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Waco

#7 in Best Places to Live in Waco Area
  • B+
    Overall Grade
  • City in Texas
  • 537 reviews
    B+
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Public Schools
      B
    2. Crime & Safety
      C
    3. Housing
      B-
    4. Nightlife
      B+
    5. Good for Families
      B
    6. Diversity
      A+
    7. Jobs
      B-
    8. Weather
      A-
    9. Cost of Living
      B+
    10. Health & Fitness
      C+
    11. Outdoor Activities
      B
    12. Commute
      A-
    View Full Report Card
    Waco is a city in Texas with a population of 131,996. Waco is in McLennan County. Living in Waco offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents rent their homes. In Waco there are a lot of parks. Many families and young professionals live in Waco and residents tend to have moderate political views. The public schools in Waco are above average.
    About Waco...
    Population
    131,996

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $107,700
    National
    $184,700
    Median Rent
    $791
    National
    $949
    Area Feel
    Dense Suburban
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      55%
    • Own
      45%
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    Niche may be compensated by the third party lenders and others who place ads on the website. Niche is not a lender and does not endorse the products of these advertisers. Fees that Niche receives for ads do not affect the terms you may be offered by the lender you choose. There are many additional borrowing options available.

    Waco Rankings

    Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

    Crime & Safety

    Crime & Safety
    C
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      338.2
      282.7
    • Murder
      3.7
      6.1
    • Rape
      86
      40.7
    • Robbery
      79.4
      135.5
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      703.7
      500.1
    • Theft
      2,750.8
      2,042.8
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      140.4
      284

    Residents

    Diversity
    A+
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Age
    • <10 years
      14%
    • 10-17 years
      10%
    • 18-24 years
      20%
    • 25-34 years
      14%
    • 35-44 years
      11%
    • 45-54 years
      10%
    • 55-64 years
      10%
    • 65+ years
      12%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      8%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      15%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      30%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      27%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      20%
      13%
    • Public Schools
    • Private Schools
    • Colleges

    Working in Waco

    Jobs
    B-
    Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
    Median Household Income
    $36,004
    National
    $55,322
    Search for Jobs in Waco
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    Waco Reviews

    537 reviews
    All Categories
    HEB (grocery store) has a lot of variety, especially in produce and salsa! Cameron Park is pretty to hike in. Magnolia Silos are there, and there are some cute boutique stores popping up. Sironia (restaurant) has AWESOME vermicelli salad! Baylor campus is pretty. Overall, people are nice. Texans are very welcoming! Also, great food trucks (get a barbacoa torta from Taqueria Zacatecas!)
    Start Your Review of Waco
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    I have lived in Waco, Tx going on 22 years now. Waco is a great place to call home. My parents worked for the Waco police department their whole career; Now retired, they get to reside in this amazing city. There is never a dull moment in this town! Waco is full of many avenues of entertainment waiting to be explored. From the numerous shops downtown to Magnolia to Cameron Park there are many places that make Waco an ideal location for residents and visitors alike.
    As a teenager moving to Waco from a small town, this is the perfect town to more to. It's not overwhelming as a city would be considering the town I originally came from was home to 400 people year round. The town is big but not big enough to be overwhelming, I get the joys of a city without the stress that usually come with it. My biggest highlights of moving to Waco was being able to go to the movies and get sushi, and it not taking over an hour to drive and get it. The High School I go to is a 6A school and has given me many connections to different parts of Waco Highlighting the community and how it is close knit unlike larger cities. Waco is amazing!