The Town FilesWaynesboro, Mississippi
City in Wayne County · population 4,567 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $86,200
- Household income
- $31,684
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 39.1
Waynesboro is a city of 4,567 people in Wayne County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $86,200, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks more walkable than 75% of Mississippi towns.
How Waynesboro ranks
Percentile among Mississippi towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Mississippi towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Waynesboro is worth $86,200, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $31,684, which is more affordable than 61% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $708 a month. 63.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waynesboro | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $86,200 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $708 | $820 |
| Median household income | $31,684 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 63.6% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.9% | — |
Who lives in Waynesboro
| People | Waynesboro | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.8% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.7% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.2% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 3.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.4% | 83.3% |
Weather in Waynesboro
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 36.1°F. About 60.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.6 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 86 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 50 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waynesboro since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on February 12, 2025 about 8.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 6 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 16, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 17, 2023.
Severe weather in Wayne County since 1996
Wayne County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Tropical Storm | DR-4930: Tropical Storm Arthur |
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4899: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3640: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 12, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4727: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Wayne County
Wayne County had 4,723 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,388 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Waynesboro itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Waynesboro
7 public schools with 2,570 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAYNE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 816 | 13.0 |
| WAYNESBORO RIVERVIEW ELE SCHOOL | PK-8 | 458 | 13.1 |
| CLARA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-8 | 454 | 13.4 |
| WAYNE CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-8 | 452 | 12.6 |
| BEAT FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-8 | 390 | 12.2 |
| WAYNE CO CAREER & TECHNICAL | 9-12 | — | — |
| WAYNE COUNTY ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL | 5-12 | — | — |
Waynesboro questions
Is Waynesboro, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waynesboro scores better for retirees than 13% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 29%. 18.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.1).
How much does a house cost in Waynesboro?
The median owner-occupied home in Waynesboro is valued at $86,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $31,684, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $708 a month.
What is the weather like in Waynesboro?
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 36.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 60.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.6 inches of snow.
Does Waynesboro get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waynesboro since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on February 12, 2025. The typical Mississippi town has had 31.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)