Waco TX
Texas · Pop. 143,570
Waco, TX: median household income of $54,365, median rent of $1,165/mo, 4.6% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$54,365
per year
Median Rent
$1,165
per month
Median Home
$222k
home value
Unemployment
4.6%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
23.1%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
19 min
one way
City Reality Check balanced
"Waco, TX Reality Check"
In Waco, the rent-to-income burden runs around 26% — acceptable by national standards. Median income sits at $54,365 and median rent is $1,165/month. A staggering 55% of renters here are housing-cost-burdened — spending 30% or more of their income just to keep a roof overhead. Median home value: $221,700 — that's 4.1× the median income. With a median age of 30, this is a young city — high energy, high turnover, and a lot of people figuring out adulthood simultaneously. Employment picture: 4.61% unemployment — a healthy job market. Poverty rate: 23.1% — well above the national average. The headline economic numbers hide a bifurcated city. Average commute: 19 minutes — mercifully short. Waco was founded in 1849 — that's 177 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 101.3 sq miles at 1,417 people/sq mile — sprawling. Elevation: 469 ft — modest elevation. RoastMyCity overall score: 65/100 — It Depends.