Valdosta is a city in Georgia, USA. It is the main city in Lowndes County. In 2020, about 55,378 people lived here. Valdosta is also home to Valdosta State University, a large school with over 12,000 students. The city is known as the center of the Valdosta metropolitan area, which has a population of over 151,000 people.

About Valdosta

What's in the Name?

Valdosta was named after a plantation owned by Governor George Troup. The plantation itself was named after the Aosta Valley in Italy. The name "Aosta" comes from the Roman Emperor Augustus. Some people used to think the name Valdosta meant "vale of beauty."

A Look Back in Time

Valdosta became an official city on December 7, 1860. It was chosen as the new county seat instead of a nearby town called Troupville. The railroad was built to Valdosta that same year, which helped the city grow quickly. Many people from Troupville moved to Valdosta because of the new railroad. The first train arrived in Valdosta on July 4, 1860.

Valdosta is located in a flat area of Georgia. It used to be a major center for growing a special type of cotton. This crop was very important to the local economy. Before the American Civil War, many people were forced to work on these cotton farms.

A long section of railway between Valdosta and Waycross was once the longest straight railroad in the world. Today, highways in the area are also very straight and flat.

During the American Civil War, Valdosta was far from the fighting. It became a safe place for people from other parts of Georgia who were trying to escape the war.

After the Civil War

After the Civil War, during a time called Reconstruction, many formerly enslaved people, known as freedmen, moved from Lowndes County to Liberia in Africa. They hoped to find a better life there. This move was supported by a group called the American Colonization Society.

Many freedmen who stayed in Lowndes County worked as sharecroppers or tenant farmers. This meant they farmed land owned by others and shared their crops or paid rent. Cotton farming continued for a long time, but as machines were invented, fewer farm jobs were available.

Changes in the Economy

The second Coca-Cola bottling plant in the world reportedly started in Valdosta in 1897.

In 1899, a town called Remerton was built for cotton mill workers. It was two miles from Valdosta. As Valdosta grew, Remerton became surrounded by the city.

In 1910, Valdosta was considered one of the richest cities in America based on how much money each person earned. But soon after, a small insect called the boll weevil destroyed much of the cotton crop in 1917. Farmers then started growing tobacco and harvesting pine trees for wood.

In 1913, a new college opened in Valdosta. Over time, this school became Valdosta State University. It grew into a major center for higher education, bringing many students to the city.

Moody Air Force Base opened near Valdosta in 1941. It was part of the United States' preparations for World War II. The base has helped Valdosta grow over the years.

Valdosta After World War II

The local economy got a big boost when Interstate 75 was built through the area. Many people traveling to Florida for vacations, especially to Walt Disney World, found Valdosta a good place to stop. Because of this, many new businesses opened near the Interstate, shifting the main shopping area away from downtown.

In the mid-1950s, a young Martin Luther King Jr. won second place in a speech contest held in Valdosta. He later became a famous civil rights leader.

Valdosta State College welcomed students of all races in September 1963. In 1969, the formerly all-white Valdosta High School and all-black Pinevale High School joined together.

During the Vietnam War, George W. Bush, who later became president, received flight training at Valdosta's Moody Air Force Base in 1968.

The first automated teller machine (ATM) in Georgia was installed in Valdosta in 1971.

Valdosta has been recognized as a great place for business and careers by magazines like Site Selection and Forbes.

Geography and Climate

Where is Valdosta?

Valdosta is located in southern Georgia. It is about 230 miles south of Atlanta and about the same distance north of Orlando, Florida. It is also close to the border with Florida.

The city covers about 30.3 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.

Valdosta's Weather

Valdosta has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has mild, sometimes wet winters and hot, humid summers. Temperatures often go above 90°F (32°C) in summer. It rarely snows in Valdosta. The last time it snowed a lot was in 1989. Light frosts can happen in winter.

Climate data for Valdosta, Georgia
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	87 (31)	87 (31)	93 (34)	96 (36)	103 (39)	108 (42)	104 (40)	105 (41)	103 (39)	97 (36)	92 (33)	85 (29)	108 (42)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	61 (16)	65 (18)	71 (22)	79 (26)	85 (29)	90 (32)	91 (33)	90 (32)	87 (31)	79 (26)	71 (22)	63 (17)	78 (26)
Daily mean °F (°C)	52 (11)	55 (13)	62 (17)	69 (21)	75 (24)	81 (27)	82 (28)	82 (28)	78 (26)	69 (21)	61 (16)	54 (12)	68 (20)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	42 (6)	45 (7)	51 (11)	58 (14)	65 (18)	71 (22)	73 (23)	73 (23)	70 (21)	59 (15)	50 (10)	44 (7)	59 (15)
Record low °F (°C)	3 (−16)	2 (−17)	18 (−8)	25 (−4)	40 (4)	50 (10)	57 (14)	54 (12)	42 (6)	28 (−2)	16 (−9)	6 (−14)	2 (−17)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	5.79 (147)	4.47 (114)	5.30 (135)	3.61 (92)	3.15 (80)	4.91 (125)	6.30 (160)	5.24 (133)	4.11 (104)	3.11 (79)	3.24 (82)	3.83 (97)	47.27 (1,201)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	0 (0)	0.1 (0.25)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0.1 (0.25)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	9	8	8	7	8	10	13	12	9	5	7	8	104
Source 1: The Weather Channel
Source 2: Weatherbase

People of Valdosta

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	166	—
1870	1,199	622.3%
1880	1,515	26.4%
1890	2,854	88.4%
1900	5,613	96.7%
1910	7,656	36.4%
1920	10,783	40.8%
1930	13,482	25.0%
1940	15,595	15.7%
1950	20,046	28.5%
1960	30,652	52.9%
1970	32,303	5.4%
1980	37,596	16.4%
1990	39,806	5.9%
2000	43,724	9.8%
2010	54,518	24.7%
2020	55,378	1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–1870 1870–1880 1890–1910 1920–1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Valdosta has grown a lot since it was founded. In 1860, only 166 people lived there. By 2020, the population had grown to 55,378.

Valdosta racial composition as of 2020
Race	Num.	Perc.
White	18,863	34.06%
Black or African American	30,060	54.28%
Native American	109	0.2%
Asian	865	1.56%
Pacific Islander	34	0.06%
Other/Mixed	2,092	3.78%
Hispanic or Latino	3,355	6.06%

The city has a diverse population. In 2020, about 54% of residents were African American and 34% were white. There are also people of Asian, Native American, and other backgrounds. About 6% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

In 2022, there were about 24,837 homes in Valdosta. Most homes were occupied, and many people rented their homes. The average value of a home owned by its resident was $152,100.

Economy and Fun

Valdosta's Businesses

Valdosta is an important business center in South Georgia. It has many factories. The area also produces tobacco and products from pine trees, like turpentine and lumber. Valdosta is even called the "Naval Stores Capital of the World" because it supplies 80% of the world's demand for naval stores (products from pine trees).

For shopping, Valdosta has a large mall called Valdosta Mall with many well-known stores. There are also local shops downtown and other shopping areas.

Moody Air Force Base is located about 10 miles northeast of Valdosta. It is a big part of the local economy.

For fun, there's Wild Adventures, a large theme and water park. It's located about 10 miles south of Valdosta and is owned by Herschend Family Entertainment.

Arts and Culture

Public Libraries

Valdosta Lowndes County Library

The South Georgia Regional Library has two libraries in Valdosta. The Valdosta Lowndes County Library is very large and opened in 1968. The Mae Wisenbaker McMullen Memorial Southside Library opened in 1992. Before 1963, libraries were separate for different races, but now everyone can use all libraries.

Local Museum

Lowndes County Historical Society & Museum in the former Carnegie Library

The Lowndes County Historical Society & Museum is located in the old Carnegie Library of Valdosta. This building is a historic landmark.

Civic Center

The Lowndes County Civic Center is a place where community events and sports are held. It has 120 seats and can be rented by the public.

Pride Festival

The South Georgia Pride Festival takes place every September. It started in 2008 and has grown to attract over 3,000 people.

Sports in Valdosta

Baseball History

Valdosta has hosted several minor league baseball teams over the years. Teams like the Valdosta Stars and the Valdosta Tigers played here. The Valdosta Trojans were even a "farm" team for the famous Brooklyn Dodgers.

Titletown USA

In 2008, ESPN held a contest called "Titletown USA" to find the city with the most championship wins. Valdosta was chosen as a finalist because of the many championships won by its high school and university sports teams. On July 28, 2008, Valdosta was named TitleTown USA after winning the fan vote!

The football team at Valdosta High School has won more games than any other high school team in America.

Education in Valdosta

Valdosta State University

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College

Georgia Military College Valdosta Campus

Valdosta has several schools for students of all ages.

Public Schools

The Valdosta City School District serves students from pre-school to twelfth grade within the city limits. It has five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school (Valdosta High School). In 2022, the district had over 8,294 students.

The Lowndes County School District serves students living outside Valdosta city limits. It has seven elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school (Lowndes High School). This district has over 10,728 students.

Scintilla Charter Academy is a free public school open to any student in Lowndes County or Valdosta.

Private Schools

There are several private schools in and near Valdosta. Valwood School is a college preparatory school for students from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. There are also several Christian schools.

Colleges and Universities

Valdosta is home to Valdosta State University (VSU). It started in 1906 as a college for women and became a university in 1993. VSU is one of two regional universities in Georgia.

Other colleges in the area include an extension of Georgia Military College and Wiregrass Georgia Technical College. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University also has a campus at Moody Air Force Base.

Media and Transportation

Local Media

Newspaper

The Valdosta Daily Times is the local newspaper.

Radio Stations

Valdosta has many radio stations that play different types of music and shows.

AM: WJEM 1150 AM, WVLD 1450 AM, WGUN 950 AM, WRFV 910 AM
FM: WDDQ 92.1 FM, WAYT 88.1 FM, WVVS 90.9 FM, WWET 91.7 FM, WAAC 92.9 FM, WJYF 95.3 FM, WQPW 95.7 FM, WJEM 96.1 FM, WGOV-FM 96.7 FM, WAFT 101.1 FM, WXHT 102.7 FM, WSTI 105.3 FM, W295AO 106.9 FM, WWRQ 107.9 FM

Television

Valdosta receives TV channels from the Tallahassee, Florida area.

WSWG channel 44 is the local CBS station.
WXGA-TV channel 8 is the local GPB station.

Getting Around Valdosta

Major Roads

Interstate 75 runs north to south through Valdosta. It connects the city to places like Tifton to the north and Lake City, Florida to the south.
U.S. Highway 41 also runs north to south through the city.
U.S. Highway 84 runs west to east through Valdosta. It connects to Waycross to the east and Thomasville to the west.
U.S. Highway 221 also passes through the area.

Other Ways to Travel

The Valdosta Regional Airport is located south of the city. You can fly from here to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
There is also a Greyhound bus station for bus travel.

Walking and Biking

Valdosta has trails for walking and cycling, like the Azalea City Trail and the VSU Walking Trail System.

Old Streetcars

From 1899 to 1924, Valdosta had streetcars that ran in the downtown area. It was one of the smallest cities to have such a system. The tracks were removed in the 1940s to help with the war effort.

Passenger Trains

In the past, passenger trains like the South Wind and the Ponce de Leon used to stop in Valdosta, connecting it to cities like Chicago and various places in Florida. However, passenger train service to Valdosta ended in 1979.

Famous People from Valdosta

Many notable people have connections to Valdosta:

Arts and Entertainment

Rhett Akins, country music artist
Bill Hicks, comedian
Pauley Perrette, actress from NCIS
Billy Joe Royal, country and pop artist
Sonny Shroyer, actor known for The Dukes of Hazzard
Demond Wilson, actor from Sanford and Son

Valdosta in Stories

Valdosta has been featured in several books and movies:

Parts of the book Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe and its movie are set in Valdosta.
Scenes from the movie Zombieland were filmed on Valdosta streets and at Wild Adventures.
The 1986 movie As Summers Die was filmed in Valdosta.
In John Steinbeck's novel East of Eden, a character stops in Valdosta.

Valdosta, Georgia facts for kids

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