Residential comparison · 13 facts
Mesquite, TX vs Waco, TX
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Mesquite needs about $81,000 in Waco to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Waco, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $89,000 in Mesquite.
A few differences
- Mesquite is higher on median household income ($72,537 vs $54,365).
- Waco is lower on cost of living index (86 vs 91).
- Waco is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,193/mo vs $1,455/mo).
Mesquite vs Waco · facet by facet
| Facet | Mesquite, TX | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $245,700 | $221,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,455/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.68% | 1.68% |
| State & local income tax | 0% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 8.2% | 8.2% |
| Cost of living index | 91 | 86 |
| Groceries index | 96 | 96 |
| Utilities | $185/mo | $185/mo |
| Median household income | $72,537 | $54,365 |
| Unemployment rate | 4% | 4% |
| Crime index | 50/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 230 days | 230 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Mesquite, TX · Waco, TX
Questions & answers
- Is Mesquite cheaper than Waco?
- Waco has the lower day-to-day cost index (86 vs 91 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Waco equals $85,000 in Mesquite?
- A household earning $85,000 in Mesquite needs about $81,000 in Waco to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Waco lifestyle costs about $89,000 in Mesquite.