Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Beaumont, TX
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Waco leads 13 of 23 categories
Beaumont
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$53,745 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
299⚠ High
Population
114,573
Waco
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8
Median Household Income
$47,421
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
140,545 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Beaumont, TX
Pros
Homes cost $24k less ($150,400 vs $174,100)
Households earn $6,324 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
Cons
Violent crime (1137.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3302.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 4.5%)
Waco, TX
Pros
63% less violent crime than Beaumont
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.5%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Beaumont by $6,324/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Beaumont
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 90.8 (100 = US avg)
Beaumont
Median Income
$6,324
$53,745 vs $47,421/yr
Beaumont
Median Home Value
$24k less
$150,400 vs $174,100
Waco
Violent Crime
63% lower
425.9 vs 1137.3 per 100k
Waco
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Beaumont, TX | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper | 90.8 |
| Median Home Value | $150,400 ✓ Lower | $174,100 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $992 ✓ Lower | $1,038 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $53,745 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.7 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 3.6% | 7.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 242⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 299⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 157⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.9:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.8% | 27.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 86.2% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BEAUMONT ISD | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.6°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.0°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 65.1" | 38.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,573 | 140,545 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.5 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.4% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 15.9% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Beaumont's cost of living index is 90.2 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Beaumont is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Waco leads 13 of 23 categories. Beaumont wins 10 and Waco wins 13. 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 Beaumont to Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($150,400 vs $174,100 median home), income ($53,745 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Beaumont, TX and Waco, TX are about 208 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.