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Moving to Sylvester, Georgia

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Incorporated as a town December 21, 1898, Sylvester is the county seat of Worth County. Sylvester was originally known as “Isabella Station,” but in 1894 the name was changed to honor a prominent local family.

The Worth County courthouse, located in Sylvester, was built in 1905 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The original county courthouse burned down in 1892.

Sylvester hosts the Georgia Peanut Festival each October, since Worth County is known as the “Peanut Capital of the World”. This event includes the arts and crafts show; the Peanut Parade; a barbecue to honor peanut farmers; peanut cuisine; the Goober Gala, an annual dance; the Miss Georgia Peanut pageant; and numerous other events.

The Sylvester Post Office on Main Street has a New Deal mural, “Cantaloupe Industry” painted in 1939 by Chester J. Tingler.

Population: 5,990. Estimated population in July 2024: 5,924 (-1.1% change)
Males: 2,664 (44.5%), Females: 3,326 (55.5%)

Worth County

Zip code: 31791

Demographics

Median resident age: 32.3 years
Median household income: $24,114
Median house value: $64,400

Population by Race

Races in Sylvester:

  • Black (60.0%)
  • White Non-Hispanic (38.9%)
  • Hispanic (0.9%)

Ancestries: United States (8.4%), Irish (4.5%), English (3.3%), German (2.8%), Subsaharan African (2.3%), Italian (1.1%).

Elevation: 426 feet

Land area: 5.7 square miles

Map of Sylvester, GA

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Sylvester

  • High school or higher: 63.7%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 11.9%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 4.8%
  • Unemployed: 11.9%
  • Mean travel time to work: 22.1 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Sylvester city

  • Never married: 30.5%
  • Now married: 44.1%
  • Separated: 4.2%
  • Widowed: 12.3%
  • Divorced: 8.9%

0.7% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: -75 (-1.2%).

Hospitals

Hospital/medical center in Sylvester:

  • PHOEBE WORTH MEDICAL CENTER (807 SOUTH ISABELLA STREET)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Sylvester:

  • HCA PALMYRA MEDICAL CENTERS (about 23 miles; ALBANY, GA)
  • TIFT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER (about 24 miles; TIFTON, GA)
  • COLQUITT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER (about 26 miles; MOULTRIE, GA)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Sylvester:

  • SOUTHWEST GEORGIA REGIONAL (about 25 miles; ALBANY, GA; Abbreviation: ABY)
  • MOODY AFB (about 60 miles; VALDOSTA, GA; Abbreviation: VAD)
  • VALDOSTA RGNL (about 66 miles; VALDOSTA, GA; Abbreviation: VLD)

Other public-use airports nearest to Sylvester:

  • SYLVESTER (about 4 miles; SYLVESTER, GA; Abbreviation: SYV)
  • TURNER COUNTY (about 19 miles; ASHBURN, GA; Abbreviation: 75J)
  • HENRY TIFT MYERS (about 26 miles; TIFTON, GA; Abbreviation: TMA)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Sylvester:

  • ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY (about 19 miles; ALBANY, GA; Full-time enrollment: 2,996)
  • VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY (about 61 miles; VALDOSTA, GA; Full-time enrollment: 7,157)
  • FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY (about 71 miles; FT VALLEY, GA; Full-time enrollment: 2,233)
  • FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY (about 82 miles; TALLAHASSEE, FL; Full-time enrollment: 29,949)
  • TALLAHASSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 82 miles; TALLAHASSEE, FL; Full-time enrollment: 7,016)
  • FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL UNIVERSITY (about 83 miles; TALLAHASSEE, FL; Full-time enrollment: 10,991)
  • MACON STATE COLLEGE (about 88 miles; MACON, GA; Full-time enrollment: 2,557)

Schools

Public high school in Sylvester:

  • WORTH COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,205; Location: 406 WEST KING STREET; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Sylvester:

  • WORTH COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,091; Location: 1305 NORTH ISABELLA STREET; Grades: 06 – 08)
  • WORTH COUNTY PRIMARY SCHOOL (Students: 921; Location: 1304 NORTH ISABELLA STREET; Grades: KG – 02)
  • HOLLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 454; Location: 306 CARTER ROAD; Grades: 03 – 05)
  • SYLVESTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 435; Location: 103 ELDRIDGE STREET; Grades: PK – 05)
  • WORTH COUNTY ALTERNATIVE LEARNING CENTER (Location: 504 EAST PRICE STREET; Grades: 00 – 00)

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