Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Baton Rouge, LA
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Baton Rouge
Louisiana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
Median Household Income
$50,155 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
270⚠ High
Population
225,500 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
Median Household Income
$47,421
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
140,545
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Baton Rouge, LA
Pros
More college-educated — 36.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Households earn $2,734 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (1027.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5852.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 4.5%)
Waco, TX
Pros
59% less violent crime than Baton Rouge
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.1 pts lower (4.5%)
Homes cost $44k less ($174,100 vs $217,700)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Median income trails Baton Rouge by $2,734/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Baton Rouge
Median Income
$2,734
$50,155 vs $47,421/yr
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 90.8 on the COL index
Waco
Violent Crime
59% lower
425.9 vs 1027.7 per 100k
Waco
Median Home Value
$44k less
$174,100 vs $217,700
Waco
Unemployment
4.1 pp lower
4.5% vs 8.6% unemployment
Waco
Summer Heat
3.9°F warmer
July avg high 94.5°F vs 90.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Baton Rouge, LA | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 | 90.8 |
| Median Home Value | $217,700 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,010 ✓ Lower | $1,038 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $50,155 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.6%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.5 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.2% | 7.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 270⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 279⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.4% ✓ Higher | 27.9% |
| High School or Higher | 87.5% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | East Baton Rouge Parish | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.7°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 67.5" | 38.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 225,500 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 31.9 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.9% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Baton Rouge's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Baton Rouge wins 11 and Waco wins 11. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Baton Rouge to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($217,700 vs $174,100 median home), income ($50,155 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Baton Rouge, LA and Waco, TX are about 367 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.