CensusEasy
CITY

Sylvester

Georgia · 5,430 residents (2025 est.) · 6.57 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Albany metro area
Compare
The short version

With 5,489 people, Sylvester is a city in Georgia. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 14% of adults. 27.9% of locals live below the federal poverty line. The typical home is worth $115,900, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 1%. Households here earn about 24% less than in Georgia as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

5,489
−8%since 2000
from 5,990 in 2000
5,430 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
836 / sq mi
−4%since 2009
from 873 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
37.0
+15%since 2000
from 32.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
6.57 sq mi
Population, 19902024
5K6K6K6K6K19902000201020202024Sylvester
20245K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 58.2%(448)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 99.3%(509)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.4%(239)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.6%(309)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.5%(467)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.5%(686)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 448%(437)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.9%(763)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.2%(613)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 747.5%(409)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.7%(258)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over6.4%(351)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$58,417
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $24,114 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
$27,453
+91%since 2000
from $14,387 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
29.6%
+13.6 ptssince 2009
from 16.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
27.9%
+0.8 ptssince 2000
from 27.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
0.470
−2%since 2010
from 0.477 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information14.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance10.9%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical9.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Wholesale trade7.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Transportation & warehousing6.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Retail trade5.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services4.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration1.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Education & health services1.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.4%
US avg: 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food0%
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$115,900
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $58,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
$896
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $375 in 2000
US average: $1,442
57.0%
−1.2 ptssince 2000
from 58.2% in 2000
43.0% rent
12.3%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.49 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.55 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
19.6%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 23.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
38.6%
−16.1 ptssince 2009
from 54.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
2.0
−29%since 2009
from 2.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
46
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic38.9%(2,328)
Black59.8%(3,583)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(54)
Asian0.1%(7)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic36.3%(1,994)
Black56.5%(3,099)
Hispanic / Latino1.9%(104)
Asian1.2%(64)
Other4.2%(228)
68
+7%since 2009
from 64 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.7%(96)
Asian origin
Filipino0.2%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
English11.7%(644)
Irish5.4%(298)
American5.1%(279)
German4.2%(230)
Scottish2.2%(120)
Italian2.1%(113)
French1.9%(106)
Scotch-Irish1.7%(91)
Hungarian0.6%(34)
Welsh0.6%(31)
Canadian0.3%(18)
+ 5 more ancestry groups with data
Brazilian0.3%(15)
Polish0.2%(10)
Arab0.1%(8)
Lebanese0.1%(8)
Dutch0.1%(8)
Section 05

Education

14.3%
+2.3 ptssince 2000
from 11.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
84.1%
+20.4 ptssince 2000
from 63.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
4.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2000
from 4.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

22.7 min
+46%since 2000
from 15.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
79.7%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 76.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
5.8%
−15.6 ptssince 2009
from 21.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
2.4%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
9.1%
+8.6 ptssince 2009
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
2.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
10.1%
−7.1 ptssince 2009
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

6.1%
−9.1 ptssince 2011
from 15.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
59.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2011
from 58.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.9%
+6.7 ptssince 2020
from 65.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
11.0%
−13.9 ptssince 2009
from 24.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
26.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 25.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

43.1%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 45.0% in 2009
56.9%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 55.0% in 2009
0.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
7.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
16.4%
−0.4 ptssince 2012
from 16.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
10.5%
−15.1 ptssince 2013
from 25.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
72.9%
+6.1 ptssince 2017
from 66.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
87.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 87.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
92.6%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
from 94.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
98.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2016
from 99.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
0.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2016
from 0.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married40.1%(703)
Married45.9%(805)
Widowed4.1%(72)
Divorced10%(175)
Women 15+
Never married42%(1,065)
Married26.7%(677)
Widowed17.4%(441)
Divorced14%(355)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

10.5%
−15.1 ptssince 2013
from 25.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
40.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 40.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.3%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 9.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
21.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 22.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
35.4%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 33.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
48.2%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 50.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
49.8%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 49.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)33.9%(96)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)30.4%(86)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era26.1%(74)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0.7%(2)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 283 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Sylvester

Head to head

Compare Sylvester to nearby cities

Frequently asked

How many people live in Sylvester, Georgia?

Sylvester, Georgia has about 5,489 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Sylvester, Georgia?

The typical household in Sylvester, Georgia earns about $58,417 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Sylvester, Georgia expensive?

In Sylvester, Georgia, the median home is worth about $115,900, and the typical rent is about $896 a month.

How educated are people in Sylvester, Georgia?

About 14.3% of adults age 25 and over in Sylvester, Georgia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Sylvester, Georgia?

About 27.9% of people in Sylvester, Georgia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Sylvester, Georgia grown since 1990?

Yes, Sylvester, Georgia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 213 residents, a change of about -4 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →