Waco, Texas
Cost of living, housing, income, commute, climate, and safety — compiled for relocators researching Waco, TX.
MapsToIt planning snapshot
How much does it cost to live in Waco, TX?
Waco planning snapshot: population 146,608, housing index 74 (among the more affordable large markets in this catalog), median home $199,600, median rent $1,098, and income near $51,468. Expect 96°F summer highs, 38°F winter lows, and about 18-minute one-way commutes. Violent-offense rates run about 571.2 per 100k (catalog avg 559.5).
Crime figures may use an older source vintage than housing and income on this page.
- Housing cost index
- 74U.S. avg 100
- Median home value
- $199,600U.S. $303,400
- Median rent
- $1,098U.S. $1,348
- Median income
- $51,468U.S. $78,538
- Unemployment
- 4.6%U.S. 4.2%
- Avg commute
- 18 minCatalog avg 25 min
- Violent crime
- 571.2per 100k · catalog avg 559.5
- Summer high
- 96°FCatalog avg 87°F
Key figures
Each metric shows how Waco compares with a U.S. baseline (ACS/BLS nationals) or a MapsToIt catalog average (crime, climate, and commute). Income, housing, population, and crime are for the incorporated city (city limits), not the broader metro/MSA — unemployment is county-level (BLS LAUS).
- Population
- 146,608City limits · Census PEP 2024 estimate
As of 2026-10-19 · Census PEP 2024 - Median household income
- $51,468Incorporated place (ACS)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year34% below U.S. avgU.S. $78,538 - Housing cost index
- 74ACS home+rent vs U.S. (100 = avg)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year26% below U.S. avgU.S. 100 - Median home value
- $199,600City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year34% below U.S. avgU.S. $303,400 - Median rent
- $1,098City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year19% below U.S. avgU.S. $1,348 - Unemployment
- 4.6%County LAUS · not city-only
As of 2026-10-19 · July 2026Near U.S. rate (4.2%)U.S. 4.2% - Avg commute
- 18 min28% below catalog avgCatalog avg 25 min
- Walk Score
- 3229% below catalog avgCatalog avg 45
- Violent crime rate
- 571.2per 100k · citywide
As of 2026-10-19 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback) · older data (2019)Near catalog avg (559.5)Catalog avg 559.5 - Property crime rate
- 3288.1per 100k · citywide
As of 2026-10-19 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback) · older data (2019)9% above catalog avgCatalog avg 3005.3 - Summer high
- 96°FAs of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals9.0 pts above catalog avgCatalog avg 87°F
- Winter low
- 38°FAs of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals3.0 pts above catalog avgCatalog avg 35°F
- Annual rainfall
- 36.4 inAs of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals10% above catalog avgCatalog avg 33.2 in
- Sunny days
- 285As of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals6% above catalog avgCatalog avg 268
Population trend
Waco grew 16.9% from 125,377 in 2010 to 146,608 in 2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024). Playback steps monthly between annual Census PEP estimates.
Is Waco, TX expensive compared to the U.S. average?
Waco's housing cost index is 74 versus 100 nationally — among the more affordable large markets in this catalog. That gap is driven mainly by ACS median home values ($199,600 vs $303,400) and rents ($1,098 vs $1,348).
- Housing cost index 74 (U.S. 100)
- Median home $199,600 vs U.S. $303,400
- Median rent $1,098 vs U.S. $1,348
How much does housing cost in Waco, TX?
Typical ownership costs center near $199,600, while median gross rent is about $1,098 a month. Against a median household income of $51,468, rent alone is roughly 26% of income on an annualized basis.
- Median home value $199,600
- Median rent $1,098/month
- Median household income $51,468
What is the job market like in Waco, TX?
County unemployment recently ran 4.6% versus a U.S. rate of 4.2%. Median household income in Waco is about $51,468 (U.S. $78,538).
- Unemployment 4.6% (U.S. 4.2%)
- Median income $51,468
How long is the typical commute in Waco, TX?
Average one-way commute time is about 18 minutes, with Walk Score near 32/100. The catalog-city average commute is 25 minutes.
- 18 minutes average one-way
- Walk Score 32/100
Is Waco, TX safer than similar U.S. cities?
Published violent-offense rates are about 571.2 per 100k and property about 3288.1 per 100k, versus catalog averages of 559.5 and 3005.3. Citywide rates hide large neighborhood differences.
- Violent 571.2 per 100k
- Property 3288.1 per 100k
What is the climate like year-round in Waco, TX?
Normals show summer highs near 96°F, winter lows near 38°F, about 36.4 inches of rain, and roughly 285 sunny days a year.
- Summer high 96°F
- Winter low 38°F
- 36.4 in rain · 285 sunny days
Hot summers, sprawling freeways, and no state income tax dominate comparisons. Roughly 285 sunny days a year give outdoor routines unusual calendar reliability. Average one-way commute time is about 18 minutes, and Walk Score estimates land around 32/100. Labor-market readings near 4.6% unemployment are neither boom nor bust by national standards. Violent-offense rates near 571.2 per 100k sit in a mid-to-elevated band versus many peer cities in this catalog.
Waco, Texas counts about 146,608 residents inside the city limits. With median income around $51,468 and a cost index of 74, the market reads among the more affordable large markets in this catalog on housing costs. Entry home prices around $199,600 still look attainable compared with coastal metros.
Waco is compact enough that a single wrong neighborhood choice is easy to feel day to day — visit at commute hour before signing. Figures on this page are merged from Census ACS, BLS LAUS, FBI crime figures, and NOAA Climate Normals — use them to compare Waco with nearby alternatives before you relocate.
Nearby & similar cities
Continue researching with these internal links — each page is a full data profile.
Sources
- Census / ACS: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year (Waco city, 1600000US4876000) — As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year
- BLS: BLS LAUS · McLennan County, July 2026 — As of 2026-10-19 · July 2026
- Crime: FBI CIUS Table 8 (2019), city offenses per 100k — As of 2026-10-19 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback)
- Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 Monthly Normals (USW00013959 WACO RGNL AP) — As of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals
- Population trend: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024) — As of 2026-10-19 · Census PEP 2024
Catalog refreshed 2026-10-19