Our Community
Welcome to Wayne County, Mississippi, a place where genuine Southern hospitality meets a desire for an unparalleled quality of life through hard work. As of 2010, the population of our county was 20,747.
The county seat is located in Waynesboro, which is one of two incorporated communities in the area. The other municipality is the town of State Line, which sits on the border of Wayne and Greene counties. Both municipalities are each governed by a mayor and a five-member Board of Aldermen. County government is led by the five-member Board of Supervisors.
Wayne County's climate is best described as mild as indicated by the following data: Average annual high temperature 76.5 degrees. Average annual low temperature 51.1 degrees. Average yearround temperature 63.8 degrees. Average annual precipitation is 58 inches. The typical coldest month of the year is January -- where the daily high temperatures average around 54 degrees and the nighttime lows average around 34 degrees. The typical hottest month is July when average daily highs reach 92 and average nighttime lows stand at 69 degrees.
The county has a total of six public schools -- including one high school (Wayne County High School for students in grades 9 through 12), four middle schools (Beat Four, Buckatunna, Clara, Waynesboro Middle) and four elementary schools (Beat Four, Buckatunna, Clara and Waynesboro Elementary). The Wayne County School District also operates the Wayne County Vocational-Technical Center, which provides students with key industrial and job skills in areas such as agriculture, industrial maintenance, building trades and automobile mechanics, to name a few.
In addition, the area is served by a private school -- Wayne Academy, which serves pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students. Founded in 1970, WA has recently earned nationally recognized accreditation through AdvancED's Southern Association of Colleges and Schools'
The area is also served by Jones County Junior College, which celebrates its 100th year in 2011. JCJC has partnered with the Wayne County Board of Supervisors to soon build a 25,000 square foot classroom and laboratory branch campus facility that will provide college-level training in areas such as nursing and instrumentation to residents.
The Waynesboro-Wayne County Library is a crown jewel in our community. Begun in 1934, the library has seen many incarnations through the years, and, since 2003, has occupied more than 17,000 square foot in what was formerly a Wal-Mart store on Mississippi Drive in Waynesboro. The ultra-modern library facility offers a wide range of community-based services, computer usage, wi-fi Internet connections, classes, community education programs as well as an Internet cafe and a bookstore operated by the Friends of the Library.
Wayne General Hospital, which is the county's 80-bed primary care facility, offers full emergency room services, outpatient surgery and a wide range of specialty care physicians on call around the clock. The hospital also operates the county's ambulance and Emergency Medical Services operations, and offers physical therapy services as well as a community wellness center and lighted outdoor walking track.
Recreational facilities abound in Wayne County. Maynor Creek Water Park is a 450-acre site that offers world-class fishing, boating, swimming and camping facilties. Rustic cabins and meeting halls are spaced throughout the park, and a covered stage has been added near the shoreline to provide a venue for concerts and programs. Waynesboro is also home to a community golf course, and the city maintains a number of neighborhood public parks that have everything from tennis courts to covered pavilions and from walking trails to playground equipment.
In 2008 manufacturing was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $29,869. Per capita income grew by 15.9% between 1997 and 2007 (adjusted for inflation).
