Hazlehurst's housing stock reflects its history as a long-established county seat. The downtown and older residential streets hold a mix of early-to-mid-20th-century houses, including bungalows, modest cottages, and larger two-story homes near the courthouse square. As neighborhoods extend outward, lots grow larger and newer single-family construction becomes more common, with small acreage tracts ringing the city limits. The overall character is that of a traditional small South Georgia town: single-family detached homes on generously sized lots, with a limited supply of attached or multi-family housing. Buyers generally find a range of older homes suited to renovation alongside move-in-ready houses and steady infill construction.

Hazlehurst is not divided into large named master-planned communities; its neighborhoods form a gradual gradient from the historic center outward. The blocks around the Jeff Davis County courthouse and downtown retain the city's oldest homes, with mature trees and established yards. Residential streets fan out from the U.S. 221 and 341 crossroads into quiet mid-century subdivisions, and the edges of town transition into a patchwork of pine woods, farm fields, and larger country lots. This pattern gives the city a cohesive small-town feel, where downtown, schools, and churches all sit within a short drive or walk of most homes.

Life in Hazlehurst moves at a deliberate small-town pace. The downtown remains a working center of county government, banks, and locally owned shops, while the annual Peaches to the Beaches yard sale turns the town into a regional destination each year. Community life centers on churches, school athletics, and county events, and the Hazlehurst–Jeff Davis Historical Museum preserves the town's rail-town origins. The surrounding countryside supports a strong outdoor culture of hunting, fishing, and gardening, and the produce, timber, and agriculture of the wiregrass region shape local traditions. Dining is dominated by familiar Southern and fast-casual fare.

Public education in Hazlehurst is provided by Jeff Davis County Schools, which is based in the city and serves the surrounding county. The district operates Jeff Davis High School, the county's comprehensive high school, along with a middle school and multiple elementary campuses. The district is small enough that families across the county stay closely connected to the schools, and athletic programs, particularly football, are central to community identity. For families evaluating the area, the district's countywide footprint means most Hazlehurst students attend campuses within the city or a short drive away.

Hazlehurst sits at the crossroads of U.S. Highways 221 and 341, the principal routes connecting the city to the broader coastal plain and to Interstate 16 to the north. U.S. 221 provides a north-south link toward the fall line and south toward Douglas, while U.S. 341 runs toward McRae and the Brunswick coast. The city is roughly two hours from the Golden Isles beaches and a similar distance from Macon and Savannah, making it a practical base for those who value small-town living with periodic access to larger markets. The rail line that founded the town still carries freight through the area.

Recreation in Hazlehurst leans toward the outdoors. The pine forests, creeks, and river bottoms of the surrounding coastal plain offer hunting for deer and small game, freshwater fishing, and birdwatching, and the area is listed for camping, canoeing, and kayaking. The Altamaha River basin, a short drive east, is one of the region's defining natural features. In town, the Hazlehurst–Jeff Davis Historical Museum and local antique shops provide indoor diversions, and the annual Peaches to the Beaches yard sale is the city's signature event. Community parks and school athletic facilities round out the recreational landscape.