The Town FilesWaynesboro, Tennessee
City in Wayne County · population 2,317 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $79,100
- Household income
- $40,977
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 46.8
Waynesboro is a city of 2,317 people in Wayne County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $79,100, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks more of a college town than 88% of Tennessee towns, better for retirees than 86% of Tennessee towns, easier by car than 84% of Tennessee towns.
How Waynesboro ranks
Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Waynesboro is worth $79,100, below the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $40,977, which is more affordable than 97% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $294 a month. 57.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waynesboro | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $79,100 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $294 | $863 |
| Median household income | $40,977 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 57.7% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.8% | — |
Who lives in Waynesboro
| People | Waynesboro | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.8 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.7% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 12.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.7% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.8% | — |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 31.3 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.2% | 88.2% |
Weather in Waynesboro
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 26.7°F. About 61.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.3 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 99 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waynesboro since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 16, 1998 about 8.1 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 16 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 31, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 10, 2009.
Severe weather in Wayne County since 1996
Wayne County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| June 19, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4878: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 17, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4712: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
Jobs and pay in Wayne County
Wayne County had 4,052 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,559 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Waynesboro itself the ACS puts it at 9.9%.
Public schools in Waynesboro
4 public schools with 958 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waynesboro Elementary | PK-4 | 415 | 13.8 |
| Waynesboro Middle School | 5-8 | 285 | 15.0 |
| Wayne County High School | 9-12 | 258 | 11.7 |
| Wayne County Technology Center | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Waynesboro
- Collinwood, TN10.3 mi · 898 people · home $131,000
- Clifton, TN13.6 mi · 2,651 people · home $122,100
- Hohenwald, TN19.5 mi · 3,668 people · home $125,600
- Linden, TN20.5 mi · 997 people · home $103,300
- Lawrenceburg, TN24.6 mi · 11,633 people · home $184,600
- Loretto, TN24.6 mi · 1,739 people · home $161,900
- St. Joseph, TN24.8 mi · 790 people · home $171,300
- Ethridge, TN25.8 mi · 537 people · home $178,300
Waynesboro questions
Is Waynesboro, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waynesboro scores better for retirees than 86% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 40%. 23.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.8).
How much does a house cost in Waynesboro?
The median owner-occupied home in Waynesboro is valued at $79,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $40,977, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $294 a month.
What is the weather like in Waynesboro?
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 26.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 61.8 inches of precipitation a year and 1.3 inches of snow.
Does Waynesboro get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waynesboro since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 16, 1998. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- 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)