Ware County is a county in Georgia, United States, in the state’s southeastern corner, on the northern edge of the Okefenokee Swamp. It had a population of 36,251 at the 2020 census and covers 908 square miles (2,350 km2), the largest land area of any Georgia county, centred near 31°03′N 82°25′W.
Waycross is the county seat and the only incorporated city in the county; its postal code is 31501. The rest of Ware County is unincorporated, made up of a scatter of census-designated places, crossroads communities and swamp-edge settlements. The county sits in the Eastern time zone and carries FIPS code 13299.
Towns & Villages in Ware County
Waycross concentrates almost all of the county’s population and services; everywhere else is unincorporated. The table below lists the county seat and the best-documented unincorporated communities and CDPs.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waycross | City · seat | 13,942 | 31501–31503 |
| Manor | CDP | 94 | 31550 |
| Waresboro | Unincorp. | — | 31531 |
| Millwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hebardville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Winona Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sand Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pine Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairfax | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jamestown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sunnyside | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Three Points | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 31501–31503 — Waycross (post office town, serves most of the county’s incorporated area)
- 31550 — Manor (also serves the county’s southeastern rural stretch)
- 31531 — Waresboro (shared with neighboring communities along GA-158)
Smaller unincorporated places such as Millwood, Hebardville, Sand Hill and Pine Valley have no ZIP code of their own and are served by the Waycross or Manor post offices depending on location.
Geography
Ware County lies in the Coastal Plain of southeastern Georgia and contains a large portion of the Okefenokee Swamp, a federally protected national wildlife refuge that covers much of the county’s southern reach. The terrain is flat, low-lying and heavily forested with pine plantations and cypress wetlands; Laura S. Walker State Park, Georgia’s 13th state park, sits near Waycross. The county borders Bacon County to the north, Pierce County and Brantley County to the east, Charlton County to the southeast, Baker County, Florida across the state line to the south, Clinch County and Atkinson County to the west, and Coffee County to the northwest.
Neighboring county pages: Bacon County, Pierce County, Brantley County, Charlton County, Clinch County, Atkinson County, Coffee County.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 36,251 residents in Ware County, with a 2025 estimate near 36,906. Waycross, the county seat, is by far the largest community with 13,942 residents; Manor, a small CDP southeast of Waycross, had 94. The Georgia median household income was $74,632 in the 2023 American Community Survey; Ware County’s figure runs below the state median, reflecting its rural, timber- and agriculture-based economy. With 36,251 people spread across 892 square miles of land, the county’s population density is light, under 41 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Waycross has long been a rail town: CSX Transportation’s Rice Yard, one of the railroad’s largest classification and locomotive-repair complexes, sits at the edge of the city and remains a major employer. Health care is anchored by Memorial Satilla Health (formerly Satilla Regional Medical Center), the county’s largest hospital. Outside the city, timber production, pine straw harvesting and row-crop farming dominate the rural economy, supported by the county’s extensive forestland. The Okefenokee Swamp draws visitors to Laura S. Walker State Park and the swamp’s eastern entrance, supporting a modest tourism trade tied to boating, fishing and wildlife viewing.
History
Ware County was created on December 15, 1824, from land taken out of Appling County, making it Georgia’s 60th county. It is named for Nicholas Ware, who served as mayor of Augusta from 1819 to 1821 and represented Georgia in the U.S. Senate until his death in 1824. The county grew slowly through the 19th century until the arrival of the railroad turned Waycross into a rail junction and freight hub in the late 1800s, a role CSX’s Rice Yard still fills today. Laura S. Walker State Park, established in 1941 and named for a local conservationist and teacher, was Georgia’s 13th state park.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 1, 23, 84 and 82 all pass through Waycross, along with several state routes connecting the county to its rural surroundings.
- Blackshear (Pierce County) — 20 miles east
- Homerville (Clinch County) — 25 miles southwest
- Douglas (Coffee County) — 30 miles northwest
- Folkston (Charlton County) — 35 miles southeast
Waycross-Ware County Airport (AYS) handles general aviation locally; the nearest commercial airport is Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) in Florida, roughly 80 miles southeast. There is no Amtrak passenger service in Ware County; the nearest station is in Jesup, about an hour’s drive east.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ware County, Georgia?
It sits in the southeastern part of the state, on the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp, bordering Florida’s Baker County to the south.
What is the county seat of Ware County?
Waycross is the county seat and the only incorporated city in the county.
What is the Waycross postcode?
Waycross uses ZIP codes 31501 through 31503.
What was Ware County’s population at the 2020 census?
36,251 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Ware County?
908 square miles (2,350 km2), the largest land area of any county in Georgia.
Why is it called Ware County?
It is named for Nicholas Ware, a former Augusta mayor and U.S. senator from Georgia who died in 1824, the year the county was created.
Does Ware County include part of the Okefenokee Swamp?
Yes, a large portion of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge lies within the county’s southern boundary.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Georgia.