ware County median of $109,500. Affordability changes the assessment math without eliminating it. Ware's effective property tax rate, about 1.16%, runs higher than in many wealthier Georgia counties, and with median household income at $38,301 the typical Waycross homeowner spends about 2.1% of income on property taxes. At these price points, small errors are large in proportion: a valuation model that misses by fifteen thousand dollars on a suburban Atlanta house has made a rounding error, while the same miss here overstates a home by nearly a fifth of its worth. Across Ware County, home values range from roughly $57,231 at the 25th percentile to $202,551 at the 75th, a wide band for a rural county, and older in-town housing, where sales are sparse, is precisely the segment where valuations wander. Do not assume a small number is an accurate one. When your annual assessment notice arrives, hold its value up against reality on your own block, and if it is inflated, the state's appeal clock gives you 45 days from the date printed on the notice to say so formally.
Waycross Appeal Quick Facts
The median home in Waycross is valued at $84,100, and the typical homeowner pays about $818 per year in property tax (Census ACS 2024), based on Ware County's 2.889% combined millage applied to 40% of fair market value after exemptions. That means the typical Waycross homeowner spends 2.14% of household income on property taxes alone. If Ware County has overestimated your home's fair market value, you are paying more than you should. Georgia law guarantees that filing an appeal cannot increase your assessment, so there is no risk in checking. At $84,100, Waycross home values are 23% below the Ware County median, 50% below Georgia's statewide median of $170,200, 73% below the national median of $318,000.
Check If Your Waycross Home Is Overassessed
In a mid-size city like Waycross, you should be able to find 3-5 comparable sales within Ware County. Look for homes that sold in the last 12 months with similar square footage, age, and condition. If local sales are limited, expand your search to neighboring areas within the county. For the full evidence strategy, exemption details, and step-by-step filing instructions, see our Ware County Property Tax Guide.
Based on a combined tax rate of 2.889%. Your actual rate may vary by tax district.
A 10% reduction on the median Waycross home ($84,100 down by $8,410) would save approximately $97 per year, or $291 over three years with the 299c value freeze.
At 2.14% of household income, even a modest reduction in your assessed value makes a real difference in your annual budget.
Property tax appeals in Waycross are filed with the Ware County Board of Assessors. You have 45 days from the date of your assessment notice to submit a PT-311A form.
Ware County Board of Assessors: 305 Oak St., Suite 120, Waycross, GA 31501 | 912-287-4383 For the full appeal process and deadline details, see our Ware County Property Tax Guide.
Based on 2024 American Community Survey estimates and Ware County millage rates.