Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety19#753/924
Economy16#780/925
Housing26#687/925
Health40#560/925
Healthcare11#825/923
Environment29#649/917
Education44#515/925
Infrastructure16#773/925
Community7#862/925
Leisure & amenities30#646/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Valdosta, GA metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Comfortable days · high33.7%
95/100Georgia 31.5%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
Suicide rate · low11.0 /100k
94/100Georgia 14.7 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Drug overdose deaths · low8.5 /100k
90/100Georgia 14.1 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Depression · low20.6%
89/100Georgia 19.3%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Injury deaths · low69 /100k
88/100Georgia 80 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
New business applications · high15.9 /1k
82/100Georgia 22.5 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Drought exposure · high95%
5/100Georgia 73%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAAggregated from counties
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · high9.2 µg/m³
5/100Georgia 9.1 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties
Income adjusted for local prices · low$52,336
6/100Georgia $65,432United States $73,2042024U.S. Bureau of Economic AnalysisAggregated from counties
Property crime rate · high2,229 /100k
6/100Georgia 1,409 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from countiesCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figure
Loneliness · high38.1%
7/100Georgia 37.9%United States 33.2%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Preventable hospital stays · high4,027 /100k
9/100Georgia 3,147 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
0% (2021) → 95% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+95 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
65.0% (2015-2019) → 83.5% (2020-2024)
+18 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Firearm deathsWorsening
11.9 /100k (2019) → 20.2 /100k (2024)
+70%5 yearsUS 12.1 /100k → 13.3 /100k
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
58.0% (2010 & 2021) → 68.8% (2022 & 2024)
+11 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%
New homes permittedWorsening
10.3 /1k (2021) → 5.8 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−44%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Median household incomeImproving
$41,647 (2015-2019) → $57,085 (2020-2024)
+37%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Valdosta, GA metro area improved on 14 of 29 measures with a comparison and declined on 3. 5 moved within the margin of error and 7 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved14

Broadband+18 points65.0% → 83.5%
Inequality−0.0270.519 → 0.492
Poverty−3.9 points24.1% → 20.2%
Household income+37%$41,647 → $57,085
High school++3.5 points85.5% → 89.1%

Declined3

Overdose deaths+13%7.5 /100k → 8.5 /100k
Traffic deaths+7.8%15.9 /100k → 17.2 /100k
Price / income+0.4×3.2× → 3.5×

All 29 measures

Change of every measure of Valdosta, GA metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.7 /10k2020	2.7 /10k2025	−0.8%	Little change	27%
Average commute time	20.5 min2015-2019	20.6 min2020-2024	+0.2 min	Within the margin of error	59%
Average weekly wage	$7652020	$9582025	+25%	Improved	68%
Bachelor's degree or higher	23.2%2015-2019	25.5%2020-2024	+2.3 points	Improved	39%
Broadband subscriptions	65.0%2015-2019	83.5%2020-2024	+18 points	Improved	96%
Child poverty rate	30.7%2015-2019	26.0%2020-2024	−4.7 points	Improved	73%
Distance to an airport	99 mi2020	99 mi2025	−0 mi	Little change	92%
Drug overdose deaths	7.5 /100k2020	8.5 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	+13%	Declined	20%
Effective property tax rate	0.95%2015-2019	0.78%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Little change	65%
Grocery stores	1.6 /10k2020	1.6 /10k2025	+5.2%	Improved	68%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.9 /10k2020	0.9 /10k2025	+4.2%	Little change	52%
High school diploma or higher	85.5%2015-2019	89.1%2020-2024	+3.5 points	Improved	87%
Home price to income ratio	3.2×2015-2019	3.5×2020-2024	+0.4×	Declined	61%
Homicide rate	9.9 /100k2020	8.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−19%	Improved	42%
Income adjusted for local prices	$42,0372019	$52,3362024	+24%	Improved	6%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.5192015-2019	0.4922020-2024	−0.027	Improved	94%
Median household income	$41,6472015-2019	$57,0852020-2024	+37%	Improved	91%
New business applications	14.9 /1k2020	15.9 /1k2025	+6.5%	Improved	7%
Pharmacies	1.1 /10k2020	1.2 /10k2025	+2.5%	Little change	79%
Poverty rate	24.1%2015-2019	20.2%2020-2024	−3.9 points	Improved	93%
Public libraries	0.5 /10k2019	0.5 /10k2024	−3.3%	Little change	35%
Public transit commuters	0.3%2015-2019	0.3%2020-2024	−0 points	Within the margin of error	76%
Rent as share of income	30.5%2015-2019	32.3%2020-2024	+1.8 points	Within the margin of error	24%
Rent-burdened households	50.9%2015-2019	53.8%2020-2024	+2.9 points	Within the margin of error	32%
Restaurants and bars	6.9 /10k2020	6.7 /10k2025	−4.2%	Little change	29%
Suicide rate	13.4 /100k2020	11.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−18%	Improved	85%
Traffic deaths	15.9 /100k2015-2019	17.2 /100k2020-2024	+7.8%	Declined	48%
Unemployment rate	6.1%2020	3.8%2025	−2.3 points	Improved	30%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	17.6%2015-2019	17.3%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	53%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 786 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Valdosta, GA metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Valdosta, GA metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Valdosta, GA metro area itself moved +0.2 points in standing on average over the same 27 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

150,188 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

56,786 households (±783)

Valdosta, GA metro area
United States share

Under $25k25%14,019
$25k–50k20%11,150
$50k–75k18%10,326

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

56,786 households (±783)

Valdosta, GA metro area
United States share

Own60%33,981
Rent40%22,805

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+3.6 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

65,709 workers (±1,483)

Valdosta, GA metro area
United States share

Drive alone81%53,142
Carpool9.0%5,925
Public transit0.3%†182

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in Valdosta, GA employ 13,330 people. 10 pay a median below the US median.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Valdosta, GA by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Fast Food and Counter Workers2,380 jobs	2,380	$23,100US $31,200	−26%	1.78×
Retail Salespersons1,940 jobs	1,940	$28,600US $35,410	−19%	1.44×
Cashiers1,490 jobs	1,490	$26,470US $32,880	−19%	1.39×
Stockers and Order Fillers1,270 jobs	1,270	$36,290US $37,330	−3%	1.29×
Waiters and Waitresses1,150 jobs	1,150	$18,510US $35,230	−47%	1.47×
Registered Nurses1,110 jobs	1,110	$74,360US $97,550	−24%	0.95×
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers1,110 jobs	1,110	$47,880US $58,640	−18%	1.55×
General and Operations Managers1,020 jobs	1,020	$79,440US $105,770	−25%	0.84×
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand990 jobs	990	$34,770US $40,240	−14%	0.97×
Office Clerks, General870 jobs	870	$37,260US $45,010	−17%	1.02×

Look up any occupation

Search more than 800 occupations and see what they pay in Valdosta, GA.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025-05 (all industries and ownerships) bls.gov/oes

Reference period: 2025-05. BLS publishes metro areas, states and the nation (not counties or cities), so a county or city page shows its metro area.
Pay is not adjusted for the cost of living, so a higher median does not mean more purchasing power.
BLS caps the highest wages it publishes: where a figure is shown as “or more”, the real value is at least that much.
Some occupations (teachers, performers) are published by the hour or school year and shown here as an annual figure.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Valdosta, GA has 3,243 employer establishments, 215 for every 10,000 residents (0.86× the US rate of 248), with 45,400 paid employees at an average annual pay of $42,039. The Census Bureau also counts 11,948 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 3,243; 11,948 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 215; US 248
Paid employees: 45,400
Average annual pay: $42,039; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Valdosta, GA by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	287	19	0.91×About typical	2,905	$61,613	521
Restaurants and other eating places	251	16.6	0.90×About typical	5,939	$17,137	59
Specialty trade contractors	166	11	0.71×Fewer than typical	1,678	$55,390	799
Lessors of real estate	146	9.7	0.78×Fewer than typical	517	$48,120	1,117
Limited-service restaurants	128	8.5	1.06×About typical	3,137	$15,582	8
Religious organizations	106	7	1.26×More than typical	723	$21,433	—
Offices of physicians	101	6.7	1.03×About typical	996	$85,590	98
Full-service restaurants	89	5.9	0.77×Fewer than typical	2,371	$19,043	29
Building equipment contractors	85	5.6	0.93×About typical	1,072	$57,622	173
Gasoline stations	84	5.6	1.71×More than typical	556	$26,176	3
Construction of buildings	79	5.2	0.69×Fewer than typical	551	$68,991	410
Legal services	75	5	0.92×About typical	341	$69,041	40

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 151,175 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $106.1M on contracts performed in Valdosta, GA metro area: $692 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $106.1M; −73% vs FY2025
Per resident: $692; US $1,994
Sole-source: 66%; US 30%
Single offer: 4.6%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

REINHART FOODSERVICE, LLC$65.8M62%
SOUTH GEORGIA PECAN COMPANY$7.5M7.0%
SCIENCE & MANAGEMENT RESOURCES INC$4.1M3.8%
C&A - CORNERSTONE JV$3.9M3.6%
SAFT AMERICA INC.$2.6M2.5%

Spending by fiscal year

96.2MFY2017
81.7MFY2018
98MFY2019
142.1MFY2020
100.8MFY2021
91.8MFY2022
102.5MFY2023
138.3M

Top industries (NAICS)

Other food manufacturing · 3119$73.3M69%
Nonresidential building construction · 2362$5.3M5.0%
Electronic and precision equipment repair and maintenance · 8112$4.1M3.9%
Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617$2.6M2.4%
Facilities support services · 5612$2.4M2.3%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413

Largest awards

MOODY AFB OPTIMIZED REMEDIATION CONTRACT$8.3M
TEPA EC, LLC· Lowndes County, GA· Facilities & utilities· Sep 8, 2020 – May 18, 2026· W912HN20F1024
RENOVATE 4B FOR HEMODIALYSIS$7.9M
BLUE CORD DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, LLC· Lowndes County, GA· Construction & real property· Jun 5, 2023 – Jun 23, 2026· 36C24823C0040
COMMODITIES FOR USG FOOD DONATIONS: 2000011226/4100034005/PECAN PIECES PKG-24/1 LB$7.5M
SOUTH GEORGIA PECAN COMPANY· Lowndes County, GA· Other equipment & supplies· Apr 17, 2026 – Apr 17, 2026· 123J1426C0937
CONTRACT AWARD FOR RESCUE SUPPORT SERVICES TO SUPPORT 347 RQG & 23 FG. THIS CONTRACT WILL PROVIDE MULTIPLE POSITIONS FOR CRITICAL MISSION FUNCTIONS.

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $929.8M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Valdosta, GA metro area: $6,066 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $929.8M; −2.8% vs FY2025
Per resident: $6,066; US $12,955
Loan face value: $85.2M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 4.7%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$437M47%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$175.7M19%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$80.3M8.6%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$51M5.5%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$43.7M4.7%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$28.1M3.0%
10.988 · Supplemental Disaster Relief Program$12.3M1.3%
10.102 · Emergency Forest Restoration Program$10.7M1.2%

Top recipients (organizations)

VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY$29.6M3.2%
VALDOSTA, GA
GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$11.4M1.2%
ATLANTA, GA
COASTAL PLAIN AREA ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AUTHORITY INC$9.2M1.0%
VALDOSTA, GA
VALDOSTA HOUSING AUTHORITY$4.1M0.4%
VALDOSTA, GA
CLOUD59 NETWORKS, LLC

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$611.9M66%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$198.5M21%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Farm Service Agency$39.7M4.3%
Department of Agriculture
Department of Education$30M3.2%
Federal Highway Administration$11.4M1.2%

Assistance by fiscal year

821.8MFY2021
789.6MFY2022
788.3MFY2023
843.9MFY2024
956.7MFY2025
929.8MFY2026

County aggregates

88%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Valdosta, GA

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

ValdostaPrincipal city55,252

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Georgia

Areas based in Georgia, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M46660

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved14

Declined3

Metro and micro areas like Valdosta, GA metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Look up any occupation

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Valdosta, GA

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Georgia

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved14

Declined3

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought