Mclennan County · Texas · South · 144k residents
Waco, TX: cost of living, taxes & quality of life
Residential facts for Waco: housing, taxes, monthly costs, climate, schools, and household income, with the Texas median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: ACS place data; supplementary fields may use state estimates.
The acs median home value in Waco is $221,700, 14% below the Texas median. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,193/mo. Day-to-day costs index at 86 against a national baseline of 100. The median household here earns $54,365 a year.
What the numbers show
Source-confirmed findings- Housing value: The ACS median home value in Waco is $221,700, 13.6% below the median for ACS-covered places in Texas.
- Household income: Median household income is $54,365, 28% below the median for ACS-covered places in Texas.
- Adult education: 28.7% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, 2.4% below the median for ACS-covered places in Texas.
- Home value to income: The ACS median home value is about 4.1 times median household income. This is a comparison measure, not a mortgage qualification or affordability promise.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates(2024 ACS 5-year; tables B01003, B15003, B19013, B25077). Geography: Census place where available. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
WhereToHQ calculates the comparisons. Figures are estimates for context, not a guarantee or personal financial advice. Read the methodology or send a correction.
What makes this place distinctive
A factual snapshot of the place, based on the profile data. It is not a tourism or cultural claim.
A Brazos River city where Baylor, heritage tourism, and Texas maker culture share the spotlight.
Known for: Baylor University, Magnolia Market, Dr Pepper history, and river recreation.
Calendar note: The Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo is a signature annual event.
Story source: Destination Waco
- Scale: A mid-sized city with a population between 50,000 and 250,000 in the profile data.
- Setting: The profile places Waco about 91 miles from the nearest tracked lake.
- Climate signal: The profile records 230 sunny days and 0 inches of annual snow.
- Daily pace: The profile records a walk score of 38 and an average commute of 27 minutes.
WhereToHQ derives these signals from the committed city dataset. Read the methodology for coverage and source limits.
Compare Waco side by side
Cost of living index
86
ACS median home value
$221,700
2-bedroom rent
$1,193/mo
Median household income
$54,365
Housing momentum
How fast Waco's housing market is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
21/100
Cooling
Ranks Waco's home-price and rent growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. Not investment or relocation advice.
Adjusted by Waco's cost-of-living index versus the US average.
| ACS median home value | $221,700 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $170 |
| Property tax rate | 1.68% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $954/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,193/mo |
| State & local income tax | 0% |
| Sales tax | 8.2% |
| Cost of living index | 86 |
| Groceries index | 96 |
| Utilities | $185/mo |
| Transit pass | $96/mo |
| Gas price | $2.90/gal |
| Healthcare index | 96 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,000/mo |
| Median household income | $54,365 |
| Unemployment rate | 4% |
| Population | 144k |
| Crime index | 50/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 |
| Walkability | 38/100 |
| Disaster risk | 91/100 |
| Avg. commute | 27 min |
| Sunny days / year | 230 days |
| July high | 95°F |
| January low | 36°F |
| Annual snowfall | 0 in |
| Home price YoY | -2.3% |
| Home price MoM | -0.3% |
| Rent YoY | +0.8% |
| Rent MoM | -0.2% |
| Ocean coast | 207 mi |
| Big lake | 91 mi |
| Mountains | 278 mi |
| Major airport | 91 mi |
| Ski resort | 521 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Hewitt, TX · 16k
- Temple, TX · 90k
- Gatesville, TX · 16k
- Belton, TX · 24k
- Harker Heights, TX · 34k
Similar size
- McAllen, TX · 145k
- Mesquite, TX · 149k
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- Midland, TX · 137k
- Denton, TX · 153k
Real listings in Waco
Homes on Zillow ↗Realtor.com ↗Rentals on Zillow ↗Apartments.com ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- What is the cost of living in Waco, TX?
- Waco indexes at 86 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,193/mo and a acs median home value of $221,700.
- How much does a house cost in Waco?
- The acs median home value in Waco is $221,700, 14% below the Texas median (Census ACS estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Waco?
- A two-bedroom in Waco rents for about $1,193/mo.