Population & age
- Total population
- 31,587
- Median age
- 30.8
Lowndes County · Valdosta, GA · Population 31,587
Valdosta, GA (ZIP 31601) sits in Lowndes County within the Valdosta metro area. The page draws on 2 federal data feeds retrieved Apr 27. Top health signal: Obesity comes in above the national average at 45.8%. NCES lists 9 schools serving the area, 9 non-charter. 3 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $6,124. 39% of returns claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (IRS), a higher share than most ZIPs. BLS QCEW reports average annual pay of $48,531 per worker, roughly 26% below the US average. CDC's Social Vulnerability Index places this ZIP in the 79th percentile nationally — a highly vulnerable community profile. FEMA has issued 20 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1977 — a high-frequency exposure profile. County Health Rankings reports 11,342 years of potential life lost per 100,000 (2025) — well above the national county median. Fast-food restaurants outnumber grocery stores roughly 7-to-1 per capita (USDA Food Environment Atlas) — a "food swamp" pattern often linked to higher diet-related disease prevalence. New residents arriving here predominantly come from Brooks County, GA (IRS SOI Migration, 2022-2023). Healthcare access and school options both run strong here, giving residents a wide menu of providers and enrollment choices nearby. Notable: median household income $32,903, fair market rent of $1,130 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $121,281, down 6.3% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
Studio
$870
/month
1 Bed
$870
/month
2 Bed
$1,130
/month
3 Bed
$1,500
/month
4 Bed
$1,810
/month
HUD Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of standard-quality rental housing in this area. FY2026 data.
$121,281
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) · as of March 2026
-6.3%
vs. March 2025
+13.9%
vs. March 2021
Valdosta, GA
Metropolitan statistical area
Source: Zillow Research, ZHVI All Homes (SFR, Condo/Co-op) Time Series (zillow.com/research/data). Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) is copyrighted by Zillow, Inc.
New housing units permitted
938
Across 935 permitted buildings. Total construction value: $202.4M.
Single-family
932
99% of total units
Multifamily (2+ unit)
6
1% of total units
Single-family value
$202.0M
construction value
Multifamily value
$397,600
construction value
Aggregated from 2 counties touching this ZIP (2024).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (census.gov/construction/bps). Public domain. BPS reports annual residential building permits from local permit-issuing jurisdictions, aggregated to county. A permit reflects intent to build, not a completed unit — actual construction lags by 6-24 months for multifamily projects.
Tax returns filed
11,930
Average AGI
$43,841
Avg property tax
$110
EITC participation
39.5%
Income distribution
Avg mortgage interest
$226
Avg charitable contribution
$730
Avg capital gains
$777
Avg total income tax
—
Source: IRS Statistics of Income — Individual Income Tax Statistics by ZIP Code (irs.gov). Public domain. Dollar columns reported in thousands by the IRS; figures here display real dollars. Total ZCTA AGI for the area was $523.0M across all reported brackets.
Business establishments
1,093
Total employment
19,871
Annual payroll
$828.5M
Average annual pay
$41,696
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Business Patterns (census.gov). Public domain. ZBP covers establishments with paid employees; Census suppresses employment and payroll values when fewer employers operate in a ZIP than would protect their confidentiality.
Average annual pay
$48,531
Average weekly wage
$933
Total employment
49,348
Total establishments
3,318
That is roughly 26% below the US national average of $65,470 per worker.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (bls.gov/cew). Public domain. QCEW is derived from state unemployment-insurance filings and covers ~95% of US jobs. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches; small-employer cells are suppressed by BLS to protect employer confidentiality.
Unemployment rate
3.9%
That tracks the US national unemployment rate of about 4.0%.
Labor force
49,343
Employed
47,395
Unemployed
1,948
Based on Lowndes County, GA data (2024).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (bls.gov/lau). Public domain. LAUS publishes monthly and annual labor-force estimates for every US county. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches.
FDIC-insured bank branches
5
Typical banking access
A standard suburban / mid-density branch count for this area.
Total deposits
$130.7M
across all branches in this ZIP
Distinct institutions
4
different banks operating here
Top banks by deposits in this ZIP
Based on FDIC-insured branch offices as of June 30, 2024.
Source: FDIC Summary of Deposits (fdic.gov). Annual June-30 snapshot of every FDIC-insured branch and the deposits booked there. Figures cover all institutions reporting a branch address in this ZIP.
Public EV charging stations
16
Strong EV charging coverage
A robust public-charging footprint, including multiple networks. EV ownership is straightforward even without a home charger.
Level 2 ports
39
AC charging — workplace, retail, home
DC Fast ports
0
Highway-class fast charging
Charging networks
Propane (LPG)
1
Propane autogas
Other
2
Biodiesel, E85, LNG, RD
Active public stations only. Snapshot taken 2026; AFDC's underlying registry refreshes continuously as stations open and close.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy via NREL (afdc.energy.gov). Per-ZIP counts of active public alternative-fuel stations (electric, hydrogen, propane, CNG, biodiesel, E85, LNG, renewable diesel) and EV charging-port totals.
Public-library outlets
1
Single library outlet
One public-library outlet serves this ZIP — typical of suburban and small-town areas. Card holders also have full access to the rest of the system's branches.
Buildings
1
1 branch
Avg hours / week
56
across outlets in this ZIP
Avg square feet
5,188
per outlet
Outlets in this ZIP
Public libraries provide free WiFi, computer access, children's programming, job-seeking resources, and meeting space — community infrastructure beyond books. FY2023 outlet inventory from the federal Public Libraries Survey.
Source: Institute of Museum and Library Services (imls.gov). Per-ZIP counts of active public-library outlets — central buildings, branches, and bookmobiles — operated by federally reporting library systems.
Overall SVI
79th percentile
Very High Vulnerability
Based on 15 census tracts, population 31,400
Vulnerability Themes
Households Without Vehicle
1,545
Limited English Speakers
328
Persons with Disability
3,994
Without HS Diploma
3,042
Without Health Insurance
6,023
Adults Age 65+
3,914
The Social Vulnerability Index uses U.S. Census data to identify communities most at risk during public health emergencies and natural disasters. Higher percentiles indicate greater vulnerability. Tract-level scores are aggregated to this ZCTA via Census 2020 ZCTA→Tract crosswalk, weighted by land-area share. Source: atsdr.cdc.gov. Public domain.
Federally Declared Disasters
20
Date Range
1977–2024
Most Recent Declaration
HURRICANE HELENE
Hurricane — declared September 30, 2024 (DR-4830)
Incident period: September 24, 2024 – October 30, 2024
Top Incident Types
Individual Assistance
3
Direct help to disaster survivors
Households Program
4
Housing & temporary lodging support
Public Assistance
20
Repair of public facilities & roads
Hazard Mitigation
9
Funding to reduce future disaster risk
FEMA declares disasters at the county level; counts here include every federally declared disaster touching any county that overlaps this ZIP. Statewide declarations and pre-1964 records without county granularity are excluded. Program flags reflect which FEMA assistance categories were activated (Individual Assistance, Households, Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation). Source: fema.gov/openfema. Public domain.
Median daily AQI
44
GoodPeak AQI (2024)
154
Unhealthy
Primary pollutant
PM2.5
342 days as main pollutant
Days measured
342
Based on Lowndes County data (2024).
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System (epa.gov). Public domain. Only counties with EPA AQS monitoring stations appear here (~30% of US counties); rural ZIPs whose primary county has no monitor will not show this section.
Years of potential life lost (per 100K)
11,342
That is roughly 3,142 years per 100,000 above the national county median (~8,200).
Premature death is the headline composite outcome CHR reports — age-adjusted, all-cause, before age 75.
Fair or poor health
22%
of adults self-report
Poor physical health days
4.6
avg per adult per month
Poor mental health days
5.5
avg per adult per month
Uninsured
14.3%
of residents under 65
Primary care MDs
56
per 100,000 residents
Preventable hospital stays
3,021
per 100K Medicare enrollees
Food environment (0-10)
7.3
10 = best access & security
Exercise access
76%
residents near a facility
Flu vaccinated
38%
of Medicare enrollees
Low birth weight (under 2,500 g) accounts for 11.7% of live births in this county — an early-life health input that downstream outcomes track against.
Based on Lowndes data (2025 CHR release).
Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (countyhealthrankings.org). Annual release. Underlying source datasets vary by measure (CDC BRFSS, NCHS Vital Statistics, AHA, USDA Food Environment Atlas, and others). Figures are county-level and assigned to every ZIP whose primary county matches.
Food access status
Moderate food access challenges
16.9% of Lowndes County, GA residents live more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket.
Grocery stores
0.14
per 1,000 residents
Supercenters & clubs
0.03
per 1,000 residents
SNAP-authorized stores
1.19
accepting food benefits
Fast-food restaurants
0.96
per 1,000 residents
Among low-income residents, 8.3% are low-access — those without a supermarket within 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural).
Per-1,000 figures show how many of each store type exist in Lowndes County, GA for every 1,000 residents. Higher grocery and supercenter density usually means easier access to fresh food; higher convenience-store-only density (with low grocery rate) often signals a food swamp.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Environment Atlas (ers.usda.gov). County-level metrics fanned to ZIP via the primary county in the Census ZCTA-county relationship file. Variable years differ per family (stores ~2020, low-access ~2019).
Net migration (2022-2023)
▲+16 people
+35 households • −$29.7M net AGI flow
Moved in
5,483households
10,326 people • $248.7M AGI
Moved out
5,448households
10,310 people • $278.4M AGI
Where new residents came from
Where departing residents went
Incoming households reported an average AGI of $45,367 versus departing households' $51,106.
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income, Migration Data (irs.gov). Public domain. Migration is measured by year-over-year changes in the address on individual tax returns; figures are county-level totals attributed to ZIPs whose primary county matches. Foreign migration contributes to inflow/outflow totals but does not appear in the top-county lists. Small flows are suppressed by IRS to protect taxpayer confidentiality.
Crude prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES, derived from BRFSS small-area modeling. Population-level figures only.
45.8%
12.8pp above the 33.0% national rate.
43.3%
11.3pp above the 32.0% national rate.
20.6%
Tracks close to the 22.0% national rate.
79.0%
3.0pp above the 76.0% national rate.
19.2%
6.2pp above the 13.0% national rate.
18.2%
7.2pp above the 11.0% national rate.
9 schools serve this ZIP, including 9 non-charter.
| School | Type | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowndes High School | Public | 9–12 | 3,001 |
| Valdosta High School | Public | 9–12 | 2,238 |
| Westside Elementary School | Public | -1–5 | 916 |
| Lowndes Middle School | Public | 6–8 | 892 |
| S.L. Mason Elementary School | Public | -1–5 | 839 |
Showing top 5 by enrollment. 4 more schools serve this ZIP.
Schools listed from NCES Common Core of Data via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal.
Fresh.NCES CCD via Urban Institute EDP · Apr 27, 2026Colleges in this area
3
Median in-state tuition
$6,124
Median earnings (10 yr)
$39,257
Valdosta, GA · 31698
Valdosta, GA · 31602
Valdosta, GA · 31605
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov). Public domain data. Earnings figures reflect median earnings 10 years after entry for federally-aided students.
Valdosta, GA (ZIP 31601) sits in Lowndes County within the Valdosta metro area. The page draws on 2 federal data feeds retrieved Apr 27. Top health signal: Obesity comes in above the national average at 45.8%. NCES lists 9 schools serving the area, 9 non-charter. 3 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $6,124. 39% of returns claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (IRS), a higher share than most ZIPs. BLS QCEW reports average annual pay of $48,531 per worker, roughly 26% below the US average. CDC's Social Vulnerability Index places this ZIP in the 79th percentile nationally — a highly vulnerable community profile. FEMA has issued 20 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1977 — a high-frequency exposure profile. County Health Rankings reports 11,342 years of potential life lost per 100,000 (2025) — well above the national county median. Fast-food restaurants outnumber grocery stores roughly 7-to-1 per capita (USDA Food Environment Atlas) — a "food swamp" pattern often linked to higher diet-related disease prevalence. New residents arriving here predominantly come from Brooks County, GA (IRS SOI Migration, 2022-2023). Healthcare access and school options both run strong here, giving residents a wide menu of providers and enrollment choices nearby. Notable: median household income $32,903, fair market rent of $1,130 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $121,281, down 6.3% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
These two readings tell a consistent story. Strong access numbers usually correlate with denser provider networks, and a high school count signals the population base that supports them. Reading them together: a household weighing this ZIP for a multi-year stay can expect both healthcare and education infrastructure to keep pace.
One concrete reading worth keeping: Depression prevalence sits near the national rate at 20.6%. Each figure on this page links to the original federal dataset with its retrieval date — this synthesis is a reading, not a substitute for the underlying records.
45.8%, which is 12.8 percentage points above the national average of 33.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
20.6%, which is 1.4 percentage points below the national average of 22.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
43.3%, which is 11.3 percentage points above the national average of 32.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
9 schools serve this ZIP, including 9 public schools (NCES CCD, retrieved Apr 27, 2026). No charter schools are listed in this ZIP by NCES CCD.
No charter schools are listed in ZIP 31601 by NCES CCD (retrieved Apr 27, 2026).
Yes, 2 high schools serve this ZIP: Lowndes High School, Valdosta High School. (NCES CCD, retrieved Apr 27, 2026).
31,587 people live in ZIP 31601, with a median age of 30.8 (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
$32,903 per year (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
In ZIP 31601, 43.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 56.4% are renter-occupied (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
In ZIP 31601, 3.5% of workers work from home. Public transit is used by 0.1% of commuters (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
32.7% of the population in ZIP 31601 lives below the federal poverty line (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
64.0% of households in ZIP 31601 have broadband internet access (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
The typical home value in ZIP 31601 is $121,281, down 6.3% from a year ago (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
Home values are down 6.3% over the past year and up 13.9% over the past five years (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
The average Adjusted Gross Income reported on tax returns from ZIP 31601 (Valdosta, GA) is $43,841 per return (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
Tax returns from ZIP 31601 report an average of $110 per return in real-estate tax deductions (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
1.8% of tax returns from ZIP 31601 (Valdosta, GA) report Adjusted Gross Income of $200,000 or more (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
As of 2022, 1,093 business establishments operated in ZIP 31601 employing 19,871 workers (Census ZIP Business Patterns, retrieved May 3, 2026).
The average annual pay across all local establishments in ZIP 31601 is $41,696, based on Census ZIP Business Patterns 2022 data (retrieved May 3, 2026).
According to the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (2022), ZIP 31601 ranks in the 79th percentile nationally for social vulnerability — a very high vulnerability profile (retrieved May 3, 2026).
Socioeconomic Status is the highest-scoring CDC SVI theme for ZIP 31601, ranking in the 83th percentile nationally (CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022, retrieved May 3, 2026).
FEMA has recorded 20 federal disaster declarations affecting ZIP 31601 between 1977–2024 (FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, retrieved May 3, 2026).
Hurricane is the most common federally declared disaster type affecting ZIP 31601, accounting for 8 of 20 declarations (40%, FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
The most recent FEMA disaster declaration affecting ZIP 31601 was "HURRICANE HELENE" — a hurricane declared in 2024 (DR-4830) (FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
3 colleges and universities are listed near ZIP 31601 by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, including Valdosta State University, Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, and Georgia Military College - Valdosta (retrieved May 2, 2026).
Median in-state tuition across 3 nearby institutions is $6,124 (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
Graduates of nearby colleges earn a median of $39,257 ten years after entry (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
This page covers health outcomes from CDC PLACES (40 metrics), school information from NCES CCD (9 schools), demographics from the Census ACS 5-Year (2022), home values from the Zillow Home Value Index, colleges from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (3 institutions), income & tax statistics from the IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022), local business & employment from Census ZIP Business Patterns (2022), social vulnerability scores from the CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022), and federal disaster declarations from FEMA OpenFEMA (20 on record). Data is refreshed on Mubboo's standard schedule.
Health data retrieved Apr 24, 2026 from CDC PLACES. School data retrieved Apr 27, 2026 from NCES CCD. Demographics retrieved Apr 30, 2026 from Census ACS 5-Year (2022). Home values retrieved May 1, 2026 from Zillow Research. College data retrieved May 2, 2026 from U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard. Income & tax statistics retrieved May 2, 2026 from IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022). Business & employment retrieved May 3, 2026 from Census ZBP (2022). Social vulnerability scores retrieved May 3, 2026 from CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022). Federal disaster declarations retrieved May 3, 2026 from FEMA OpenFEMA (20 on record).
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Data refreshed via Mubboo's ETL pipeline; oldest source on this page retrieved Apr 24, 2026.